From Forklifts to a Boeing 737: Behind the Scenes of How We Source Our Treasures
“But where do you find all this?” It’s the question we get asked most often. An excavator one week, a lot of restaurant dishware the next, then antiques... Our inventory is constantly changing, and behind every piece, there’s a story. Here’s how it really works.
It all starts with an opportunity
Many of our purchases begin with a simple phone call: a business closing its doors, a merchant upgrading their equipment, an estate, a warehouse that needs emptying, a bankruptcy or a liquidation. In many cases, people need to free up space quickly and don’t want the hassle of reselling.
Then, we assess
Before buying, we take a close look at the condition, age, maintenance, local demand, and the price we’ll be able to resell at. For machinery, we look at mechanical condition, hours of use, and maintenance history. For the shop, we check condition, quality, and brand, and ask ourselves whether the piece will find a buyer. We offer a quick, free appraisal and a fair price.
Then, we sort and give items new life
Once the items arrive at our location in Saint-Côme–Linière, we clean, test, photograph, and catalogue them. Heavy machinery goes in our yard. The finds, dishware, and décor head to Les Puces St-Côme-Linière, in store and online.
An example: when our president ended up with a Boeing 737
Yes, a plane.
In the fall of 2022, Le 737, the airplane-restaurant located near Québec City’s airport, closed its doors. The trustee put its assets up for sale: a plane fixed to the ground, containers, furniture, and kitchen equipment.
In January 2023, Alexandre Bernard, president of Gestion COBE, and a business partner made an offer on one lot: a container and some concrete blocks. Not the plane. But in discussions with the trustee and the airport, they were offered the rest of the lot. Nobody wanted to restart the project. They ended up buying the whole thing, Boeing included.
From there, they applied the same approach as with any other purchase: what do we have in front of us, and who could use it? A plane this size doesn’t just sit on a shelf. They had to find a serious project, and above all figure out how to move it. The plane was listed on Marketplace at $1M, “a price to get people talking.” The goal: to keep it from ending up as scrap metal.
On March 16, 2023, after weeks of discussions, Scott’s Woodooliparc signed on. In the spring, the plane was dismantled, the wings were hauled away on trailers, and concrete pillars were installed at Scott’s site. On June 8, it hit the road before sunrise and landed at the Woodooliparc.
A project like this isn’t a solo effort. Between the crane, the trucks, the lift, and the concrete pillars to install, it took an entire team to get the plane safely to its destination.
ItIt now sits on its pillars, visible from Highway 73, and has come back to life as AirWoodooli, Destination 737: since June 2024, visitors have been enjoying a virtual reality experience that takes them traveling around the world.
A Boeing is the exception, of course. But the principle stays the same: we look, we assess, and we find who can use it.
Why we do this
Because good equipment deserves a second life. Rather than ending up in the trash, it’s offered to someone who needs it, often at a fraction of the price of new. And it keeps the local economy moving.
Do you have equipment or items to sell?
We buy! Whether it’s a piece of machinery, a lot of equipment, or the contents of a business, call us at 819-500-0833 for a quick, free appraisal.
And if you’re looking for your next great deal, drop by our online shop or visit us at 1202 rue Principale in Saint-Côme–Linière.
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