Canadian Retail Thread [Archive] - Page 63

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jamincan

Mar 28, 2021, 12:10 AM

isaidso

Mar 28, 2021, 12:22 AM

Construction is starting in Windsor on the 3rd Chick-Fil-A location in Canada, the first outside of the GTA.

Hopefully they keep their bible thumping beliefs on the American side of the border! That usually doesn’t go over well here.

https://windsorite.ca/2021/03/construction-starting-at-windsors-new-chick-fil-a-location/

Proceeds from the sale of their food goes to organizations that make life a living hell for millions of people right across Africa. Does it make it better that they're brutalizing LGBTQ people instead of Black people, Jews, or women? LGBTQ people in Africa are being found murdered, raped, or imprisoned due to the hate speech those organizations preach. Would you go there if they donated money to the KKK? There's no difference as far as I'm concerned.

People seem to care more about having another fried chicken sandwich option than the lives of these people. Being ignorant about where your money ends up is not a valid excuse. If you go to Chick-Fil-A you're financially supporting all of that. Most people know but just don't care. People really suck sometimes.

ssiguy

Mar 28, 2021, 3:31 AM

In the US, all the Chick-fil-a are closed on Sundays and promote fish on Fridays..................is that also the case at the 2 Toronto locations?

casper

Mar 28, 2021, 3:35 AM

Proceeds from the sale of their food goes to organizations that make life a living hell for millions of people right across Africa. Does it make it better that they're brutalizing LGBTQ people instead of Black people, Jews, or women? LGBTQ people in Africa are being found murdered, raped, or imprisoned due to the hate speech those organizations preach. Would you go there if they donated money to the KKK? There's no difference as far as I'm concerned.

People seem to care more about having another fried chicken sandwich option than the lives of these people. Being ignorant about where your money ends up is not a valid excuse. If you go to Chick-Fil-A you're financially supporting all of that. Most people know but just don't care. People really suck sometimes.

I had no idea they were funding political activities that are so orthogonal to Canadian values. I have only been to their outlets in Seattle and Atlanta. The chicken was ok. Sounds like their values are inconsistent with Canadian values and they deserve to be run out of town.

I suspect most people who buy their chicken have no idea.

jamincan

Mar 28, 2021, 10:18 AM

Proceeds from the sale of their food goes to organizations that make life a living hell for millions of people right across Africa. Does it make it better that they're brutalizing LGBTQ people instead of Black people, Jews, or women? LGBTQ people in Africa are being found murdered, raped, or imprisoned due to the hate speech those organizations preach. Would you go there if they donated money to the KKK? There's no difference as far as I'm concerned.

People seem to care more about having another fried chicken sandwich option than the lives of these people. Being ignorant about where your money ends up is not a valid excuse. If you go to Chick-Fil-A you're financially supporting all of that. Most people know but just don't care. People really suck sometimes.

Do you have more information about this? The latest I had heard was that they had stopped donating to anti-LGBTQ organization a while ago (actually leading to some right-wing wackos boycotting them). I know that they had been criticized for donating to groups like Salvation Army and so forth in the past, but I also don't think they should be punished for past actions if they've made changes, otherwise there really is no incentive for any target of criticism to reform.

zahav

Mar 29, 2021, 7:38 PM

JHikka

Mar 29, 2021, 7:50 PM

Do you have more information about this? The latest I had heard was that they had stopped donating to anti-LGBTQ organization a while ago (actually leading to some right-wing wackos boycotting them). I know that they had been criticized for donating to groups like Salvation Army and so forth in the past, but I also don't think they should be punished for past actions if they've made changes, otherwise there really is no incentive for any target of criticism to reform.

Last I read Chick-Fil-A was an incredibly religious organization that wouldn't, as one example, hire LGBTQ employees because they didn't align with their values. I know people protested in Toronto when they first opened.

They said they would stop donating to companies that held anti-LGBT positions in 2020.

I suspect most people who buy their chicken have no idea.
Before and during COVID the Yonge & Bloor location was always lined up out the door and I just assumed the people in line didn't realize they were supporting a company that held discriminatory views.

youngregina

Mar 29, 2021, 9:43 PM

2 Alberta London Drugs stores closing for good
(https://calgary.ctvnews.ca/2-alberta-london-drugs-stores-closing-for-good-1.5364992)
This is quite telling. London Drugs rarely closes locations, almost never. They often relocate locations when a new one is built, but they are one of the most stable retailers in Western Canada. And their stores are not small, they are pretty unique in what they sell in a large space. Both of these locations are really new as well, so another shock they couldn't make them work. They didn't even mince words about the cause, the situation must really be bleak. Hopefully there aren't more closures

Just shifting market demands. With Covid, people are looking for places that are perceived as clean and have enough room for people in the aisles. London Drugs has neither going for it... it’s always a bit of a mess and feels cramped. They also closed the location on 8th St/17th Avenue SW here in Calgary as well. Just, too crowded... especially for a time when crowding has become a universal issue.

zahav

Mar 30, 2021, 6:29 AM

Just shifting market demands. With Covid, people are looking for places that are perceived as clean and have enough room for people in the aisles. London Drugs has neither going for it... it’s always a bit of a mess and feels cramped. They also closed the location on 8th St/17th Avenue SW here in Calgary as well. Just, too crowded... especially for a time when crowding has become a universal issue.

I wouldn't have thought of that. Being in their stores feels like Shoppers Drug Mart or Save On or Wal Mart, I don't really feel much of a difference. I don't know much about Sage Hills, but I know Windermere is pretty developed so seems odd they couldn't make it work. I don't think they've closed any stores in BC, maybe they are just retrenching locally now

casper

Mar 30, 2021, 6:54 AM

I wouldn't have thought of that. Being in their stores feels like Shoppers Drug Mart or Save On or Wal Mart, I don't really feel much of a difference. I don't know much about Sage Hills, but I know Windermere is pretty developed so seems odd they couldn't make it work. I don't think they've closed any stores in BC, maybe they are just retrenching locally now

They are owned by the H. Y. Louie family. The family also owns IGA (in BC), Fresh St Markets, London Air (the charter airline), a private island (destination resort), and a host of property. It tends to be a very conservative organization and one that has a very long term focus.

Shutting down two stores at the same point in time in the same city is very odd.

That said London Drugs is like Canadian Tire. It is a combination of some random departments that should not work but in Canada is does. Computers, Cosmetics, Pharmacy and shelf stable food. Who would expect that to make any sense.

I have always found the stores clean, but the shelves are close together especially in some of the older smaller locations in Vancouver.

YYCguys

Mar 30, 2021, 9:55 AM

Proof Sheet

Mar 30, 2021, 10:19 AM

They had a location briefly in the terminal at YYC. I didn’t last long and closed well before covid hit. So Calgary might have been the first location outside the GTA.

It was there in the summer of 2018...Very underwhelming.

SpongeG

Mar 30, 2021, 3:16 PM

2 Alberta London Drugs stores closing for good
(https://calgary.ctvnews.ca/2-alberta-london-drugs-stores-closing-for-good-1.5364992)
This is quite telling. London Drugs rarely closes locations, almost never. They often relocate locations when a new one is built, but they are one of the most stable retailers in Western Canada. And their stores are not small, they are pretty unique in what they sell in a large space. Both of these locations are really new as well, so another shock they couldn't make them work. They didn't even mince words about the cause, the situation must really be bleak. Hopefully there aren't more closures

a lot of the stores in Vancouver area have had their computer sections majorly sized down, the TVs have been shifted around and overall that department has been shrunk, such as Lougheed store where the stereo section was is now baskets and shoes and some clothes etc.

the nely renovated store such as Guildford have very much smaller electronics sections.

There was a store I went to in Tokyp that reminded me of LD, it was like the same mix of merchandise as LD, beauty, fragrances, household things, electronics etc but the stores were like 7 storeys and each floor was s department.

manny_santos

Mar 30, 2021, 3:28 PM

Coming from Ontario I found London Drugs to be a very odd store the first time I visited Vancouver several years ago. I would best describe it as Canadian Tire, Best Buy, Shoppers Drug Mart all under one roof with an ICBC agent at the front.

Pharmacies selling electronics, housewares, and auto insurance just aren't a thing in Ontario.

shreddog

Mar 30, 2021, 4:31 PM

...Shutting down two stores at the same point in time in the same city is very odd...from the articleaying the Windemere location (6048 Currents Dr. N.W., Edmonton) and Sage Hill store (50 Sage Hill Plaza N.W., Calgary)

GreatTallNorth2

Mar 30, 2021, 5:29 PM

Djeffery

Mar 30, 2021, 10:17 PM

zahav

Mar 31, 2021, 2:38 AM

from the article

I was referring to the comment from youngregina:

They also closed the location on 8th St/17th Avenue SW here in Calgary as well. Just, too crowded... especially for a time when crowding has become a universal issue.

Those two in Calgary plus the Edmonton one. I have no idea if there are others, i didn't even know about 8th/17th, just the two in the article

shreddog

Mar 31, 2021, 4:10 AM

I was referring to the comment from youngregina:

They also closed the location on 8th St/17th Avenue SW here in Calgary as well. Just, too crowded... especially for a time when crowding has become a universal issue....Fair enough. FWIW, the one on 8th closed 6 months ago, though as YoungRegina indicated was a smaller format/crowded layout, especially compared to many newer ones (it was 20 years old). Perhaps the CanTire opening across the street didn't help either? :shrug:

The one in Sage Hills is interesting as it's newer (~3 years) and they should have done their market research ahead of time.

Chadillaccc

Mar 31, 2021, 5:00 AM

When I was dating a guy in Nashville for a while, a couple years back, he took me to Chik Fil A and after they gave me my order they said "have a blessed day" I almost said "what the fuck" out loud. Kissed my ex in the parking lot after that. :haha:

SpongeG

Mar 31, 2021, 7:13 AM

in n out burgers prints a bible verse number on their packaging yet no one freaks out about them in comparison to chic fil a.

acottawa

Mar 31, 2021, 9:46 AM

in n out burgers prints a bible verse number on their packaging yet no one freaks out about them in comparison to chic fil a.

AFAIK there have been no accusations of funding anti-LGBT activities.

casper

Mar 31, 2021, 1:45 PM

in n out burgers prints a bible verse number on their packaging yet no one freaks out about them in comparison to chic fil a.

I am ok with that. We do live in a country that tolerates religion. If the owners of a burger place fell the best way for them to worship their religion is to print those verses on the wax paper the use to capture the grease and sauce from a burger so bit it.

I think the line should be when they start to treat others with disrespect.

GreatTallNorth2

Mar 31, 2021, 1:51 PM

Acajack

Mar 31, 2021, 3:43 PM

Last I read Chick-Fil-A was an incredibly religious organization that wouldn't, as one example, hire LGBTQ employees because they didn't align with their values. I know people protested in Toronto when they first opened.

They said they would stop donating to companies that held anti-LGBT positions in 2020.

Before and during COVID the Yonge & Bloor location was always lined up out the door and I just assumed the people in line didn't realize they were supporting a company that held discriminatory views.

It's hard to keep track of the corporate values of the businesses one frequents for even the best of us (lots of camouflage going on), so most people are largely unaware until all of a sudden a media campaign against company X takes off.

I have a lot of teens and young adults around me and while they're fairly sensitive to such things (one of them even produced a "read the labels" guide on ethical clothes purchases as an international baccalaureate graduation project), I still find them quite unaware of the stuff I sometimes bring up.

JHikka

Mar 31, 2021, 5:08 PM

in n out burgers prints a bible verse number on their packaging yet no one freaks out about them in comparison to chic fil a.

Being religious is not the same as being anti-LGBT, which is what Chick-Fil-A actively is and was.

GreatTallNorth2

Mar 31, 2021, 5:42 PM

Being religious is not the same as being anti-LGBT, which is what Chick-Fil-A actively is and was.

I say "prove it". Do they refuse service to anyone at all? No. Did they open up the Sunday of the Orlando bombing of the gay bar that gave free food to those affected? Yes. Does the company donate to religious organizations? It did, but does no longer. Was the owner a Christian? Yes. Please prove they are anti-LGBT any more than you might be anti-Christian.

JHikka

Mar 31, 2021, 6:10 PM

I say "prove it".

Notably, Chick-fil-A never explicitly said it would permanently stop donating to anti-gay groups or organizations that discriminate against LGBTQ people — it just said it was changing its philanthropic giving model. Chick-fil-A didn’t respond to The Goods’ request for comment, but a company spokesperson did tell VICE that it wouldn’t rule out giving to religious groups in the future.

But the 2012 incident wasn’t the first time the Cathys were accused of homophobia. A year earlier, a Pennsylvania Chick-fil-A’s decision to donate food to a marriage seminar conducted by the Pennsylvania Family Institute, a group known for its anti-gay advocacy, prompted a nationwide boycott of the chain. Cathy issued a video statement in response to the boycott, in which he claimed the company “serves all people” and that, while he personally believes in the “biblical definition of marriage,” his company doesn’t have an “anti-gay agenda.” And back in 2002, a former employee of a Houston Chick-fil-A sued the chain for discrimination. The employee, who was Muslim, alleged he had been fired because he refused to pray to Jesus with other employees. The suit was settled out of court.

In 2011, the same year a Pennsylvania Chick-fil-A franchise donated food to a local anti-gay organization, the LGBTQ advocacy group Equality Matters obtained tax records which revealed that the Cathy family had donated more than $1.9 million to anti-gay groups in 2010 through the WinShape Foundation, the Cathy family’s charitable giving organization founded by Truett Cathy in 1984. Those donations included a $1.1 million gift to the Marriage & Family Foundation, a group that promoted so-called traditional marriage and opposed both gay marriage and divorce; $480,000 to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, an athletic organization that requires applicants to agree to a “sexual purity statement” that condemns LGBTQ people for living “impure lifestyle[s]”; and $1,000 to Exodus International, a group that promotes anti-gay conversion therapy.

https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2019/5/29/18644354/chick-fil-a-anti-gay-donations-homophobia-dan-cathy

Your choice to abstain from a fried chicken sandwich might not seem to do much for the third of LGBT high school students who face bullying at school or 40% of transgender adults who have made a suicide attempt. But Ashtin Berry, a sommelier, bartender, and hospitality industry activist, connects the dots between micro and macro. “What people are missing,” Berry explains, “is that the decision to eat at Chick-fil-A isn’t just interpersonal; it is complicit in structural oppression. Chick-fil-A is an $11 billion company that supports anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation on a state and federal level. So the individual decision to eat and engage with the business is a decision to be complicit in their practices.”

Boycotting Chick-fil-A isn’t changing the world, but it is refusing to be complicit in what many assume to be an oppressive structure. That’s only the first step, though: Once we understand the ways our personal decisions contribute to larger injustices, we can begin to visualize the labor required to affect real change. For some, total ethical consumption isn’t currently feasible from a time or cost perspective. To that end, Ho muses, “Perhaps a better question to ask would be: Why isn’t it realistic for average Americans to make better ethical decisions about the fruits of their labors? Then we can get somewhere.”

https://www.delish.com/food/a30170193/is-it-ok-to-eat-at-chick-fil-a/

However, the company rapidly buckled after a pressure campaign from hate preacher Franklin Graham and anti-LGBT activists.

Graham said in November that Cathy had “personally” assured him that the company “has not bowed down to anyone’s demands, including the LGBTQ community.”

He added: “They will continue to support whoever they want to support. They haven’t changed who they are or what they believe.

“Chick-fil-A remains committed to Christian values. Dan Cathy assured me that this isn’t going to change. I hope all those who jumped to the wrong conclusion about them read this.”
https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2020/01/08/chick-fil-a-apology-anti-lgbt-activists-american-family-association-dan-cathy/

Here are some of the more poignant quotes from gay employees, many of whom asked to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation:

"[It's] constantly having people come up to you and say, 'I support your company, because your company hates the gays. It really takes a toll on me."

"It seems like very few people have stopped to think about who actually works for Chick-fil-A and what those people's opinions are. They are putting us in a pot and coming to support us or hate us based on something they heard and assume we agree with."

"Our managers have recommended just saying 'Thank you for your business' if a customer says they agree with Cathy’s comments, rather than agreeing or disagreeing with them. Now, anyone that works there is stuck with a stigma of being homophobic, even when many of us are far from it. At the end of the day part of our profits still go towards Dan Cathy, and subsequently, all the organizations he supports."

https://www.businessinsider.com/gay-chick-fil-a-employees-reveal-what-it-has-been-like-to-work-there-lately-2012-8

someone123

Mar 31, 2021, 6:32 PM

A Georgia-based chicken company donating to Christian groups that were against same-sex marriage would really have just been the political norm circa 2011 and is probably not very fringe even today.

If we are not happy with that we should probably boycott about 75% of the planet. Or at least the countries where the death penalty is still on the books.

JHikka

Mar 31, 2021, 6:56 PM

If we are not happy with that we should probably boycott about 75% of the planet.

If folks on SSP want to ban China then they're most of the way there anyway.

GreatTallNorth2

Mar 31, 2021, 8:52 PM

https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2019/5/29/18644354/chick-fil-a-anti-gay-donations-homophobia-dan-cathy

https://www.delish.com/food/a30170193/is-it-ok-to-eat-at-chick-fil-a/

https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2020/01/08/chick-fil-a-apology-anti-lgbt-activists-american-family-association-dan-cathy/

https://www.businessinsider.com/gay-chick-fil-a-employees-reveal-what-it-has-been-like-to-work-there-lately-2012-8

If you read the whole article(s) it shows what they are doing. It appears like you are cherry picking quotes that leverage your argument. For example, you didn't quote:

"The release didn’t outright say the biggest change to Chick-fil-A’s philanthropic giving plan: In 2020, the chain won’t give any money to charities that take anti-LGBTQ stances."

Also, I understand if the LGBTQ community wants to boycott Chick-Fil-A and thats absolutely fine, but Dan Cathey and Chick-Fil-A didn't/don't "hate" any group anymore than you "hate" Christians for believing what they believe.

someone123

Mar 31, 2021, 8:58 PM

Also, I understand if the LGBTQ community wants to boycott Chick-Fil-A and thats absolutely fine, but Dan Cathey and Chick-Fil-A didn't/don't "hate" any group anymore than you "hate" Christians for believing what they believe.

There isn't really an "LGBT community". Most of the people interviewed by the media are activists who are outside the norm in terms of opinion and behaviour. A lot of people who get upset about perceived LGBT issues are not LGBT and it's sort of debatable how helpful they really are. They generally were not heard from back when the real fights were happening.

The Chick-Fil-A stuff probably peaked around 2012 (search for "chow down at chick-fil-a" on YouTube and watch the music video). The US Supreme Court basically ended the same-sex marriage debate in 2015 for that country, ruling that same-sex marriage will be treated in the same way as opposite-sex marriage.

JHikka

Mar 31, 2021, 9:12 PM

If you read the whole article(s) it shows what they are doing. It appears like you are cherry picking quotes that leverage your argument. For example, you didn't quote:

"The release didn’t outright say the biggest change to Chick-fil-A’s philanthropic giving plan: In 2020, the chain won’t give any money to charities that take anti-LGBTQ stances."

I also provided quotes to support the position that Cathay and CFA probably aren't to be totally believed when they say they'll do this, at least in the long-term.

theman23

Mar 31, 2021, 9:25 PM

Just go to Popeyes. Its more ubiquitous in Canada anways, and they've had chicken sandwiches here well before Americans started murdering each other over them.

Loco101

Apr 1, 2021, 4:08 AM

Just go to Popeyes. Its more ubiquitous in Canada anways, and they've had chicken sandwiches here well before Americans started murdering each other over them.

:haha:

I don't know why the media in the U.S. has made such a big deal over fast-food chicken sandwiches over the last number of years.

someone123

Apr 1, 2021, 4:22 AM

Just go to Popeyes. Its more ubiquitous in Canada anways, and they've had chicken sandwiches here well before Americans started murdering each other over them.

They're from Louisiana and their name is "pope" + "yes". They probably hate the gays even more.

zoomer

Apr 1, 2021, 5:36 AM

theman23

Apr 1, 2021, 5:51 AM

Such an interesting discussion on which minimum wage paying, union busting chicken killer restaurant chain is the most moral and politically correct. If I have to partake, an old school KFC bucket :yuck: is never a bad thing washed back with a can of Coke..

I'm not sure what your position on gay marriage is, but you're disgusting.

Actually, while we're on the topic, I kind of like Mary Brown's too.

zahav

Apr 1, 2021, 7:06 AM

casper

Apr 1, 2021, 7:49 AM

Such an interesting discussion on which minimum wage paying, union busting chicken killer restaurant chain is the most moral and politically correct. If I have to partake, an old school KFC bucket is never a bad thing washed back with a can of Coke..

KFC opens up a complex web of corporate issues. Colonel Sanders after selling his company to a corporation discovered the unthinkable, they were playing with the secret seasoning to make it cheaper. Under the cover darkness the secret was brought to Canada out of the reach of the evil corporation where "correct chicken" could be done. The same for Europe. But it only lasted a few years before the evil corporation bought the non-US operations.

There is an almost accurate seasoning that be obtained under the code name Marian Kay 99-X.

Yes, it is a wild story. There is one fellow in Toronto that has gone to great length to figure out the store and reproduce the original chicken.... Details at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WJYOgzFydc

SpongeG

Apr 1, 2021, 11:14 PM

I like KFC, the one in Burquitlam is really good, others in the area just aren't as good, the quality really changes from location to location. Also the coleslaw seems to be different sometimes too, sometimes you get a bright green version and other times you get a white and orange version and they are quite different. Also some places I have ordered tenders are using a Sysco brand tender and are nothing like the original KFC tenders which are just like boneless versions of their chicken. I always think I should write to head office and complain about their tenders.

This will be the first Canadian location for Paul. It's on Robson street in Vancouver.
https://www.paul-bakeries.com/en/

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51088680879_1ffecdc247_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2kQwQVv)2021-04-01_03-53-52 (https://flic.kr/p/2kQwQVv) by snub_you (https://www.flickr.com/photos/spongeg/), on Flickr

someone123

Apr 1, 2021, 11:40 PM

Vancouver has gotten a few French chains in the past number of years like L’Éclair de génie (now closed) and Ladurée.

le calmar

Apr 1, 2021, 11:57 PM

There’s probably a Paul in every train station of a certain size in France. It looks like they only have 5 locations in the US, all in the Washington DC area. Looks like their expansion plan for North America is still in its preliminary stage.

Loco101

Apr 2, 2021, 3:43 AM

I was wondering why that chain doesn't exist in Montreal but then I looked at what they sell. Many independent and some bakery chains exist across much of the province that sell the same products so it wouldn't be anything new to Quebec. Even many grocery stores there sell that stuff.

SpongeG

Apr 2, 2021, 7:34 AM

the chain is owned by the same company as Ladurée, The local Vancouver Ladurée franchisee is the one who opened the Paul here.

SteelTown

Apr 30, 2021, 2:52 AM

Ouch! Disney is closing all Disney stores across Canada.

Loco101

Apr 30, 2021, 4:07 AM

Ouch! Disney is closing all Disney stores across Canada.

I was in a couple of them last Summer and I'm not surprised. Disney could just fit their merchandise into a section of Toys R Us Canada stores. (store within a store concept) And let another company run it.

Djeffery

Apr 30, 2021, 10:30 AM

This will be the second time CF Masonville in London will lose its Disney store. They had one 15 or 20 years ago and it closed, then another opened 4 or 5 years ago.

le calmar

Apr 30, 2021, 12:41 PM

I was in a couple of them last Summer and I'm not surprised. Disney could just fit their merchandise into a section of Toys R Us Canada stores. (store within a store concept) And let another company run it.

I visited the one in Rideau Centre couple years ago and I thought it was underwhelming. Basically a few figurines spread over the entire store and not much to see, really. Weird given the near-unlimited potential of the various Disney IPs.

Martin Mtl

May 17, 2021, 10:42 PM

A very well informed member of Mtlurb says that Apple has leased a new space on Ste-Catherine street in downtown Montreal to replace its present store which is way too small. No detail on the exact location, but it is at an intersection and it should open late in 2022.

cslusarc

May 19, 2021, 12:56 AM

Hudson's Bay is closing its Topshop & Topman departments this fall. Reported today by retail-insider.com

urbandreamer

May 19, 2021, 4:35 AM

Hudson's Bay is probably closing for good ha. Unless they get in the cannabis game.

Loco101

May 19, 2021, 5:25 AM

Hudson's Bay is probably closing for good ha. Unless they get in the cannabis game.

I don't even know how they still have so many stores open.

Now about cannabis:

There have been quite a few cannabis stores that have recently opened here in Timmins and a couple opening soon. Is this the case in other communities in Ontario? And I mean just this year.

YYCguys

May 19, 2021, 2:25 PM

Hudson's Bay is probably closing for good ha. Unless they get in the cannabis game.

Goodness! I hope not!

And I hope not!

thewave46

May 19, 2021, 2:28 PM

I don't even know how they still have so many stores open.

Now about cannabis:

There have been quite a few cannabis stores that have recently opened here in Timmins and a couple opening soon. Is this the case in other communities in Ontario? And I mean just this year.

I've heard this commentary from a number of people and observed it too.

I've always suspected that the demand for cannabis was much higher than expected. I've known many high-functioning substance users.

I guess it's also a relatively easy game to get into, cost-wise.

SteelTown

May 19, 2021, 4:01 PM

Pretty much every vacant Tim Hortons or convenience store I've seen has turned into a cannabis store.

whatnext

May 19, 2021, 5:23 PM

Pretty much every vacant Tim Hortons or convenience store I've seen has turned into a cannabis store.

Just saw my first former Starbucks that was being turned into one. :haha:

AuxTown

May 19, 2021, 6:41 PM

Somewhat unrelated to the pot shops.....yet so deeply linked....my favourite kind of pop up shops are opening this week: those sketchy fireworks "stores" that run out of vacant storefronts or in the case of the one I visited this week literally out of the back of a truck. I've love fireworks since I was a kid and my two daughters have birthdays this month, giving me an excuse to set some off!

https://media2.giphy.com/media/yoJC2xvOP1a3Pio78Q/giphy.gif?cid=ecf05e47bz2vclvnlf6jhb0nvd17ns5gdykbhj13cqggk3h6&rid=giphy.gif&ct=g

casper

May 19, 2021, 6:51 PM

Goodness! I hope not!

And I hope not!

They were my go-to place to buy luggage and blankets. If they close it will be a complete disaster every few years when I need new luggage I would need to buy it from one of those weird luggage stores that survives in dead malls.

J.OT13

Jun 13, 2021, 2:32 AM

Hudson’s Bay Downsizing Downtown Flagship Stores in Canada [Analysis]

Craig Patterson, Retail Insider
June 7, 2021

https://retailinsider.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Hudsons-Bay-Flagship-Store-Downtown-Montreal-Ste-Catherine-Street-La-Baie-1068x778.png.webp

Downtown Hudson’s Bay flagship stores in Canada are being downsized as parent Hudson’s Bay Company strategizes real estate assets with an eye for redevelopment. So far the downtown Montreal and Calgary Hudson’s Bay stores are confirmed to be downsizing and other flagships are expected to follow if things go as planned with HBC’s development arm Streetworks Development.

The Montreal store, as discussed in April, will be downsized from more than 650,000 square feet to about 295,000 square feet of space over five floors while a 25-storey office tower is added at the back of the site. Last week we reported that in Calgary, the Bay flagship store would be downsized to three floors and we’ll discuss that more below.

Several of Hudson’s Bay’s standalone flagship stores in Canadian cities were relocated after Eaton’s demise in 1999. In Victoria, Edmonton, Regina and Saskatoon, Hudson’s Bay exited larger flagship locations to relocate in former Eaton’s stores which were part of major downtown shopping centres. The downtown Edmonton Hudson’s Bay store shut forever last week in a former Eaton’s space at Edmonton City Centre. In downtown Victoria, Hudson’s Bay moved into the former Eaton Centre shopping complex which was renamed the Bay Centre while the former Bay flagship was converted to a mixed-use residential building. In Saskatoon, Hudson’s Bay moved into a former Eaton’s space at Midtown Plaza which resulted in the repurposing of the standalone Bay store a couple of blocks away into a residential building. In Regina, the former downtown Bay store was repurposed for offices, a bank and a broadcast station after the retailer moved into Eaton’s former space at the downtown Cornwall Centre shopping complex.

In October of 2020 the Hudson’s Bay Company announced a new division called HBC Properties and Investments with Streetworks Development reconceptualizing the downtown flagships as mixed-use buildings. The goal according to HBC is on creating multi-use spaces that feature a range of services and experiences across the workplace, retail, residential and entertainment categories.

The Hudson’s Bay Company owns several large flagship stores in Canada in a joint partnership with RioCan, and these stores could be redeveloped with downsized department store retail spaces. Here’s a breakdown of what might come.

Vancouver: The 636,828 square foot Hudson’s Bay building at the northeast corner of Granville and Georgia Streets in Vancouver spans nine levels with six of those being large above-ground floor plates spanning more than 70,000 square feet each. As with the downtown Montreal flagship, the Vancouver store could be downsized to five levels including the basement putting the store at more than 300,000 square feet, and it’s unclear what will become of a basement level where Topshop/Topman will vacate in the fall. A redevelopment of the building could see the remainder of the historical portion of the building become office space and there’s the potential for one or two large towers to be built on the site, be it for office, residential or other uses.

The Vancouver Hudson’s Bay flagship store opened in 1914 and additions brought it to its current size by 1949. If the store were to downsize, that would mean the end of its large sixth-floor menswear store which is the largest in the city. The downtown Vancouver Hudson’s Bay store attracts some affluent shoppers with its second-floor department The Room which last year also introduced menswear.

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Calgary: Few details are known on what will happen to the upper levels of the flagship Calgary Bay store once it is downsized to three levels — the company says for now that they may be used for e-commerce fulfillment. Each of the floor plates in the 448,834 square foot downtown store span about 58,000 square feet which means the three level store would span about 175,000 square feet of retail space. As a comparison, the CF Chinook Centre Bay store spans about 206,500 square feet and the CF Market Mall Bay store is about 200,000 square feet according to landlord Cadillac Fairview.

Several years ago the sixth floor of the downtown Calgary Bay store became an event space operated by Toronto-based Oliver & Bonacini, and part of the main floor of the store was segregated for a 5,000 square foot restaurant called The Guild. The downtown Calgary Bay store lacks the luxury brands found in the Vancouver and Toronto stores with the CF Chinook location having the most robust selection of higher-end brands of any Bay store in Calgary.

Ottawa: The downtown Ottawa Hudson’s Bay flagship store spans about 335,000 square feet and occupies six levels. The former Freiman’s department store could be downsized for a mixed-use project including a site intensification. A Saks OFF 5TH store occupies 34,877 square feet in the basement. The Bay store is connected by a pedestrian overpass to the CF Rideau Centre shopping complex.

Non-RioCan JV Partner Stores

Toronto 44 Bloor Street East: The future of the 340,000 square foot Hudson’s Bay store at the corner of Yonge and Bloor Streets in downtown Toronto is uncertain amid whispers of a redevelopment of the site. An investment surpassing a billion dollars will see upgrades to the subway interchange at the intersection (and below the store) and rumours include a partial demolition of the block including an office tower that could be replaced with a much taller building. Few details are available publicly at this time for the redevelopment of Brookfield-owned Hudson’s Bay Centre.

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Toronto Queen Street: The Hudson’s Bay Company sold the flagship Hudson’s Bay store at 176 Yonge Street to Cadillac Fairview in 2014 for $650 million and the massive department store complex became part of the CF Toronto Eaton Centre. Currently, the building houses a Hudson’s Bay department store spanning about 886,000 square feet with a 150,000 square foot Saks Fifth Avenue store-in-store on three floors and a 20,000 square foot Pusateri’s-operated food hall within the building on the PATH subway level. Each floor plate of the Queen Street Hudson’s Bay store, which was once occupied by iconic retailer Simpsons, exceeds 100,000 square feet. About 34,000 square feet of valuable main floor retail space could be added if Saks were to close.

There’s a possibility that Cadillac Fairview and Hudson’s Bay could partner to redevelop the Queen Street building by adding at least one tower to the site to unlock value through density. The Queen Street Bay store’s sales prior to the pandemic were said to be slightly higher than that of Simpsons which occupied the building in 1979 — and that’s not taking inflation into account. In today’s dollars, Simpsons would have sold nearly $700 million annually in that one store alone, and the Bay’s sales are said to be a fraction of that.

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Winnipeg: The 655,755 downtown Winnipeg Hudson’s Bay flagship store shut forever in November of 2020, and HBC wanted nothing to do with it after declaring that the building was a liability rather than an asset. RioCan has no ownership in the building and the building’s future is in discussion. For a time it served as HBC’s primary flagship location until a new flagship opened at 44 Bloor Street West in 1974.

HBC ground leases – potential redevelopment with RioCan

The Hudson’s Bay Company also has ground leases with several of its suburban stores which means that redevelopment could be possible at some point. Suburban RioCan partner stores include Yorkdale in Toronto, Scarborough Town Centre in Toronto, Square One in Mississauga, CF Carrefour Laval near Montreal, CF Promenades St. Bruno near Montreal, and Devonshire Mall in Windsor. Two ground lease Bay locations not jointly held by RioCan include the Centre Laval Bay store near Montreal as well as the Centrepoint store in Toronto.

A missed opportunity?

The downsizings of Hudson’s Bay’s downtown stores come at a time when leading urban department stores in Europe and Asia have in some instances actually been expanding in size to offer attractions and food-and-beverage options to gain shoppers and keep them in-store. There are several examples of incredible department stores globally, some selling more than $1 billion annually in a single location. There are currently no department stores in North America with single locations selling that amount except for possibly Macy’s on Herald Square in Manhattan.

In London, Selfridges occupies a 540,000 square foot store that expanded in 2012. The vibrant and popular store features 20 food and beverage options ranging from champaign bars to full-sized restaurants, and the store also includes such unique features as a movie theatre and skateboarding park. Iconic Harrod’s in London features an expansive food hall, numerous restaurants, and many global brand stores including many luxury brand concessions. Galeries Lafaytette and Printemps in Paris have both expanded over the years into multiple buildings to house a vast assortment of brands and services, and both are incredible stores in their brand offerings. Several years ago the Ka De We store in Berlin and de Bijenkorf in Amsterdam also saw expansions and renovations, as did the popular Castellana flagship branch of the El Cortes Ingles chain in Madrid.

In South Korea, several large department stores sell well in excess of a billion dollars annually under the Shinsegae and Lotte banners — these massive stores include ample food and beverage options as well as exciting interiors and brands. China and Japan are home to numerous large and impressive department stores that are very popular. Concessions and buzzy pop-ups are common among all of the international stores mentioned above.

The David Jones department store in downtown Sydney Australia unveiled an incredible women’s footwear hall in 2018 on its seventh floor housing a vast assortment of brands as well as concessions for many of the world’s top luxury brands. Last year a renovated main floor revealed boutiques for big brands including Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Dior and several others. The footwear hall is particularly notable given its size, spanning more than 40,000 square feet. Selfridges, Galeries Lafayette, Printemps and several other global department store flagships have also opened equally impressive shoe departments which have become attractions for locals and tourists.

Hudson’s Bay has the opportunity to activate its flagship stores with unique offerings including food-and-beverage options and attractions such as massive footwear halls, however, the downsizing of the Canadian flagship stores will limit this potential. It remains to be seen what the renovated smaller downtown flagship Hudson’s Bay stores will look and function like, and from what we’ve heard so far these will be showrooms displaying product with a focus on digital purchases. Hudson’s Bay has said that its stores in the future will be ‘experiential’ with few details.

We will follow up on this article when we learn more about the future of Hudson’s Bay’s downtown flagship stores including what they might do to attract customers. One thing that is becoming apparent is none of these Bay stores in the future will be as large as the global flagship department stores overseas that have been draws for shoppers from around the world. Feel free to let us know your comments below.

https://retail-insider.com/retail-insider/2021/06/hudsons-bay-downsizing-downtown-flagship-stores-in-canada-analysis/

whatnext

Jun 13, 2021, 2:40 AM

And yet someone is prepared to pay the Westons $5 billion for Selfridges....

esquire

Jun 14, 2021, 12:53 PM

thewave46

Jun 14, 2021, 1:11 PM

Interesting article. If you go back 15 years or so, I seem to recall there was a sense of optimism surrounding downtown department stores... even though Eaton's had recently gone under, the feeling was that with urban renaissances happening in downtowns across the country, together with increased consumer spending, it would be enough to breathe new life into the big Bay stores and other major downtown retailers.

Here we are in 2021 and it seems that the momentum is gone... we are now slowly but surely following in the footsteps of US cities which have seen a pretty steady decline in downtown department stores. At the rate things are going, there might not be much left in another 5 years.

I think the issue is more the section of the market Hudson's Bay occupies. It's an upscale Sears and that market has been retrenching for twenty years in North America.

In North America, the market has split into smaller upscale retailers and downmarket mass retailers, none of which are really suited to the downtown giant department store format.

In our largest cities, those buildings will be repurposed. The sad losses will be ones like Winnipeg where a large building of that era is stuck in no-man's land. It's too large and too awkward a floor plan to do much else with and downtown in still undesirable enough that it's too much of a gamble to rehab into something else.

To your main point, I do think downtowns in our mid-sized cities do have some potential. It just won't be potential of that scale, sadly.

J.OT13

Jun 14, 2021, 1:52 PM

I agree, HBC has always been an expensive Sears. You walk in, and it's the same tired, worn-out look, but with a premium price. The renovations of some of the flagships were pretty limited, and so did little to enhance the experience.

I hope the likes of Simons, which has a hipper, modern feel, will continue to do well. Same with Nordstrom, which took a slow and cautious approach coming into Canada.

HBC would need a significant shift in order to become viable again. This new plan of downsizing flagships in exchange for built-in mixed-use might help. Shutting down underperforming suburban stores and downsizing others to only sell what actually sells, would be a good step as well.

esquire

Jun 14, 2021, 2:09 PM

I think the issue is more the section of the market Hudson's Bay occupies. It's an upscale Sears and that market has been retrenching for twenty years in North America.

In North America, the market has split into smaller upscale retailers and downmarket mass retailers, none of which are really suited to the downtown giant department store format.

In our largest cities, those buildings will be repurposed. The sad losses will be ones like Winnipeg where a large building of that era is stuck in no-man's land. It's too large and too awkward a floor plan to do much else with and downtown in still undesirable enough that it's too much of a gamble to rehab into something else.

To your main point, I do think downtowns in our mid-sized cities do have some potential. It just won't be potential of that scale, sadly.

Just to clarify, I wasn't writing off downtowns altogether... just big department stores. That business model seems to be in terminal decline, although the biggest cities (Toronto, Montreal) and the ones with big-spending tourists (Vancouver) can probably stave off dramatic floorspace reductions or closures for a while longer.

As far as The Bay's market position, do you really think that's the issue? It's doesn't look like business is booming at the higher-end department store level... a couple of Holt Renfrew stores have expanded but they've also departed several markets altogether, and other than a few mid-upper end Nordstrom's stores there haven't really been any big new players added to that market.

The Winnipeg store is a bit of a coin toss... something will happen eventually with that site, it's too prominent to be left in its current state for long. But whether it will involve redevelopment of the existing building or demolition is hard to say... it could go either way. The even bigger Eaton's store was a treasured heritage asset until True North wanted to demolish it for a rink... everyone moved on in a hurry. The same could happen with The Bay if no project involving reuse of the store materializes soon.

Acajack

Jun 15, 2021, 7:24 PM

casper

Jun 15, 2021, 8:02 PM

ROCer restaurant chain Milestones has been bought by the Quebec owners of various other restaurant brands.

They're promising to open 12 Milestones in Quebec, from Gatineau to Quebec City. By way of Montreal, I am sure.

So, do we have anything to look forward to?

I think they're in Ottawa, though I don't think I've ever been.

I always mix them up with Moxies.

Millstones is a brand in the Recipe group. The same people who own Swiss Chalet, St. Hubert, Harvey's, Montana's, The Keg, Original Joes, State Main, Elephant Castle, East Side Marios, Pickle Barrel, and probably a few others.

They have their restaurants sprinkled across the country.

In western Canada you are more likely to find Millstones and State & Main, The Keg, and Montana's etc. Back east things like Swiss Chalet, St. Hubert, and Harvey's.

They evolved out of the company that had its start doing the catering for railways, then Air Canada. At some point they got out of that and switched to restaurants.

J.OT13

Jun 15, 2021, 8:09 PM

When it comes to chain restaurants, they're all the same. O.K. but nothing special. Often a bit pricey for what you get. Decent night out anyway, but without the warm fuzzy feeling of going to a local place.

niwell

Jun 15, 2021, 8:16 PM

Acajack

Jun 15, 2021, 8:42 PM

The Milestones in Ottawa is in the base of that condo at Rideau and Sussex next to the Chateau Laurier. It's a "high-end" chain but really not that dissimilar from Moxies after their last rebrand. Decent enough food/drinks but you can usually get more for less from an independent restaurant. Downtown locations probably make (well, made) a killing from work related functions, and suburban ones are convenient for those not wanting to drive to a central area.

I identify that building with the Metropolitain Brasserie, though I don't know if that's been replaced by Milestones, or if they're both there.

I go by there every once in a while, but I can't say I pay attention to the restaurants on the ground floor. It's not a place where I'd go out to dine or even for drinks.

I was last at the Metropolitain about 10 years ago.

LeftCoaster

Jun 15, 2021, 9:40 PM

whatnext

Jun 15, 2021, 9:43 PM

Millstones is a brand in the Recipe group. The same people who own Swiss Chalet, St. Hubert, Harvey's, Montana's, The Keg, Original Joes, State Main, Elephant Castle, East Side Marios, Pickle Barrel, and probably a few others.

They have their restaurants sprinkled across the country.

In western Canada you are more likely to find Millstones and State & Main, The Keg, and Montana's etc. Back east things like Swiss Chalet, St. Hubert, and Harvey's.

They evolved out of the company that had its start doing the catering for railways, then Air Canada. At some point they got out of that and switched to restaurants.

Milestones has disappeared from Vancouver. Tired brand.

Denscity

Jun 15, 2021, 9:48 PM

Milestones seems to be a half notch higher/better than Boston Pizza so at least a few people here would be excited to have one lol.

YOWflier

Jun 15, 2021, 10:15 PM

The Milestones in Ottawa is in the base of that condo at Rideau and Sussex next to the Chateau Laurier. It's a "high-end" chain but really not that dissimilar from Moxies after their last rebrand. Decent enough food/drinks but you can usually get more for less from an independent restaurant. Downtown locations probably make (well, made) a killing from work related functions, and suburban ones are convenient for those not wanting to drive to a central area.There are 5 Milestones in Ottawa of which that downtown location is one.

As you say, Milestones is similar to Moxies and has decent food and drink. The restaurants are attractive inside and out. The staff is always of a high visual standard. They’re good for larger group functions and the bar areas are hopping at the times you expect them to be.

J.OT13

Jun 15, 2021, 10:28 PM

I identify that building with the Metropolitain Brasserie, though I don't know if that's been replaced by Milestones, or if they're both there.

I go by there every once in a while, but I can't say I pay attention to the restaurants on the ground floor. It's not a place where I'd go out to dine or even for drinks.

I was last at the Metropolitain about 10 years ago.

Milestones is on the second level on Mackenzie and Metropolitain is directly below on the first level with a sunken patio on the corner of Rideau and Sussex.

Metropolitain over Milestones any day.

SpongeG

Jun 16, 2021, 1:05 AM

Denscity

Jun 16, 2021, 3:46 AM

you will continue to mix them up with moxies, not that different. Food is ok, nothing mind blowing.

And Malone's where available.

Loco101

Jun 16, 2021, 4:52 AM

My wife likes going to Milestones when we're in Sudbury. I'm okay with it but I actually prefer the Goodfood meals we have at home.

A chain I tried a couple of months ago for the first time was Chuck's Roadhouse in Kapuskasing. I believe all Chuck's locations are in Ontario. While it's certainly not very fancy, the food actually tasted pretty good. It's the prices that really got my attention. Very inexpensive steak dinners and beer. I got for takeout a top sirloin and lobster tail meal for $25.00 which really exceeded my expectations. I don't think that any other restaurant chain in Ontario with as low prices for beer and cocktails.

JHikka

Aug 25, 2021, 2:59 PM

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/podcasts/the-decibel/article-how-sheins-low-prices-are-setting-fast-fashion-on-fire/

How Shein’s low prices are setting fast fashion on fire

https://www.vox.com/the-goods/22573682/shein-future-of-fast-fashion-explained

Shein is the future of fast fashion. Is that a good thing?

The Chinese retailer is quickly becoming one of Gen Z’s favorite fashion brands, for its low prices and savvy social media use.

Shein’s ubiquity, most notably on TikTok, has catapulted the retailer to cult status among young women across the globe. And while Shein is based out of China, it ships to 220 countries, with the US serving as its largest consumer market. In June, Shein overtook Amazon for the first time on the iOS App Store to become the leading US shopping app, a title it holds in over 50 countries. This comes after a pandemic year of record-breaking sales: Shein raked in close to $10 billion in 2020, which was reportedly its eighth consecutive year of revenue growth over 100 percent. The retailer is also one of the most talked-about brands on TikTok and YouTube, and the most visited fashion and apparel site in the world, according to the web analytics platform Similarweb. Shein had enough in its coffers to place a bid to buy Topshop in January, which it ultimately lost to Asos.

...

Yet Shein’s emergence as a fast fashion juggernaut can’t solely be attributed to the price of its clothing or its ubiquitous internet presence. The retailer is also nowhere to be found in the physical world — at least not in brick-and-mortar stores, although it has previously hosted in-person pop-up events. Shein appeared to have sprung out of thin air into the mainstream, unlike fast fashion’s old guards, whose spacious, brightly lit stores were proof of their dominance. Yet, Shein is so far ahead of competitors like H&M, Zara, and Asos, according to an analysis by Apptopia, that it’s difficult to compare them.

...

And despite Shein’s popularity, the company remains largely unknown among Chinese consumers. The Chinese apparel market is extremely competitive, and Shein’s priority from the beginning has been to export goods abroad. The retailer has also benefited from deteriorating trade relations between China and the US. China began waiving export taxes for direct-to-consumer companies in 2018 after the US imposed more tariffs, Bloomberg reported. Since Shein ships its orders directly to customers from Chinese warehouses, packages worth less than $800, or small-value shipments, generally remain duty-free. In other words, Shein has managed to circumvent paying both export and import taxes for about three years, something brick-and-mortar retailers aren’t able to avoid.

---

Just as relevant for Canada as it is for the US in this Vox article as this seems to represent a shift in both fast fashion and how clothing is distributed (direct to consumer with no brick & mortar locations). Fast fashion isn't anything new but Shein is different in that it's a Chinese-led company that owns the supply chain its manufacturing on (or worse case, directly working with them), meaning it doesn't have to go through third-party distributors or factories like non-Chinese companies do to get clothing shipped, and because of that can alter and tailor their supplies almost immediately, whereas overseas companies only get one or two chances a year to make shipment orders. Essentially faster fashion.

Coldrsx

Sep 15, 2021, 3:58 PM

40 years ago today West Edmonton Mall opened!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6HjiWFR_Qk

esquire

Sep 15, 2021, 8:04 PM

40 years ago today West Edmonton Mall opened!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6HjiWFR_Qk

That was charming :)

I have my own memories of my first visit to WEM for a spring break trip with my mom and some aunts and cousins in 1987. We spent probably about five days at the mall... we stayed at the Fantasyland Hotel and I think we left the mall once that entire time before heading to the train station to go back home. It is hard to overstate how epic that place was to a kid in the 80s.

Coldrsx

Sep 15, 2021, 8:08 PM

87' for me as well.

My friends and I had planned an entire weekend in the mall for 2020 but COVID prevented that.

AuxTown

Sep 15, 2021, 8:15 PM

I definitely hit up that submarine and water park in the late 80's as well. To a young kid from Regina, WEM was like visiting the future! Albeit a slightly dystopian future....

Coldrsx

Sep 16, 2021, 2:47 PM

Did West Edmonton Mall’s opening 40 years ago change the downtown core?

By Phil Heidenreich

It was 40 years ago this week that a relatively small city in northern Alberta saw the world’s largest shopping centre open its doors about 12 kilometres away from the downtown core.

Ever since, not only has West Edmonton Mall and the city centre in Alberta’s capital continued to evolve, but so too has the discussion about the megamall’s impact that many feared would leave downtown Edmonton in its shadow.

https://globalnews.ca/news/8188279/west-edmonton-mall-40-years-downtown

zahav

Sep 18, 2021, 1:48 AM

I always wanted to visit as a kid, but still have never even been to Edmonton! My brother went on a school trip from Vancouver in '94 or '95, they took a bus there. It's still hard to believe a giant mall like that was built there in the early 80s. It was pretty much the only thing I ever knew about Edmonton.

Coldrsx

Sep 18, 2021, 1:55 AM

Given that Edmonton was 521k and had a relatively small regional catch at the time this is indeed rather amazing.

Literally the largest enclosed mall in the world.

JHikka

Sep 24, 2021, 2:37 PM

Nostalgia is a powerful drug:

Zellers Store-in-Store Launches inside of Hudson’s Bay Location
By Craig Patterson, September 23, 2021

Hudson’s Bay recently launched a Zellers pop-up shop-in-store at its Burlington Centre location near Toronto, and more Zellers pop-ups could follow according to the retailer.

The Burlington Zellers pop-up is a “fun and nostalgic experience with one of HBC’s most beloved brands,” according to Hudson’s Bay which still owns the rights to the name of the Zellers chain which once had a network of stores across the country.

The Zellers pop-up at Burlington Centre features a range of products including Canada-themed apparel and home goods. Red floor tape indicates the boundaries of the Zellers space located on the second floor of the Hudson’s Bay store.

https://retail-insider.com/retail-insider/2021/09/zellers-store-in-store-launches-inside-of-hudsons-bay-location-photos/

https://retailinsider.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Zellers-1068x601.png.webp

esquire

Sep 24, 2021, 2:44 PM

^ I think it's more than just nostalgia... there is a bit of a gap at the lower end of the market. There is Walmart, Giant Tiger and not much else. Bringing Zellers back as a brand lets HBC go after that segment again.

MonctonRad

Sep 24, 2021, 2:45 PM

hipster duck

Sep 24, 2021, 3:14 PM

The Zellers pop-up at Burlington Centre features a range of products including Canada-themed apparel and home goods. Red floor tape indicates the boundaries of the Zellers space located on the second floor of the Hudson’s Bay store.

https://retail-insider.com/retail-insider/2021/09/zellers-store-in-store-launches-inside-of-hudsons-bay-location-photos/

https://retailinsider.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Zellers-1068x601.png.webp

That's not how I remember the inside of a Zellers looking. If they wanted to be authentic, they'd have vinyl flooring throughout, a higher ceiling and rows of merchandise like a Wal-Mart.

Also, if you want the true Zellers experience, you need that knock-off 50s diner they had with the checkerboard floors.

le calmar

Sep 24, 2021, 3:18 PM

The last couple of Zellers closed at the end of 2019/early 2020. Those we nothing like the Zellers of the old days, nor is this new pop-up concept it seems. They were essentially liquidation centres for HBC and Home Outfitters. I guess HBC likes to use the name for nostalgia purposes.

J.OT13

Sep 24, 2021, 3:35 PM

That's not how I remember the inside of a Zellers looking. If they wanted to be authentic, they'd have vinyl flooring throughout, a higher ceiling and rows of merchandise like a Wal-Mart.

Also, if you want the true Zellers experience, you need that knock-off 50s diner they had with the checkerboard floors.

For sure, that dinner is an essential part of the Zellers experience!

And one more thing; the Zeddy coin ride.

hipster duck

Sep 24, 2021, 3:42 PM

For sure, that dinner is an essential part of the Zellers experience!

And one more thing; the Zeddy coin ride.

They also need "The lowest price is the law!" printed on the walls, and there should be a TV at the front playing this commercial on repeat:

1yk9obhvjQw

q12

Dec 1, 2021, 2:08 PM

Internet amused and horrified by mall's Christmas tree

Talking Christmas tree creeps people out while delighting them. CNN's Jeanne Moos reports.
Source: CNN

https://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2021/11/30/talking-christmas-tree-moos-pkg-vpx.cnn

(Mic Mac Mall in Dartmouth)
EI7D2uM0wIs

LeftCoaster

Dec 1, 2021, 8:30 PM

Saw that on reddit, it's stuff of nightmares!

WhipperSnapper

Dec 1, 2021, 11:38 PM

I forgot about the Zellers restaurants. Cheap traditional diner food.

HomeInMyShoes

Dec 2, 2021, 2:27 PM

I'm getting a Maximum Overdrive kind of vibe from the Christmas tree.

Harrison

Dec 2, 2021, 4:42 PM

I forgot about the Zellers restaurants. Cheap traditional diner food.

I miss those diners, but I miss the 'classy' restaurants that used to be in Eaton's stores, more. So much nostalgia.

whatnext

Dec 3, 2021, 1:26 AM

This is kind of sad. It always used to be kind of cool to be on Oxford Street and pop into this Canadian-owned icon.

Weston family agrees to sell Selfridges to Central Group
SUSAN KRASHINSKY ROBERTSONRETAILING REPORTER
PUBLISHED 4 HOURS AGO

Canada’s billionaire Weston family has agreed to sell luxury department store operator Selfridges to Thailand-based corporation Central Group, according to reports.

The Westons have been considering a sale of department store assets since receiving a $6.86-billion offer from a potential buyer for Selfridges Group earlier this year.

The assets up for sale include the high-end Selfridges department-store chain, Arnotts and Brown Thomas in Ireland and de Bijenkorf in the Netherlands, according to a source with knowledge of the matter – but do not include Canadian luxury chain Holt Renfrew, which is also under Selfridges Group ownership.

The Times of London initially first reported on the deal on Thursday.

Selfridges Group declined to comment.

Selfridges was founded in 1908 by Harry Gordon Selfridge. The Westons’ private holding company, Wittington Investments Ltd., purchased Selfridges PLC for US$1-billion in 2003. It was among a number of acquisitions in luxury retail led by W. Galen Weston, who died in April. Mr. Weston first purchased a stake in Dublin-based Brown Thomas in 1971, and bought the entire business in 1983. He purchased Holt Renfrew in 1986....

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-weston-family-agrees-to-sell-selfridges-to-central-group/

CivicBlues

Dec 3, 2021, 5:29 PM

So now it'll be a Thai-owned British Icon that was founded by an American. What's the big deal? :shrug:

Wonder if visiting Brazilians say it's cool stepping into a Brazilian-owned icon that is Tim Hortons on Robson Street :koko: