Shoppers showed up early to Hudson’s Bay locations across Ottawa, eager to claim a final piece of history as the retailer faces closure.
“One last purchase – a Hudson’s Bay blanket would be great because who knows when we’ll see that again,” said Lynne Mathe, one of the many shoppers who arrived at the St. Laurent Shopping Centre location before doors opened on Tuesday.
Hudson’s Bay is currently awaiting a judge’s approval to begin liquidating all its stores, a process that could last up to 12 weeks. While the company hopes for a lifeline to save some locations, many fear the writing is already on the wall for Canada’s oldest department store.
For longtime customers, the potential closure marks the end of an era.
“It’s a sad story because it’s Canadian history,” said shopper Michael Durrer. “It’s sad the last one of those big stores is going to be lost.”
The department store’s struggles reflect a broader shift in retail, with major chains like Sears, Target and Bed Bath & Beyond already gone from the landscape.
The shift begs the question – is this the end of department stores altogether?
“From a traditional department store perspective, yes, it is very much kind of the end of the road,” said Diane Brisebois, CEO of the Retail Council of Canada.
“It’s a reflection of how consumers have changed, their lifestyles, their way of shopping, their preferences. So, it is a reflection of who we are today.”
Experts say Hudson’s Bay’s departure could leave not just a sentimental void, but a significant gap in malls and shopping centers that relied on it to drive foot traffic.
“There’s nothing really that can fit into five or eight stories and the kind of square footage that we see that the Hudson’s Bay has been operating in the malls,” said Brisebois.
“There’s no question that this is going to be challenging not just for the malls, but also for the tenants who relied on the anchor to create some traffic.”
With 96 locations across Canada — including Saks Fifth Avenue and Saks Off 5th, shoppers are making the most of the final days.
RioCan, which owns part of the Hudson’s Bay near the Rideau Centre and Saks Off 5th at Tanger Outlets, says in a statement that it will seek potential opportunities for the stores.
“RioCan remains committed to protecting the interests of its unitholders and other stakeholders. To achieve this, RioCan will pursue all available business and legal avenues, and will leverage its extensive leasing and development capabilities to achieve the best possible outcome for each of the properties within the JV,” the company said.
