Labelle Motors

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Museum Blog - Feb 2021

For quite some time people have been asking for photos of the car dealer/service station that once stood at the intersection of Montreal Road and McConnell Avenue, where a name brand drive-thru coffee shop stands today.

Labelle Motors at 373 Montreal Road appears in this March 1963 Standard-Freeholder photograph:

Vintage black-and-white scene of an old gas station at night, featuring retro gas pumps, signage for discounts, and a classic roadside atmosphere.

 

That photo was one of two, taken for use in this newspaper advertisement:

Vintage advertisement for R. Labelle Motors promoting a spring sale. Features gas pumps, bold text urging car maintenance, and a 20% discount on used cars.

 

This was the view from the lot looking west in August 1958:

(Note the snapped utility pole; a crane operator misjudged his clearance)

Black and white street view of a mid-20th century American town. Cars line both sides, a dog lies on the sidewalk, and a Royal Hotel sign is visible.

 

The business was launched by Ovila Labelle. Later his son Roland Labelle and son-in-law Aurele Clement took over the operation. When it closed, Roland opened Minute Auto Wash nearby on Marlborough Street.

Champlain Oil Products was the brand of gasoline they sold. The chain was a spin-off of a company launched by Charles Emile Trudeau, father of Pierre Elliott Trudeau. In 1993 Champlain amalgamated with McColl-Frontenac Petroleum after having been in business since 1932. The elder Trudeau was a staunch Conservative.

The neighbourhood businesses have changed considerably. The former Royal Hotel is now a furniture store and some of the buildings have been replaced.

Black and white vintage ad for a Mercedes-Benz 180 features a classic car illustration. Text highlights its craftsmanship, economy, and low maintenance.
Vintage ad for the 1961 Studebaker Lark. It features a large car illustration with passengers, emphasizing "BIG CAR FEEL" and compact design benefits.