Fairweather too ‘downmarket,’ unsuitable to take over HBC space in Yorkdale: Oxford
By The Canadian Press
Updated: November 17, 2025
TORONTO — Mall landlord Oxford is fighting another real estate firm to keep Fairweather Ltd. from reviving the defunct Les Ailes de la Mode department store at Yorkdale Shopping Centre in Toronto.
In new court documents, Oxford argues Fairweather is not suitable for the former Hudson’s Bay space measuring more than 300,000 square feet because most of its other locations are about three per cent of that size.
It also alleges Fairweather is “not a financially healthy retailer” and its stores “look and feel temporary and downmarket,” which is the antithesis of the luxury vibe Yorkdale projects.
“I cannot overemphasize how inappropriate and detrimental it would be to have Fairweather occupy the most prominent premises at Yorkdale for even one year, much less the next 50 years as contemplated by the proposed Fairweather transaction,” said Nadia Corrado, a vice-president with Oxford, in a Thursday affidavit.
“This would have the effect of compromising decades of significant investment and planning by Oxford and create a cascading negative effect for Yorkdale’s existing tenants.”
Fairweather is a womenswear brand that was created in 1867. It is now owned by business mogul Isaac Benitah. He and his family members have run home goods chains Wyrth, Bombay and Bowring as well as apparel retailer International Clothiers.
They were also behind Les Ailes de la Mode, a Canadian department store that faltered in the early aughts but now exists as a small handful of shops selling deeply discounted clothing. Earlier this year, they bought the rights to Zellers, a discount retailer previously run by HBC, and have started reviving it through an Edmonton store.
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https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/business...rkdale-oxford/