Atelier Bloc
Shawinigan, Quebec
Specs: In October 2025, Anthony Richard-Mongrain opened Atelier Bloc in Shawinigan, a city north of Trois-Rivières, Quebec. Richard-Mongrain had been climbing for about three years before opening the gym and has since held a variety of positions in the industry, including working in routesetting and management at The Bloc Bouldering on Vancouver Island. He quickly realized these positions aligned with his interests, especially solving operational problems. “I really, really enjoyed that experience,” Richard-Mongrain said. “I knew that was something I would love to do for many years because it presents the perfect job for me.”
He considered buying shares in The Bloc but ultimately decided to open an independent facility instead. “I was looking for an opportunity to maybe start a business or create my own money, create my own wealth without being an employee,” he recalled. “That’s when I got the flash. I said, ‘Hey, a climbing gym is a great opportunity. It represents a lot of things that I love, [like] community. It’s physical, but at the same time it’s logical.’”
Richard-Mongrain moved back to Quebec, near his hometown, to build the gym and spent nearly two years developing the project. He deliberately opened Atelier Bloc in the fall to line up with the season when many locals transition to more indoor than outdoor climbing. After conducting market research and identifying the area as one of “the last opportunities that had everything that I wanted,” Richard-Mongrain said, he selected Shawinigan as “the perfect city to establish my business.” Specifically, Richard-Mongrain sought out a city with outdoor climbing access within 10 to 15 minutes, a population between 50,000 and 80,000, strong student demographics, and no climbing gym nearby (the nearest one is over 30 minutes away).
Richard-Mongrain found a 4,350-square-foot facility with expansion potential that is situated on a busy route through town, in proximity to malls, schools, and a military cadet facility. “I’ve been very lucky,” continued Richard-Mongrain. “The price is good, and the owner is super stoked about our project. He helps us a lot, and he’s actually a new climber here.”
Atelier Bloc features 2,400 square feet of climbing wall surface on walls reaching 14.5 feet—including a Kilter Board and over 70 boulder problems—in a space designed to encourage conversation. “I didn’t want a space where it will feel impersonal, or you can come and have your earbuds on and just do your thing,” Richard-Mongrain explained. “[At Atelier Bloc] it feels like you’re obligated to speak with people and share with people and talk about the boulder.” The gym has a mezzanine lounge space—which is rentable for groups and has foosball, games and hammocks—as well as a space for sitting down with a cup of coffee. There’s also a full training gym with hangboards and edges inside the facility.
Additionally, Atelier Bloc hosts multiple group offerings and events, through which Richard-Mongrain said he is “trying to do things differently.” For example, over the holiday season, the gym hosted a Christmas cold plunge in a freezing river followed by a buffet, in addition to other holiday events. “I wanted something where people would connect,” he said. “That’s the intimacy of our small space.”
Walls: Nomad
Flooring: Nomad
CRM Software: Rock Gym Pro
Website: www.atelierbloc.ca
Instagram: @AtelierBlocEscalade
In Their Words: “You need to be passionate about what you do because I don’t do this for money. I hope one day this will help; this would be a financial lever for me. I can go on with my life and enjoy the things that I love the most, and maybe start another project with this. But the main goal was to do the things I love.” – Anthony Richard-Mongrain, Atelier Bloc Owner and Manager
