Michael Schwartz is in the business of helping people make things.
He runs two shops in the heart of Montreal filled with tools and workbenches — everything one needs to bring a creation to life.
The shops operate under the name Les Affûtés, which means “the sharpened” in French. Here, under the guidance of experienced professionals, visitors can use the equipment to do anything from building a bookshelf to fixing a bike. The goal, said Schwartz, is to teach people to work with their hands.
Visitors can bring a photo of something and ask for help creating it, or they can attend a class where everyone learns to make something together.
This business was inspired by Schwartz’s first experience in woodworking. After moving to Montreal from France, he wanted to learn something new. So he spent some time with a retired tradesperson in the city, learning what he could about the…
