Canadian Retail Thread

[Djeffery]

Originally Posted by jamincan

I'm trying to think of examples of split brands.

A&W
Lowe's
Aldi (not in Canada, though)
...

Another recent example were the TSC hardware stores seen in various parts of mostly eastern Canada up until their recent purchase and rebranding by Peavey Mart. TSC carried similar branding to their former parent company Tractor Supply Co, although the US parent had sold the Canadian division to a Toronto investment firm 35 years ago.

[Loco101]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Both A&W and TRU in the States are nearly moribund.

I did see an A&W once somewhere around Lake George in upstate NY. The total number of A&W outlets down there is measured in the dozens.

As for TRU, the US version was bankrupt and disappeared for a while. They have since started to reappear, but as small boutique stores rather than big boxes like up here.

You don't see very many A&W locations in the U.S. like you do in Canada. This article states that there are 527 locations in the U.S. and that the number is slowly growing. https://1851franchise.com/awrestaura...rue%20original. And this states that there are 1039 locations in Canada. https://www.scrapehero.com/location-reports/A&W-Canada/

I've been to a couple U.S. locations with the last one being in Michigan. The one cool thing they do there is make the root beer on site and have a big draft tap. But I found that the food at the Canadian locations is better.

[manny_santos]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Both A&W and TRU in the States are nearly moribund.

I did see an A&W once somewhere around Lake George in upstate NY. The total number of A&W outlets down there is measured in the dozens.

As for TRU, the US version was bankrupt and disappeared for a while. They have since started to reappear, but as small boutique stores rather than big boxes like up here.

I saw an A&W in California, in a town between Oakland and Yosemite National Park. There, it was co-located with KFC, like we see in Canada with KFC and Taco Bell.

[manny_santos]

Originally Posted by casper

IGA, Safeway and SuperVale would be three others.

In the past, A&P was another one - like Safeway, it was an American chain with a Canadian division.

Loblaws actually used to have US locations too. I believe they were mostly in New York and Pennsylvania.

Another example specific to Western Canada is Taco Time. They’re mostly in Washington State but they have a few locations in BC and Alberta.

[Loco101]

Originally Posted by manny_santos

In the past, A&P was another one - like Safeway, it was an American chain with a Canadian division.

Loblaws actually used to have US locations too. I believe they were mostly in New York and Pennsylvania.

Another example specific to Western Canada is Taco Time. They’re mostly in Washington State but they have a few locations in BC and Alberta.

We have a Taco Time in Timmins in our mall. I've seen Taco Time in Thunder Bay as well as in many places in Western Canada. Taco Time in Canada is a bunch of franchised restaurants party of MTY Group which is party of the same company based in Quebec that has the right to big names like Mr Sub, Mikes, Pizza Delight, Country Style and many other brands mainly in Quebec.

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by Loco101

You don't see very many A&W locations in the U.S. like you do in Canada. This article states that there are 527 locations in the U.S. and that the number is slowly growing. https://1851franchise.com/awrestaura...rue%20original. And this states that there are 1039 locations in Canada. https://www.scrapehero.com/location-reports/A&W-Canada/

I've been to a couple U.S. locations with the last one being in Michigan. The one cool thing they do there is make the root beer on site and have a big draft tap. But I found that the food at the Canadian locations is better.

in Alberta every small town has an A&W. I've seen one in Washington state, it shares a location with KFC, you can order either at the same counter.

[phone]

Originally Posted by manny_santos

In the past, A&P was another one - like Safeway, it was an American chain with a Canadian division.

Loblaws actually used to have US locations too. I believe they were mostly in New York and Pennsylvania.

Another example specific to Western Canada is Taco Time. They’re mostly in Washington State but they have a few locations in BC and Alberta.

Taco Time is all over Sask.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by Djeffery

One of the senior execs from TRU spoke at my company's annual meeting a few years ago, and he said about us during the time of the Canadian division splitting off from the US "You really find out who your friends are in a time like that". He said other than the power of the brand, there wasn't one thing that they didn't have to start fresh with, as if they were starting a brand new company. A lot of the companies they dealt with backed away as they didn't give TRU a chance and didn't want to get burned themselves.

So, TRU Canada should have crawled into a ball and die as well?

Originally Posted by Djeffery

Further reading indicates eventual plans to rebrand Lowe's stores to Rona. Wouldn't be surprised if that also happens with other brands in the chain. Not sure about the corporate name though, can't see it making sense to continue to be called Lowe's Canada at that point.

This is almost Target like for Lowe's. Spent $2.4 billion to buy Rona, not to mention how much they spent in the 10 years prior, to sell it all for $400 million. At least Canada isn't being left with all those empty stores, although I'm sure there will be some.

They came out of it somewhat better than Target. Not a complete implosion.

No doubt some stores will close, but I agree, good that we won't be left with a crater of empty stores. Even if a few stores close, might be good for the labour shortage. Maybe kids of worked at Lowes will be inspired to get into the trades

[Innsertnamehere]

Toys R Us doesn't exist in the US. Bothe the US and Canadian companies went bankrupt a few years ago (used to be owned under one corporation), the fire sale of the US stores resulted in them being closed but the purchaser of the Canadian stores kept them open.

I remember reading years ago that Lowe's has been struggling in the Canadian market for years. And honestly, I get why. Home Depot has much better brand awareness.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by casper

IGA, Safeway and SuperVale would be three others.

Not sure about those others, but Safeway (at least pre-Sobey's takeover) was practically identical on both sides of the border even if they were technically split. It was always weird to me going to Safeway in, say, California and having damn near everything look exactly the same as it did in Winnipeg. It was a bit like McDonalds in that regard.

[casper]

Originally Posted by esquire

Not sure about those others, but Safeway (at least pre-Sobey's takeover) was practically identical on both sides of the border even if they were technically split. It was always weird to me going to Safeway in, say, California and having damn near everything look exactly the same as it did in Winnipeg. It was a bit like McDonalds in that regard.

I remember one time going into a Safeway store in California and using my Safeway card to get the discounts..

That said Sobey's ended all of that.

IGA is completely independent from region to region. They only share the logo nothing else. Even in Canada IGA east of the Canada/Alberta border is a Sobey's offering. In BC it is run by Georgia Main Food Group.

SuperValu in Canada is a loblaws banner they offer to some of their franchise stores. In the US it completely different company with no relationship to the Canadian brand.

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

Toys R Us doesn't exist in the US. Bothe the US and Canadian companies went bankrupt a few years ago (used to be owned under one corporation), the fire sale of the US stores resulted in them being closed but the purchaser of the Canadian stores kept them open.

I remember reading years ago that Lowe's has been struggling in the Canadian market for years. And honestly, I get why. Home Depot has much better brand awareness.

Macy's has Toys R Us now, I was in the states on Saturday at a Macy's and there was a sign about Toys R Us is now open, it's online only.

https://www.macys.com/s/toys-r-us/

[dreambrother808]

Vancouver Flagship Apple Store set to open on Nov. 18th.

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/appl...r-new-flagship

Originally Posted by connect2source

Tuesday Nov 8 at noon..

Pics by me.

[Loco101]

Wow, looking at that gives one the impression that there is a lot of heavy drug use in Vancouver!

[TownGuy]

What the hell is with the entrance doors? Looks like the back of the store with a mural painted on it.

[dreambrother808]

Originally Posted by TownGuy

What the hell is with the entrance doors? Looks like the back of the store with a mural painted on it.

Everything with the mural on it is glass. That's a rotating door.

[TownGuy]

Originally Posted by dreambrother808

Everything with the mural on it is glass. That's a rotating door.

I see the rotating door. It just doesn't look like a store entrance at all to me.

[dreambrother808]

Originally Posted by TownGuy

I see the rotating door. It just doesn't look like a store entrance at all to me.

I think it looks like this:

[Jaws]

Originally Posted by casper

I remember one time going into a Safeway store in California and using my Safeway card to get the discounts..

The last two times that I was in Hawaii, the most recent being this past March, the phone number associated with my old Safeway Club Card still worked. It's been 10 years (?) since they split. Some good database management there.

[TownGuy]

Originally Posted by dreambrother808

I think it looks like this:

I'm so confused. Is this the same store?