Over the past few years, Canada has seen some many once-beloved stores shutter locations or shut down business for good.
Just last year, we said goodbye to household names like Home Outfitters and Payless to name a couple. And the retail apocalypse has already claimed many victims in 2020. With the added hardships of COVID-19 on retailers, we’re seeing more shutter for good.
As we’ve done in past years, we are keeping a watchful eye on the retail store closures and bankruptcies that affect the Canadian market.
Below you’ll find a list of all the brands and retailers that have filed for bankruptcy or announced store closures in Canada in 2020.
Note: This article will be updated as more stores and brands announce filings and closures.
Lowe’s and Rona
At the end of November 2019, home improvement chain Lowe’s Canada announced that it would be shuttering stores across Canada in order to improve overall performance. The closures will affect 34 underperforming Lowe’s and Rona stores, with all listed stores expected to close by the end of February 2020.
Bose
In January 2020, Bose announced that it would be shuttering all 119 locations across North America, Europe, Japan, and Australia. The electronics brand attributed the closures to a “dramatic shift to online shopping in specific markets.”
Pier 1 Imports
At the beginning of the year, a third-quarter fiscal report for Pier 1 Imports revealed that overall sales were down at the home retailer. The retailer announced that it would “reduce its store footprint by up to 450 locations” in North America in order to lower its expenses and to “better align its business with the current operating environment.” And just a month after the original statement, the retailer announced that all 67 Canadian Pier 1 stores will be closing.
Hudson’s Bay
Hudson’s Bay has found itself in trouble as the retailer continues to close stores around the country. In October, the iconic department store faced lawsuits over $3.5 million in unpaid rent from the landlords of five locations in Quebec. Unfortunately, two Hudson’s Bay locations were temporarily shut down by landlords, one in Vancouver, and one in Toronto at Centrepoint Mall. Hopefully this isn’t a glimpse of the future of Hudson’s Bay.
Links Of London
Back in October 2019, once-popular jeweller Links Of London began liquidating its American and U.K. stores, which later foreshadowed what would happen in Canada. In January 2020, the retailer announced that it planned on closing all five of its Canadian locations.
Carlton Cards & Papyrus
January saw many store closures in 2020. Carlton Cards & Papyrus will be closing all North American locations, totalling 78 Canadian locations and 178 locations in the U.S. With that being said, the closures aren’t all bad news — Carlton Cards and Papyrus will still be available at retail locations like Indigo, Sobey’s, and more.
Pink Tartan
The iconic pink door shop, Pink Tartan has emptied its 3,500 square-foot store and closing its doors at the Yorkville flagship. Not only did the store sell its own Pink Tartan fashion pieces, but it also offered vintage luxury designer products as well. Unfortunately, the Yorkville space is following in the footsteps of the Pink Tartan Bayview Village location that closed several months ago. Luckily, you can still shop the brands pieces online or at the Niagara Outlet Collection.
Ten Thousand Villages
After 74 years in business, fair trade retailer Ten Thousand Villages announced that it would be shuttering its Canadian operations, including its web store and the majority of its physical retail locations. There will 10 stores across Canada in total, and Canadians can expect retail operations to cease at the end of May 2020.
Bench
At the end of January 2020, Freemark Apparel Brands, the company that has the rights to sell Bench merchandise in Canada, announced that it would be closing all of its Bench stores to focus on e-commerce and wholesale clients. The closures are expected to affect all Canadian Bench locations, but the iconic U.K.-based brand will still be available in retailers like Hudson’s Bay, WINNERS, and more.
Victoria’s Secret
Victoria’s Secret has been on the decline for years. With a shift in the market towards body positivity, controversial comments, and increasing competition in the lingerie space, the brand has struggled to appeal to its once-loyal customer base. Since stores have been temporarily closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, L Brands noted that its first-quarter sales fell 37% to $1.65 billion from $2.63 billion a year ago. And while L Brands saw a bit of a boost in Victoria’s Secret’s e-commerce sales, it’s not enough to justify keeping stores open. L Brands will be closing 250 Victoria’s Secret stores across North America.
SAIL
The retail biz is getting tougher and tougher with competition heating up and the current COVID-19 pandemic that forced stores to close. Quebec-based sporting goods retailer SAIL Outdoors Inc., which operates SAIL and Sportium has just filed for bankruptcy protection. The company filed for protection under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act and said that this will allow it to obtain support while it implements a restructuring plan. As of yet, no store closures have been announced.
Reitmans
In May 2020, Reitmans filed for creditor protection. Filing for protection under the CCAA is truly the hardest decision we have had to make as an organization in our almost 100 years of history, but this pandemic has left us no choice,” Chief Executive Officer Stephen Reitman said. “We believe that this is the only course of action to ensure we remain successful in the future.”
ALDO
Montreal-based ALDO, the parent company of GLOBO, Aldo Shoes, and Call It Spring, obtained creditor protection in May 2020. In a press release, David Bensadoun, Chief Executive Officer of the company, said, “It is no secret that the retail industry has experienced rapid and significant change over the last several years. We were making strong progress with the transformation of our business to tackle these challenges; however, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has put too much pressure on our business and our cash flows.” The brand’s filings revealed that not all of its 850 North American stores would reopen after the temporary closures and some will stay closed for good.
Addition Elle & Thyme Maternity
In June, Addition Elle and Thyme Maternity announced that stores will permanently close in Canada. This news means that 77 Addition Elle and 54 Thyme Maternity locations will close as part of Reitmans’ restructuring plan since it filed for creditor protection. According to Retail-Insider, the main goal is to liquidate all inventory in anticipation of these permanent closures which are planned for July 18 for Thyme Maternity and August 15 for Addition Elle.
J.Crew
J.Crew filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy in May 2020, marking one of the first major retailers to do so since the coronavirus outbreak. While J.Crew has filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, its online operations will remain open throughout the restructuring. The company also said that it anticipates that stores will reopen when it’s safe to do so, however, Canadian stores had already been dwindling prior to the government-mandated closures of non-essential businesses.
Henry’s
Henry’s, otherwise known as “Canada’s greatest camera store,” filed a Notice of Intention to Make a Proposal (NOI) pursuant to Section 50.4(1) of the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act in May 2020. According to Insolvency Insider, Cranbrook Glen Enterprises Ltd., the company that operates camera and accessories retailer Henry’s, intends to shutter close to a third of its stores. With the temporary closure of all 30 Henry’s stores due to COVID-19, the retailer has seen a large impact on its sales. The company has not confirmed which locations will be closing.
DAVIDsTEA
The popular tea store announced that it’s planning to close 166 of its locations across Canada and 42 locations across the U.S. Fortunately, tea lovers will still be able to shop at 18 Canadian locations in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, and New Brunswick, as well as online.
Starbucks
The popular coffee chain plans to close 200 stores across Canada over the span of the next two years. However, Starbucks is also testing new pickup-only locations that you may see pop-up around your neighbourhood.
La Senza
La Senza will also be closing stores in Canada. As its parent company Regent plans to downsize the chain, La Senza will be closing 17 stores across the country.
Gap
Popular retail brand Gap has announced that they plan to close a number of stores across Canada to focus on its e-commerce store, as well as elevating the stores that remain open. The brand has not announced how many of the stores are going to be closed yet. During the pandemic, Gap announced that many of its stores would not reopen as temporary store closures lift.
Thomas Sabo
Jewelry store Thomas Sabo is known for its cute charm bracelets. Sadly, the brand has decided that it will be closing all of its stores in Canada. With that being said, you can still shop the brand through its online store.
Microsoft
The technology giant has decided to close all seven of its stores in Canada, as well as most of its physical stores across the world. While four locations across the world will stay open as they are reimagined, the tech company will be primarily operating online.
Muji U.S.A
Surprisingly, Muji U.S.A. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy this year. The Japanese retailer, which specializes in home goods and organizational items, has taken a hit due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Even though Muji said that this U.S. filing won’t affect its stores in Canada, only time will tell.
Lucky Brand
L.A. based denim company Lucky Brand has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The brand plans to continue operations and allegedly has plans to sell the company to the owner of Aéropostale and Nautica. Global News reports that Lucky brand will close 13 of the 200 stores it operates, but that number could go up.
Mendocino & M Boutique
Another Canadian retailer Mendocino is closing its stores for good, as reported in July. The Toronto-based and family-owned company also runs M Boutique, which will likely be closing as well. According To An Insolvency Notice, The company is said to be closing “all or substantially all” of its stores. On a positive note, the company launched an online shopping platform, which did not exist before COVID-19.
Ascena Group
Ascena Retail Group, the owner of Ann Taylor, officially filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in July. In an effort to restructure, stores across the U.S, Canada, Puerto Rico, and Mexico will close. The filing came with news that the company allegedly had debts of over $12 billion. Notably, Ascena also owns Lane Bryant, LOFT, Lou & Grey, and Justice.
Groupe Dynamite
Groupe Dynamite, the Montreal-based company that owns Dynamite and Garage, filed for Creditor Protection in September. The company operated 400 stores in eight countries, with most of its locations in Canada. At the time of the announcement, there were no confirmed number of store closings.
Le Chateau
Iconic Montreal retailer Le Chateau filed for bankruptcy in October, after 60 years in business. Although the brand enjoyed popularity in the 90s and early 2000s, they were allegedly unable to keep up with changing fashion and retail trends. Unfortunately, the bankruptcy means the closure of 123 stores across Canada.
NYX Cosmetics
After first opening in Canada in 2015 at Square One in Mississauga, NYX Cosmetics is officially closing all of its Canadians shops. The brand had already shuttered a handful of its brick and mortars earlier this year, and now the remaining 10 have fallen victim to the closing. Although you may no longer be able to check out the products in the company store, NYX Cosmetics will still be available on its website and Amazon, as well as Shoppers Drug Mart, Rexall, and London Drugs.
Gap
The Gap has officially announced that its Canadian flagship in Toronto will be permanently closing in January 2021. The store which resides at 60 Bloor Street West has been in that same location for over 30 years now. This news follows the announcement that the Gap flagship in Chicago will also be closing in January 2021. It’s said that this is part of the brand’s strategy to adapt and grow its online presence.
Unfortunately, the Gap flagship plans to close in January 2021.
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As 2019 comes to an end, it’s time to take a moment to reflect on the past year, including all the highs and lows, and even the biggest tech gadgets that were released. In 2019, we saw Sonos released its first-ever portable speaker, Apple impressed the world with the iPhone 11’s three cameras, and Google continued to make our lives smarter with its latest gadgets.
From a new design of wireless earbuds and sunglasses with speakers built into the frames to a smartphone that can take next-level photos in the dark, read on to learn about the year’s most desirable technology. And after all that, if you’re still seeking more great tech, check out hotrate.com for the latest gadget reviews.
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Valentine’s Day is one of those holidays you either like or don’t. For those of you excited about the lovey-dovey day, we’ve assembled a gift guide to help find the right token of your love for your significant other. Feel free to customize or play around with the idea of some of the gifts to better suit your or your lover’s taste.
Ox and Bull Trading Co.Paper Clip Money Clip, $35
This simple, yet elegant paper clip money clip is just what your boo needs to keep his stack intact. Help your man keep his money together even if you take it.
Tobacco and Vanilla Scented Leather Wrapped Bonfire Candle, $30
Is it safe to say most people enjoy the scent of vanilla? I’m going to say it is. The leather wrap over this candle adds a rustic feel to this handmade candle and will certainly help set the mood come the most romantic day of the year.
Set of 2 Thumbs Up Diamond Glasses, $21.26
For the man that loves a good drink. These cool glasses don’t sit upright, they lean on an angle. Pair them with a bottle of his favourite cognac to take the gift up a notch.
Swarovski Flare Bracelet, $159
Add a little bling to your S.O’s wardrobe with this classic chain link bracelet in silver by Swarovski. The unique clasp adds a little punch to any wardrobe.
Bottle Loft, $52
For those that drink beer, this gift offers a unique way to refrigerate beverages with a metal cap. Fortunately, magnets don’t discriminate against other non-alcoholic beverages since the same cap mechanism can be used also.
Uniqlo Men Extra Fine Cotton Broadcloth Long Sleeve Shirt, $29
Available in olive, white, blue, and navy, from sizes XS to 3XL, this shirt can be dressed down or dressed up and is the perfect staple for any man’s wardrobe.
Arrow Necklace, $300
If your man likes to keep his jewelry simple, then Canadian designer Ben Pipano makes the perfect gift. This made-in-Toronto sterling silver arrow necklace pairs perfectly with any outfit.
Bose SoundLink Mini II Bluetooth Wireless Speaker, $249
This speaker by Bose is comprised of carbon and features Bluetooth technology which would make a great gift for anyone. Connect devices like an iPhone, tablet, or laptop, and enjoy a movie or music.
The One by Dolce & Gabbana, $106
The iconic campaign for the fragrance starred actor Matthew McConaughey, suavely dressed in an unbuttoned dress shirt, plopping down on a couch. Buy this for your man so he can smell good and reenact the commercials for you too!
Herschel Supply Co. Mammoth Trail Backpack, $100
Paired with a protective rain cover, this sleek backpack is perfect for your next adventure together. Other features include two water bottle pockets, a padded laptop sleeve, and plenty of pockets. Whether he’s on an outdoor hike or just trekking to the office, this backpack offers everything he needs.
Polo Ralph Lauren Kimono Robe, $109
Grab yourselves some cozy robes and snuggle up indoors this Valentine’s Day with a bottle of bubbly and a box of chocolates. If you want to step things up, consider getting his robe embroidered with his name.
Massage for Two at the Four Seasons, $360-530
It’s not often that you S.O gets pampered, so treat him (and yo’self) too! You’ll get to spend some quality time together while two therapists treat you to side-by-side massages in one of their exquisite suites for two. Appointments are available for 60-90 minutes.
Brooklyn Brew Shop Beer Making Kit – Everyday IPA, $60.00
Let your guy get crafty with this apartment-friendly beer making kit. He’ll get to make his own artisanal beer, with all the step-by-step instructions, specialty equipment, and ingredients included in this kit. Each kit makes 1 gallon of beer.
Fitbit Charge 2, $169.95
Help your man stay on top of his game with this handy Fitbit. This sleek and handy band connects to all smartphones and will track heart rate, steps, distance, breathing, and more. It’s the perfect gift for the fitness junkie in your life.
What will you be buying your S.O for Valentine’s Day 2017?
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