Montreal’s a city where winter has its own unique character. And Montrealers have a love hate relationship with the season. But it’s also a rite of passage: in spite of its challenges, winter encourages us to bond over its spontaneous pleasures and our shared experiences. In this sense, there’s no better place to test out tuques, mitts and a whole bag of tricks.
A few thoughts from Mark Pascal, Vice President and Co-Owner of the family business Kombi Sports.
What’s winter to a Montrealer?
To live in Montreal is to accept that you’re going to be digging your car out, pushing it from a snow bank and then starting all over again the next time you need it. But then it’s also about building snow forts and snowmen and family ski trips. There are steaming cups of hot chocolate, fireside gatherings and cosy evenings wrapped up watching movies… or even better, a Montreal Canadiens game with a good beer!
What inspires you to pursue the family business and live in Montreal?
I was born here. But I’ve also travelled the world and I can honestly say that Montreal is where I feel most at home. Kombi is a family business and all the members of our family contribute in one way or another. We take pride in promoting our products and growing our business from home. Montreal is a city with a joie de vivre. Sure winter’s difficult, but the warmth you find makes you want to sink your teeth into it and experience it to the fullest. Waking up that first morning to the sound of the snow removal truck also means knowing a ton of winter activities await us. Each year we add to our bank of amazing memories. They’re memories we’ve made together. And that’s winter in Montreal. I wouldn’t trade it for the world.
