Will The Bay survive in downtown Ottawa — or anywhere?
The grand dame of Canadian department stores is on life support. We've seen it before, but this time it's more emotional.
Bruce Deachman, Ottawa Citizen
Published Mar 12, 2025 • Last updated 5 hours ago • 4 minute read
It’s hard not to think of The Bay, goes the old, once-successful marketing slogan. But these days, the grand dame of Canadian department stores is lying in the business world’s equivalent of the ICU, her rattling cough perhaps indicating her final moments. Analysts predict that the chain may need to close half or more of its 80 stores in Canada as part of a life-saving remedy.
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen this movie. In 2017, Sears Canada sought and received creditor protection that saw it first close nearly 60 stores across Canada and, within months, all of them.
But this hurts a little more and will hurt Ottawa in particular.
For better and worse, the story of the Hudson’s Bay Company, established nearly two centuries before the nation was born, is the story of Canada. Its retail stores stretch back to the latter half of the 19th century, with its full-line department stores dating to 1913. The Bay has essentially been with us forever. The chain’s current insolvency, coincidentally coming to a head as consumers lead a rabid buy-Canadian campaign in the face of U.S. tariffs, is a painful reminder of how tenuous the things we take for granted can be against shifting tides.
For generations, The Bay’s stores stood as important shopping destinations, but also meeting places: recall, for instance, the café that was once part of The Bay’s Rideau Street store.
<more>
https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/bay-survive-downtown-ottawa
Prev
Linear Mode
