Andes Travel
Voyages Andes is a travel agency specializing in Central American and South American vacations. Established in 1975, Voyages Andes still operates out of their location in Rosemont but this sign was recovered from a Mile End alley after a tip from @Fucknomtl on Twitter and Instagram. The recovery would not have been possible without the gracious assistance of a host of social media sign mavens, including Matthew Brett, Maya Hey, Shawn Goldwater, Elias Makos, Dan Seligman, and Chrys Vilvang. Here’s a live radio conversation between Matt (MSP) and Elias Makos (CJAD) on April 5th 2022 – right after the sign was installed in the CJ. We’ll leave the last word to Montréaler Alex T., who neatly summed up the nostalgia value of signs such as Voyages Andes after she saw our post on social media:
“For me, signs like these (travel, steakhouses, fancy dress shops etc) reflect a time in the city’s history that is fading. Luxury, service, an adventure, something special! These services are being digitized, which means the loss of that human connection, the thrill of hands-on expertise, the delight of conversation and planning. The Voyages Andes sign reminds me of those times, which is why I am so glad you retrieved it. Many young people do not even know that there was such a thing as a travel agent, so evidence of this labour is so really important.”