Beloved Quebec City toy store Benjo set to close its doors after 20 magical years

Célestin Blanchet-Langevin may be an adult now, but that doesn't stop him from visiting an iconic toy store in Quebec City's Saint-Roch neighbourhood.

"You know, it was just so impressive to see as a little boy," he said.

Now, he is among shoppers of all ages and employees preparing to bid adieu to the beloved institution, Benjo, which is closing its doors for good on Jan. 31.

Out front is a frog playing a banjo and a pint-sized entrance for kids. Parents, however, have the option of entering through a regular-sized door.

"For 20 years, thousands of children have entered through Benjo's little door and stepped into a magical world that was entirely dedicated to them," said the store's founder, Geneviève Marcon, in a November Facebook post announcing the closure.

"Each amazed look, each radiant smile, each little cry of joy has made us experience moments of pure happiness."

High school student Marie-Ange Tanguay remembers visiting the store as a child, seeing Santa Claus and sharing her Christmas wish list.

"It's an experience when you're a child," she said. "It's really like magic here. I think I'm going to miss that."

Sylvain Parizeau, known as Professeur Bidule to customers, has been working at Benjo since it opened in 2004. He said, for him, it's more than just a store.

"It's kind of my home away from home for the last 20 years," he said.

Surrounded by festive decorations and rows of toys, Parizeau said the store is doing its best to keep the holiday spirit alive despite the circumstances.

"But there's always some kind of, well, basic sadness," he said.

The store has long touted its mission to inspire imagination while giving local suppliers priority, offering a wide selection of Quebec-made products.

Andréanne Gélinas said she has been bringing her children since her first was born 11 years ago.

"For us, it's the best toy store that exists," she said. "There's nothing that compares."

Esther Lapointe lives near the store and has been visiting for 20 years. A mother of four, she said her children have fond memories of shopping there, especially as the holidays drew near.

"We're pretty sad. Everyone in the family, we're all pretty sad," she said.

As Benjo prepares to close its doors for the final time, management says it hopes to celebrate all that it stands for: joy, family and a touch of magic.

For now, the current owners have no plans to relocate, telling Radio-Canada that the space needed to offer Benjo represented too great a cost.

Marie-Pier Ménard, director of the business association, SDC Saint-Roch, said the area will still have "a lot of other great businesses and restaurants that are worth discovering. There will certainly be other new businesses that will come to set up shop in the area."

The Mach Group, owner of the building housing Benjo, praised the positive impact of the business on the neighbourhood and the community.

"It is with regret that we learn of the closure of this emblematic business, which played a key role in the revitalization of the Saint-Roch district, contributing to its rebirth and attractiveness," the company said in a statement.