What’s The Deal With Toronto’s Last Zellers Store? We Take A Peek Inside

Yes, you read that correctly… a ZELLERS STORE! We mystery shopped what appears to be Toronto’s last Zellers Store – potentially the last in Canada.
What's The Deal With Toronto's Last Zellers Store? We Take A Peek Inside
Cristina Avila

StyleDemocracy challenged me with the task of investigating a Zellers store that I drive past nearly every day, just West of Toronto. Yes, you read that correctly…a ZELLERS STORE! This appears to be one of the last Zellers stores in Canada, in fact.

It’s soon set to be the last Zellers store in all of Canada, with one shopper in Ottawa noting that the city’s last Zellers is gearing up to close its doors soon

You may have spotted the dated, red Zellers logo from the highway if you’re a frequent QEW commuter.

I noticed it every now and again, but have never given it a second thought (it wasn’t a Target after all). When I ventured over to the abandoned looking Kipling Queensway Mall, I was surprised to find what I (and many others online,) would describe as a Hudson’s Bay Outlet, disguised as a Zellers store.

Note: all items are labeled with Hudson’s Bay price tags.

Located at 1255 The Queensway in Etobicoke sits a large Zellers store carrying discounted items by mid to high-end designer brands typically sold at Hudson’s Bay.

I was pleasantly surprised and impressed by the clearance selection of handbags by Nine West, Ralph Lauren, Dooney & Bourke, and Kensie all right at the entrance.

Note: all items were still in great condition without any rips or tears. 

In addition to a hearty accessories department at this Zellers store, I found footwear, home décor, family apparel, and a big furniture department.

Note: if you’re looking for a discounted mattress or couch, try here!

Despite this Zellers store appearing fully stocked, I have to pre-warn you about the inventory selection (it’s nothing to get excited about).

After finding a rack of long, summer BCBG dresses for only $8, I was disappointed to see that all twenty dresses on the rack were either a size XS or XXL. The same large quantities of identical apparel filled other racks and the size selections were either one extreme or the other.  

Then there’s pricing… After a quick lap around this Zellers store, I was confident that I was shopping in a full-fledged clearance or liquidation store.

Until I picked up a pair of Nike runners in the shoe department and asked a sales associate to clarify the sale price for me. That’s when I learned that the shoes I was holding were not in fact on sale, but regular price because they were new spring merchandise. “Huh?” The price tag clearly looked as though a sale sticker had been ripped from over top of it.

Tip: Know your pricing and don’t get fooled by “XX% off” stickers! Not everything at this Zellers is a deal.

If you haven’t had a chance to stop by, the location is set to close its doors in January 2020, so be sure to stop by before it’s too late.

All image by Cristina Avila 

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