Canadian Retail Thread

[GreatTallNorth2]

Metro Detroit has 1 IKEA store for a population of 4.4 million, the only location in Michigan. I have been to the store and compared to Burlington parking is a breeze. There is also a small format IKEA in Syracuse, New York which services a wide area. There are no stores in Buffalo, Rochester, Albany, etc.

[someone123]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

IKEA doesn't seem to do so well in many parts of the states. I wonder why that is. I heard some stores recently shut down, down there.

My guess is that apartment and condo living (and churn of residents) is the biggest driver, and metro areas like Nashville have more people living in larger homes and buying different types of furniture. Some US metros have low growth.

It feels like a bit of a time warp sometimes seeing stuff like YouTube content of young American families living in spacious homes that have now become very unaffordable in most of Canada. I find there's been a fair amount of Georgia filming lately (Stranger Things or Weapons as some examples) and large lot subdivisions with big houses feature in them.

I'm not sure I know a single household in Vancouver anymore that occupies over 1,200 square feet or so. Most are 800 or less.

[Wigs]

Furniture making was something the US South did well, even if today most of it is probably made overseas. I recall when my folks lived in SC there was way more furniture stores than there would be in an equivalent Canadian sized Metro.

More options means IKEA wouldn't do as well as other Metros with more apartments and probably larger student population

[GreatTallNorth2]

Originally Posted by Wigs

Furniture making was something the US South did well, even if today most of it is probably made overseas. I recall when my folks lived in SC there was way more furniture stores than there would be in an equivalent Canadian sized Metro.

More options means IKEA wouldn't do as well as other Metros with more apartments and probably larger student population

I do agree with this, the US in general have more furniture store options in general.

[SpongeG]

in the realm of Retail fantasy, I wonder if Canada could bring Woolworths to replace what is missing, something between the low end walmart and the high end Holt Renfrew. We had them until Walmart bought them out as a way to get into Canada back in the early 90s.

Both Australia and South Africa have Woolworths, and Woolworths Grocery stores. Most malls in SA have a Woolworths. The Australian version is just groceries.

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

in the realm of Retail fantasy, I wonder if Canada could bring Woolworths to replace what is missing, something between the low end walmart and the high end Holt Renfrew. We had them until Walmart bought them out as a way to get into Canada back in the early 90s.

Both Australia and South Africa have Woolworths, and Woolworths Grocery stores. Most malls in SA have a Woolworths. The Australian version is just groceries.

...

Not how it works, unfortunately.

Best bet at the moment would seem to be the rebirth of Zellers, if that is still in the cards.

[casper]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

in the realm of Retail fantasy, I wonder if Canada could bring Woolworths to replace what is missing, something between the low end walmart and the high end Holt Renfrew. We had them until Walmart bought them out as a way to get into Canada back in the early 90s.

Both Australia and South Africa have Woolworths, and Woolworths Grocery stores. Most malls in SA have a Woolworths. The Australian version is just groceries.

Wolco and Woolworth in Canada also owned a shoe chain called Kinney shoes. They eventually rebranded as FootLocker. I don't know if they would ever want to relaunch the Woolwort brand.

Woolworth in other parts of the world have different ownership and are not related to the one that use to exist in North America.

[Djeffery]

More correctly, Walmart bought the Woolco division of FW Woolworths. The Woolworth stores closed or became Bargain Shops.

[Djeffery]

Bootlegger once again going out of business. Wonder if this is it for them this time? They were done last year when Warehouse One picked them up, apparently this move dragged that whole company under. Wonder if Putnam, who swooped in and picked up Bootlegger's former sister stores Ricki's and Cleo last year will try to put the family together again.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by Djeffery

Wonder if Putnam, who swooped in and picked up Bootlegger's former sister stores Ricki's and Cleo last year will try to put the family together again.

Hardly a white knight given his track record of "success."

[Loco101]

Originally Posted by Djeffery

More correctly, Walmart bought the Woolco division of FW Woolworths. The Woolworth stores closed or became Bargain Shops.

Walmart didn't buy all of the Woolco locations. They bought 122 out of 160 which was most of them. The ones that weren't purchased either were closed or converted to The Bargain Shop.

For example, we had two Woolco locations in Timmins and the one in the mall was converted to a Walmart which the other became a Bargain Shop. Walmart wasn't interested in downtown locations.

The first newly built Walmart that opened (built as a Walmart) was in the South end of Barrie ON just off Hwy 400 at the Mapleview exit. It was actually under contruction before Walmart bought the Woolco locations. The location is still open and has been renovated more than once and is surrounded by a lot of other retail stores.

I worked at Walmart for two years and started just a couple of weeks after Walmart bought our Woolco at the mall.

[Loco101]

[Loco101]

Originally Posted by Djeffery

Bootlegger once again going out of business. Wonder if this is it for them this time? They were done last year when Warehouse One picked them up, apparently this move dragged that whole company under. Wonder if Putnam, who swooped in and picked up Bootlegger's former sister stores Ricki's and Cleo last year will try to put the family together again.

Putnam is American-owned since 2023 I think.

[Djeffery]

Originally Posted by Loco101

Putnam is American-owned since 2023 I think.

As far as I can tell, it's still Doug Putman that owns the company and its several retail operations, but it could be that his financial backing comes from US investors.

[Loco101]

Originally Posted by Djeffery

As far as I can tell, it's still Doug Putman that owns the company and its several retail operations, but it could be that his financial backing comes from US investors.

Oh maybe that's what I read. But whatever it was, it was very critical of him.

It's strange how he just takes formerly big retails names and tries to have a comeback for them. But have any of them become successful again?

[Wigs]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

in the realm of Retail fantasy, I wonder if Canada could bring Woolworths to replace what is missing, something between the low end walmart and the high end Holt Renfrew. We had them until Walmart bought them out as a way to get into Canada back in the early 90s.

Both Australia and South Africa have Woolworths, and Woolworths Grocery stores. Most malls in SA have a Woolworths. The Australian version is just groceries.

I never went to a Woolworths, but have fond memories of going to Woolco with my Gram when I was growing up.

I've made this comment a couple of years ago or so, but I want the Australian Kmart
• Video Link

[SpongeG]

Yeah, Kmart in Australia was good.

Oakridge Park in Vancouver will open May 28th; 85% of the 100 stores will open.

[casper]

Originally Posted by Wigs

I never went to a Woolworths, but have fond memories of going to Woolco with my Gram when I was growing up.

I've made this comment a couple of years ago or so, but I want the Australian Kmart

Stocked shelves in one as a teen in Vancouver.

I remember the store manager always getting annoyed because someone in Toronto treating all the locations the same and overstocking heavy winter gear in Vancouver and understocked umbrellas.

The weird thing about them is in one of the corners there is a dinner area with stools. The ladies that looked after that would make good apple pie. In the early 90s making apple pie involved pouring pie filling from a can into frozen pie shells. However they still had the equipment in the back from the good old days when they would peel the apples and make it from scratch.

Two of the busiest days of the year were daylight savings switch over. That is when everyone who could not figure out how to reset their wrist watch would bring them in to be fixed. We would obviously do that for free.

Best way of looking at is a old-style Dollarama that also had cloth and a lunch counter.

[SpongeG]

I love this store, they sell nothing one really needs but its fun. It's like a edited/curated dollar store and the merchandise is constantly changing.

Quirky Scandinavian shop making its Canadian debut inside Toronto mall



Toronto has been on a Danish food kick for years, but now that trend is spilling over into lifestyle, as a popular Danish boutique crosses the ocean to set up shop in the city's busiest mall.

Danish retailer Flying Tiger will open its first Canadian store at CF Eaton Centre this summer, and, if all goes well, set the stage for a wider expansion across the country.

Toronto residents have already spotted signage at the Eaton Centre and wait with anticipation for doors to officially open in June. "OMGOMGOMG FORGET WORLD CUP THIS IS BIIGGGEEERRR!!!!" readers one comment on an Instagram post.

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Toronto shoppers sure love their global brands, as evidenced by a plethora of international boutiques successfully making their mark in the city: Mango from Spain, Miniso from China, and Uniqlo from Japan, to name a few. And who could forget that affordable fashion staple H&M started out as a wee shop in Sweden way back in the 60s?

Flying Tiger is seemingly going to live up to its name and keep soaring. According to a 2025 LinkedIn post, the brand is aiming to have at least 50 stores across Canada by 2030.

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https://www.blogto.com/fashion_style/2026/04/flying-tiger-toronto/

[SpongeG]

'Premium' Taiwanese tea brand opens first Canadian store in Richmond
From floral-based tea to matcha and fruit smoothies, this Asian tea brand has expanded to Canada.
Valerie Leung
Richmond News
May 27



A Taiwanese tea brand has entered the Canadian market, starting with a location inside a Richmond mall.

Unique Green Tea has soft open inside CF Richmond Centre, across from SportChek, on Wednesday (May 27).

The brand was founded by Taiwan's drink group Sharetea in 2024 and is described as a "new-generation premium tea brand," according to UG's website.

"The brand embodies the philosophy of 'health, simplicity, and self-love,' offering a selection of sugar-free, low-calorie pure teas that highlight the authentic flavours of carefully sourced ingredients."

It further claims that each drink uses 100 per cent whole-leaf teas and floral blends, and is prepared with "AI brewing technology" in seven seconds.

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https://www.richmond-news.com/food-and-d...t-canadian-store-in-richmond-bc-12333491