Bayer
Senior Member
Also quite a lot of unaffordable luxury. Lots of 4-figure pants on their website. But I've been shopping at Simons for 40 years and I also look forward to their new store. Too lazy to go to Square One!
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Towered
Superstar
I remember walking by the Queen Street store when I was about 10 years old and reading the plaque outside that says "Hudson's Bay Company, since 1670" - I was dumbfounded because I thought, "How can that be? Canada didn't even exist in 1670" 
Richard White
Senior Member
I just left the STC Bay and honestly the sales weren't what I was expecting.
Moat of the housewares were still grossly overpriced despite being 40% off.
Alot of other items weren't a great deal overall. The HBC branded merchandise is poor quality and not discounted.
It's as though they aren't really understanding rhe gravity of the situation.
Moat of the housewares were still grossly overpriced despite being 40% off.
Alot of other items weren't a great deal overall. The HBC branded merchandise is poor quality and not discounted.
It's as though they aren't really understanding rhe gravity of the situation.
gabe
Senior Member
My last visit to Simons at Square One, i found the mens style and quality are too much like H&M. (Only a lot more expensive) Great if you're under 30. I was really disappointed in the mens section. i used to shop at the Montreal store years ago.
I will miss the brand Black Brown, which i believe was Lord & Taylor house brand at The Bay. Those dress shirts were excellent quality for the price.
stevensontransit
Active Member
If hudsons bay closes all of it stores could the prime shopping malls like scarborough town centre, yorkdale, rideau centre, eaton centre, and square one could have a new anchor fill up quickly?
thettctransitfanatic
Senior Member
You might see Simons open more locations, or possibly, have the stores cut up into pieces.
stevensontransit
Active Member
simons is a very nice store and is canadian. do canadian brands perform better in canada than international brands?
matrix
Active Member
Like I said earlier I'm willing to bet the owners of these malls will just split up the anchor space and put their chips on more flexible businesses, for example, what Square One and Burlington Centre did to fill in the gap Target left, or what Oakville Place and Yorkdale did with Sears. If not that, depending on square footage, I would bet Walmart, Canadian Tire, the big 3 grocery chains, Winners etc. would be chomping at the bit to get the lease depending on location.
LowPolygon
Senior Member
One thing I've never understood, when it comes to the history of HBC, is why they never opened a store in downtown Toronto back when department stores were king. The Vancouver, Victoria, Calgary, Winnipeg stores all date back to 1910s-1930s. Yet they didn't open a store in downtown Toronto until the Yonge and Bloor location in 1974. I guess Eatons and Simpsons were so dominant that there was no room for a 3rd player until the 70s.
Richard White
Senior Member
Someone feel free to correct me but if I'm not mistaken there was an informal arrangement where The Bay wouldn't open stores in proximity to either Simpsons or Sears.
I recall this being an issue during the early days of the Scarborough Town Center.
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cslusarc
New Member
Simpson-Sears could not open any store within 25 miles of a Simpsons store.
Richard White
Senior Member
nightstreak
Active Member
10,000 jobs is nothing to sneeze at. Have there been any precedents of the government intervening in situations like this one? A lot of lifers on staff at The Bay that won't easily find work.
The Bay is blaming their inability to secure investment on the US/Canada political situation. I'm not sure how much of that is true but this seems like a call for government help. The loss of jobs and its effect on the economy is coming at a bad time for Canada.
The Bay is blaming their inability to secure investment on the US/Canada political situation. I'm not sure how much of that is true but this seems like a call for government help. The loss of jobs and its effect on the economy is coming at a bad time for Canada.
Richard White
Senior Member
A billion dollar bailout likely won't go over well.
nightstreak
Active Member
Point taken. Is the Bay looking for a billion to restructure? If so, I understand why there aren't any takers but I got the impression that they need temporary relief to keep some stores open, lean their business and begin paying off their debts. Don't they have billions in assets? Wasn't The Bay the largest land owners in Canada — even before there was a Canada? What's left of that real estate?