When you walk down the cobblestone street of Prince Arthur in Montreal’s hip Plateau neighbourhood, look up at the colourful graffiti at the corner of Rue de Bullion. It’s Psychonaut, one of Montreal’s best head shops. Not only will you find all types of bongs, pipes and rolling papers here, but you will also find a massive selection of vaporizers, hydroponic equipment and hemp clothing.
Andre Levert founded Psychonaut in 2002, back when it was just a small 250-square-foot space on Rue Roy. Like a child outgrowing its kid clothes, the business eventually grew as the years passed, so Andre had to move into his current location, a 1000-square-foot space on Prince Arthur. Today, Andre runs the shop with his wife Marie.
“One reason I opened this store was for the marijuana movement, to create social structures like head shops, hemp stores and such,” says Andre. “It helps normalize the whole marijuana issue.”