St-Laurent Sports Bar Champs Reopens Under New Ownership | Eater Montreal

"Reopened yesterday after a years-long hiatus, the unassuming St-Laurent Boulevard sports bar has been reborn under new ownership led by filmmaker and sports writer Sarah Fobes, joined by Raphael Kerwin and five partners from Montreal’s music and nightlife scene. They’re intentionally moving away from the “usual bravado” of sports bars and aiming to keep the low-key, frill-free dive energy that made the spot a Main staple while ensuring everyone feels welcome through inclusive hiring and zero-tolerance customer-service policies. Fobes, a queer woman who’s covered sports for 15 years, describes loving the communal excitement of watching games in crowded bars and wants to recreate that safe, celebratory atmosphere. The bar occupies the building’s second floor (the space originally opened in the 1980s in a structure built just over 40 years ago) and has been given a modest facelift—VLTs were replaced with arcade games and the former kitchen was turned into a 25-person wine nook that will also screen games and can be reserved for private events, with the wine program put together by Mano Cornuto sommelier Rob Clarke. Food is no longer prepped on-site, but patrons can still expect sports on screens and cheap beer aplenty; Champs is now open at 3956 St-Laurent Boulevard and posts updates on its Instagram account for business hours." - Valerie Silva