Montreal's 150-year-old costume store leaves Old Montreal

   Canada's oldest costume store - right here in the Muchy-Hall is no more... well, it's no longer at its longstanding spot anyway.
   Ponton Costumes (aka Joseph Ponton Costumes) was located in the Fairy Land building on Francis Xavier - across from the Centaur Theatre - since 1985.
   Its move wasn't exactly the most organized affair, according to a source who passes frequently on the way to work.
   When it was vacated last October some possibly-sensitive papers were left out in the recycling, although they seemed likely too old to be of any value. A water leak left the street icy but it's not clear whether that had anything to do with the premises or with a separate issue involving the city.
   The store - first opened at The Main and Viger in 1865 - is not closed.
   It has simply moved to the great eastern side of the city, so you could still get your gorilla suits, knights costumes and wicked nurses' gear but in a more downscale neighbourhood.
   It's at 4846 Ste. Catherine E. just west of Viau. It's in an ancient greystone befitting the antiquity of the business.
   Before 1985 the store rented and sold its costumes from 451 St. Sulpice, across from the Notre Dame Basilica.
   In the 1950s it was at 35 Notre Dame E., in a building demolished for the Montreal courthouse. It was described in a profile as a place with museum-like treasures.
   The past locations - those we could dig up in a cursory search - were all within one kilometre of each other.
   Ponton's new digs is over seven kilometres east, so it's a a major departure for the 150-year-old establishment.
   Larocque and Demers had taken over from Joseph Ponton many moons ago.
   Couldn't find much about Joseph Ponton, although a 71-year-old by that name was run over and killed in Feb. 1950.