Owner of spice shop in hot water in Quebec over English-only website
MONTREAL — The owner of a Montreal spice shop that is struggling financially says he may close it because of pressure from Quebec’s language watchdog over an English-only website.
Peter Bahlawanian, who owns a Los Angeles shop that has an outlet in Montreal, has been ordered to translate the company’s website into French.
He said he set up the site when he originally opened his Spice Station store in the United States in 2009.
Two years later, he opened two shops in Montreal, gave his business a French name and even translated the names and descriptions of the 450 spices he carries.