It’s been a sad year for retail in our home and native land, as we’ve kissed once retail staples – some which were pretty much Canadian institutions – goodbye.

If last year’s loss of Jean Machine in shopping malls across the country wasn’t a tough enough pill to swallow (even just for the nostalgia factor), other beloved stores have met a similar fate.

Here are some of the retailers who closed up shop in Canada in 2019 (RIP).

Payless ShoeSource

After a long run as a staple go-to discount footwear retailer, in February 2019, Payless ShoeSource filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy for the second time in two years. It didn’t take long before the brand began closing up shop one North American location at a time, including 248 stores across Canada. It’s natural to question whether the emergence of other affordable – yet elevated – spots to score shoes like, Nordstrom Rack and Saks Off Fifth, played a role.

Zellers

In August, longtime go-to value-priced retailer Zellers announced the closing of its last two Canadian stores left standing – a move that came as no real surprise to everyone who had long ago switched to Walmart and others. The brand faced unprecedented competition among value-priced retailers and had sort of lost its shine in Canada. If you have a soft spot for Zellers, you can still hit the Etobicoke location until January 2020.

Forever 21

This past September, fast fashion retailer Forever 21 filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Protection, announcing plans to close 350 stores worldwide, including all Canadian locations. The news came after the brand’s sales fell from $4.4 million in 2016 to $3.3 billion in 2018. Forever 21 has lagged behind its competitors in the sustainability department, is no longer the “fastest” in the fast fashion game, and has experienced no shortage of legal woos.

Green Earth

Another homegrown retailer to bite the dust in 2019 was London, Ontario-based retailer Green Earth, who announced that it would close down all 29 locations across Ontario after nearly 30 years in business. It’s closure is telling of the times: the store sold unique collectables, jewelry, and knit-knacks and took a major blow with the growing prominence of online shopping, when customers no longer needed to hit the mall for such finds.

Home Outfitters

HBC-owned home giant Home Outfitters was another victim to the retail apocalypse in 2019. In February, the parent company announced it would close the doors at all 37 Home Outfitters locations across Canada. Though popular, the 20-year-old company was relatively short-lived in the retail world compared its shuttered-in-2019 counterparts.

Gymboree

Once go-to children’s wear brand Gymboree closed all of its Canadian locations after a solid 40 years in business. Gymboree kicked off 2019 by successfully filing for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy after doing so for the first time in 2017 and managing to stay in the game for a little while longer. According to industry experts, fact that Gymboree Group’s own collection of brands were competing against each other contributed to the downfall of the brand. Most recently, however, Gymboree announced plans for a 2020 comeback.

Town Shoes

We started 2019 knowing that Town Shoes – a footwear brand exclusive to Canada – would soon be a thing of the past. By the end of January, U.S.-based shoe company DSW had closed all 38 of its stores across Canada. According to a spokesperson for the brand, the decision was made after a 90-day review that analyzed Town Shoes’ historical performance, competitive positioning, and future requirements.

David’s Shoes

While David’s Shoes was solely a Toronto and Ottawa institute for the cities’ fashionable footwear lovers, it’s relevant because it became iconic in Toronto in its 60-year run. Sadly for the brand (but not a bad thing for babes on a budget, who flocked to the store to scoop up the deals), it was placed on receivership in the summer and liquidated its five stores before closing up shop for good. Rising rents and increased competition in the designer footwear space are thought to have contributed to its demise.

Bentley

Most recently, in December 2019, Montreal-based Bentley Leathers announced a plan to liquidate and close 90 underperforming stores in Canada as part of a restructuring agreement. The retailer will, however, continue to operate its more elevated concept stores. The fate of those remains TBD; after all, who really wants to lug a suitcase home from the mall when you can have it delivered to your front door?

Motherhood Maternity

Earlier this fall, mom-to-be and new mom spot Motherhood Maternity announced the closing of all stores across North America, including 29 Motherhood Maternity and Destination Maternity stores in Canada. The announcement came after Destination Maternity filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the U.S. and after the company’s name, website, and operating assets were acquired by Marquee Brands LLC.

So, what went wrong?

To be honest, many of the shuttered spaces are the result of good, old-fashioned shifts in consumer behaviour and growing competition. More than ever with the arrival of massive American retailers in Canada in the past decade and the availability of brands from around the world in just a few clicks. Canadian-based retailers face intense pressure to keep up to their American counterparts and their American counterparts face intense competition with one another.

Regardless of the retailer, brands need to do more to keep customers going into physical stores if they want to keep them.

Whether than means more interactive features, incorporating more tech, hosting in-store events, and influencer collaborations. In the meantime, it’s safe to say that more retailers are on their way out as we head into the fresh decade (Lowes and J Crew, we’re looking at you).

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The holidays have come and gone, and many retailers are packing up shop and clearing out merchandise. While some are closing up for good, others are quietly making an exit.

Below you’ll find a number of retailers closing doors in the next few weeks. Some have new locations in the works, some have other stores to visit, and others we bid adieu to forever.

J.Crew, CF Toronto Eaton Centre

Instagram/@lakegirllove

With whispers in the air about the future of J. Crew in Canada, another store closing doesn’t reflect well on the brand. The CF Toronto Eaton Centre location is slated to close permanently on January 6, despite being a fairly profitable store. Once the store closes, there will only be three full-price J. Crew stores left in the GTA: Bloor St. West, Sherway Gardens, and Yorkdale Shopping Centre. The American brand has seen many Canadian closures in the past 12 months including CF Markville, CF Fairview, and CF Chinook Centre.

Hugo Boss, 83 Bloor St. West

Urban Retail Toronto

Our friends at Retail-Insider report that Hugo Boss will be shuttering its flagship store on the affluent Bloor St. West in Toronto. The store, which has been a hot spot for celebrities during TIFF, will be closing on January 20. The space is currently listed for lease and no tenants have been confirmed for the space yet. But if you’re a fan of the store, don’t fret! A new flagship is slated to open at Yorkdale Shopping Centre, although no date has been confirmed yet.

Walmart, Cedarbrae Mall

Flickr/Mike Mozart

Walmart will be closing down one of its locations in Toronto. The Cedarbrae Mall store, located in Scarborough, currently neighbours big box retailers like No Frills, Canadian Tire, and JYSK, and will close its doors come the end of January. In a statement to Metroland Media, Anika Malik, Walmart Canada’s director of corporate affairs, said that the lease was up for renewal, however, due to factors such as “age of the building, concentration of stores and overall ability to best serve our customers,” Walmart Canada decided not to move forward.

Hyba Activewear, CF Toronto Eaton Centre

Instagram/@hybasq1

Back in 2017, Montreal-based Reitmans announced that it would close all of its Hyba Activewear stores, and the time has finally come. The CF Toronto Eaton Centre location is set to close by January 27 along with remaining Hyba stores. An employee at CF Toronto Eaton Centre made note that, depending on inventory, other stores may close even sooner. While all Hyba stores will close doors for good within the next couple of weeks, shoppers will still be able to find the activewear label at 230 Reitman stores across Canada, as well as online at hyba.ca.

Featured image: Instagram/@hybasq1

With years like last, it’s hard to deny that a retail apocalypse is happening. 2018 was not the greatest time for some of our once-favourite stores.

The year saw many major names in retailers file for bankruptcy or close down locations, leaving many Canadian shoppers in shock.

From long-standing retailers with deep rooted history in Canada, to American imports that Canadian shoppers once got excited about, below you’ll find the retailers who closed locations and went out of business in 2018.

Retailers That Went Out Of Business

Town Shoes

DSW announced it would be shuttering Town Shoes stores in the summer of 2018. After 66-years in business, Town Shoes will see its remaining stores close by the end of its fiscal year in January 2019. While DSW, who acquired Town Shoes in 2014, is saying goodbye to the iconic mall retailer, they will continue to operate DSW stores and its sneaker concept store, GRAIL.

Jean Machine

Instagram/@stoneroadmall

The changing retail landscape claimed another victim in the fall of 2018. During the past few years, the memorable Canadian mall retailer saw many ups and downs. Jean Machine sought bankruptcy protection early in 2017 and was acquired later in the year by Pacific West Commercial Corporation. However, the company was unable to bounce back. After 40 years in business, Jean Machine announced that they would officially shut down by January 2019.

Bombay Company and Bowring Brothers 

As reported, home decor chains Bombay Company and Bowring Brothers filed for creditor protection earlier this year. Bowring, which was founded in St. John’s by clockmaker Benjamin Bowring in 1811, has been trouble for a little while. According to CTV News, back in 2014, the chains were placed under court protection from creditors and given time to develop a new business plan. But over the years, the houseware retailers were unable to pull themselves out of the slump.

Retailers That Closed Locations

Rockport

Instagram/@rockport

Footwear retailers couldn’t catch a break in 2018. Rockport filed for bankruptcy protection the the late spring of 2018. All of the brand’s namesake stores closed in July 2018. However, according to the Rockport website, there are still a number of retailers across North America that stock the brand, including Moores and Hudson’s Bay. At this point, the future of the company is uncertain, but they have hired a new President and plan on improving products and marketing efforts for 2019.

Gap

Twitter/@CoresightNews

Gap Inc. as a whole may not be struggling, but signs show that its namesake brand is. Near the end of 2018, the brand told analysts that it would be closing hundreds of stores across the globe. And this isn’t the first time the brand has done massive closures — back in 2015, Gap closed 175 stores across North America. But while Gap struggles to find brand loyalty and a captivated audience, Old Navy, also owned by Gap Inc., continues to flourish.

Lowe’s

Instagram/@marysataylor

The fall seemed to be a rough time for a lot of retailers, including home improvement chain Lowe’s. In 2018, the retailer announced that it would be closing 31 stores in Canada and 20 in the United States. The closures, which are scheduled to be completed by February 2019, affect underperforming stores across North America. Lowe’s hopes to improve the help of its portfolio by focusing on its more profitable stores.

J.Crew

Instagram/@saradoucet

Another struggling mid-luxury retailer is J.Crew. The American retailer launched in Canada back in 2011 with much anticipation, however, it seems like the excitement for the brand is over. J.Crew has been slowly closing Canadian stores — such as CF Chinook Centre, CF Markville, and CF Fairview — and it’s not a good sign for the brand. According to analysts, J.Crew has been on a decline since the departure of Mickey Drexler, the company’s former CEO, and could be on its way out.

Nine West

Instagram/@offersunderthesun

After scraping by for that past few years, the 35-year-old footwear and handbag retailer called it quits in April of 2018. Analysts attributed the company’s downfall to rising online competition, as well as the increased competition of mid-priced footwear retailers. The good news for Nine West fans, however, is that there’s still a chance you might see the brand around. While stores are closed, Authentic Brands Group acquired Nine West and Bandolino and will be expanding offerings into sportswear, outerwear, swimwear, intimates, fragrance, sleepwear, and home.

Crabtree & Evelyn 

Instagram/@courtzemke

The Canadian operations for the Crabtree & Evelyn filed for creditor protection in November. The retailer has quietly been exiting malls for years. According to The Straits Times, the bath and body retailer is moving its business fully online aside from a location in London, England.

Featured image: Instagram/@artinthefind

Throughout the years, the Canadian retail landscape has seen its fair share of ups and downs.

From major launches and comebacks, to the closures of longstanding, heritage brands, 2018 saw many impactful events that reshaped how Canadians shop. Take a peek at some of the most important stories from this year below.

1. Toys “R” Us Is Closing U.S Stores — Can Canadian Stores Survive? 

Public Domain Pictures

All of your favourite childhood stores have been slowly closing. Toys “R” Us announced on Wednesday that is will close 180 stores in the United States.  According to the Toronto Star, while the president for Canadian Operations reassured customers that its business as usual in Canada, many insiders believe that Toys “R” Us won’t last. Continue reading.

2. Management At Pacific Mall “Deeply Disturbed” To Learn Counterfeit Goods Are Being Sold

Instagram/@paul_sherwood_

News broke that Pacific Mall in Markham, Ontario is one of the biggest offending retail locations when it comes to the distribution of counterfeit goods in North America. In a press release from the mall, management said they were “deeply disturbed and disappointed” by the news. Continue reading.

3. Once-Popular Brand Mexx Is Set To Make A Canadian Comeback

Instagram/@mexxofficial

The Dutch fashion brand will be re-launching in Canada and is looking to recapture what they once had in the Canadian retail landscape. At one point, Mexx stores were located in almost every major Canadian mall and operated more than 100 stores nationally. Continue reading.

4. It’s Official: Toys “R” Us Has Been Saved By A Canadian Company

Instagram/@gothgirlgonemom

Toys “R” Us Canada is currently reassuring consumers that although the American Toys “R” Us brand is pretty much all closed up, the Canadian arm, now owned by a Canadian company, is looking to recapture consumers and the brand is back in full-force. Continue reading.

5. Nine West Officially Declares Bankruptcy

Instagram/@offersunderthesun

Reuters is reporting that U.S. footwear and apparel company Nine West Holdings Inc filed for bankruptcy on Friday last week. The brand announced that it would sell off its Nine West and Bandolino footwear and handbag business to Authentic Brands Group. Continue reading.

6. The Largest Asian Shopping Centre Will Be In Markham

King Square

Move on over Pacific Mall, there’s a new king in town and it’s already being coined “Canada’s largest Asian shopping centre.” The mall called King Square Shopping Centre is located at 9390 Woodbine Ave in Markham. Continue reading.

7. Nordstrom Rack Is Open On Bloor

The flagship is located at One Bloor, and has the biggest selection of on-trend clothing, footwear, and accessories for men, women, and kids. Its floor to ceilings windows make it a bright and extremely pleasant shopping experience. Continue reading.

8. DSW to Shutter Canadian Footwear Chain Town Shoes

Iconic Canadian footwear chain Town Shoes is set to be closed down after a stellar 66 years in business. Town Shoes currently operates 38 stores across Canada, and according to industry insiders, this may cause problems for mall landlords as another departing chain will cause significant vacancies in malls across the country. Continue reading.

9. Canadians Will Now Be Able To Buy More From The U.S. — Duty Free Limit Raised from $20 to $150 

Instagram/@polina_kennedy

The new U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement will actually benefit Canadian shoppers that enjoy cross-border shopping or ordering from American online sites. One of the interesting aspects of the new agreement will increase the de minimis threshold for duty-free shopping. Continue reading.

10. American Apparel Is Back In Business With A Focus On Inclusivity

Instagram/@americanapparel

It was a sad day back in early 2017, when iconic fashion brand American Apparel went bankrupt and announced it would shut down its stores. But hot on the heels of a successful relaunch south of the border, the brand announced its plans for international e-commerce expansion earlier this year, setting its sights on Canada. Continue reading.

11. Bombay Company And Bowring Brothers Collapse In Debt

We’re sad to be saying farewell to Bowring Brothers and the Bombay Company, along with all their fantastic sales. Apparently, the home decor chains in Canada will be moving into liquidation mode after their Brampton-based parent company filed for creditor protection. Continue reading.

12. Gap Plans To Close Down Hundreds Of Flagship Stores

Twitter/@CoresightNews

Gap Inc. is struggling with its flagship company, as it continues the fight to stay on top. The brand told analysts that it will soon be shuttering hundreds of its global Gap stores. Right now, the company is seeing 20% of sales and growing online, and 30% in its most profitable outlet stores, while the remaining flagship stores are bringing down profits. Continue reading.

13. Aritzia Opens Its First North American Outlet Store

Facebook/Toronto Premium Outlets

As part of the Toronto Premium Outlets expansion, Aritzia launched a new outlet store — it’s the first of its kind in North America, and the store is joining 130 other outlets in 500,00-square-feet of outdoor shopping space. Continue reading.

14. Miniso Has Filed An Application For Bankruptcy

Twitter/@joannachiu

In the height of Canada’s love for Japanese retailers, it seems like not all retailers are performing as well as they seem to be. Miniso Canada’s parent company Miniso International Hong Kong Ltd. and Miniso International (Guangzhou) Co. Ltd. have allegedly filed an Application for Bankruptcy Order in the Supreme Court of British Columbia.

15. Inside Toronto’s New Japanese Lifestyle Store Where Everything Is Under $12

Oomomo opened their doors at Don Mills and Lawrence earlier this month. The store is the second in Canada, while the first opened in Edmonton, Alberta just last year. Despite only being on the market for a short period, Oomomo has seen massive success. Continue reading.

Back in the summer, news broke that Ohio-based DSW Inc. would be shuttering its Town Shoes brand. There are 38 Town Shoes stores across Canada, which will all be closing by the end of the company’s fiscal year in January.

When the story broke, it was a sad day for Canadians who grew up with the retailer. But unfortunately for many mid-luxury brands, it’s hard to stay afloat with so much competition in the market.

While it’s always sad to see a retailer close their doors for good, we do love a good store closing sale — especially with deals like these!

Our SaleSpy dropped by the Yorkdale Shopping Centre location to get the scoop.

Here’s what you can find at the Town Shoes store closing sale.

The closing sale has been running for some weeks now, and the discounts are getting better as stores near the end of the company’s fiscal year. Right now, stores are advertising that prices are up to 70% off. Shoppers can get an additional 20% off their entire purchase when they buy three pairs of shoes or more.

There are limited discounts on brands like UGG, Pajar, and Sorel.

In addition to formal shoes, sneakers, sandals, and boots for both men and women, the sale also features some premium brands. Shoppers will find good deals on brands like UGG, Pajar, and Sorel, which are 30% off regular retail prices.

Other brands featured in the sale include Champion, Fenty, Kate Spade, New Balance, Via Spiga, Sam Edelman, L.L. Bennett, Vince Camuto, Converse, and more.

All bags are 50% off the regular retail price.

If you’re looking for a high-quality bag for work, formal occasions, or everyday life, you’ll want to check out the Town Shoes closing sale. Our SaleSpy spotted brands like Armani Exchange and Matt & Nat, to name a couple.

Keep in mind, selection will vary store-to-store for bags, footwear, and accessories.

Everything in the store is on sale, but selection won’t last long.

Like we said, this sale has already been running for a while now, and the stores’ stock is flying out the doors! While there are still tons of amazing finds, it’s best to hurry down and shop as soon as possible.

All Town Shoes store will close by the end of January, so if you want to wait for even deeper discounts, we’d suggest visiting in the next few weeks. But again, selection will be limited during that time.

If you’re not interested in braving the nearest mall, you can also shop the sale online at townshoes.ca. Just keep in mind that because it’s a closing sale, all sales are final. So, if the shoe doesn’t fit, you can’t return it.

Take a peek at some more photos from the Town Shoes closing sale below.

All images by StyleDemocracy.

Our friends at Retail-Insider are reporting that iconic Canadian footwear chain Town Shoes is set to be closed down after a stellar 66 years in business.

Town Shoes currently operates 38 stores across Canada, and according to industry insiders, this may cause problems for mall landlords as another departing chain will cause significant vacancies in malls across the country.

This is an interesting turn of events for Town Shoes, as the retailer recently announced in April that it was improving operations and acquired new brands to stock on the shelves. Stores had already begun the renovation process, so it’s somewhat a shock to people following the brand.

Retail-Insider points out that this announcement isn’t completely out of left field. Many Canadian footwear brands are struggling for market share, hence why brands are looking to consolidate their offerings and save on the hard costs of store operations.

In case you forgot, American Parent company DSW Designer Shoe Warehouse bought Town Shoes in 2014.  The acquisition of Town Shoes by DSW allowed DSW to open large format concept store in Canada and used Town Shoes expertise in distribution and logistics.

Fast forward to 2018, DSW now owns 100% state in Town Shoes and according to reports as early as May told suppliers that the Town Shoes nameplate would be shut down.  As of 2018 Town Shoes Limited was the largest branded footwear retailer in Canada with 38 Town Shoes stores, and 113 Shoe Company and Shoe Warehouse Stores.

DSW will continue to operate in Canada and also will continue to operate it’s newly launched sneaker concept GRAIL in Vancouver. The concept is expected to be rolled out in key markets nationally and possibily an expansion into the United States.

It will be sad to see Town Shoes go as many Canadians have at least bought one pair of shoes there. The history of Town Shoes is extensive and it was founded in 1952.

It’s Friday, which means it’s time for our weekly sales roundup! We’ve picked 10 of the hottest deals happening in Toronto this weekend to make your Holiday shopping less stressful and more budget-friendly. Don’t miss out and save up to 60% on shoes, winter clothes, party dresses and holiday gifts.

Linen Chest

What: All December up until Christmas Linen Chest offers 25 days of deals. Check the website daily for more information on the deals and take 50% off the regular price. Don’t forget to get a coupon for extra 25% off. Click here for more information.
Where: In stores and online

Spanner Warehouse Sale

What: Shop such brands as SPANNER, Angela Mara, UNE, Jones New York, Point Zero, Lola Jeans, ESPRIT and more. Prices starting as low as $2.99! Hurry up as the sale ends Sunday, December 17. Note – all items are final sale. More information here.
Where: 65 Gateway Park Drive, (Right beside Costco – formerly The Shoe Company)
Kitchener, Ontario

Marlies Holiday Hat Trick Pack

What: We teamed up with the Toronto Marlies to bring discounted tickets this holiday season. The package includes tickets to 3 or more games and 2 Marlies toque with 30% off discount.
Where: Buy the tickets here

Casalife

What: Casalife is clearing out our showrooms and every product presented at all four locations in Toronto is on sale! Floor models discounted up to 70% off, select in-stock items are 30% to 50% off. Plus, 30 of Casalife’s most popular vendors are offering additional discounts up to 30% off their entire lines. Full details here.
Where: In stores

Guess

What: Just in time for the holidays until December 19, Guess offers 40% off, when you spend over $125 and 50-60% off on all sale items. Hint – if you still haven’t found a perfect holiday dress, Guess might be the place to look for one.
Where: online an in stores

Aldo

What: Looking for a perfect pair of holiday shoes or trendy winter booties? Aldo offers a wide selection of cute shoes you need to have in your wardrobe this winter. The best part – you can get them with 50% discount!
Where: online an in stores

Town Shoes Warehouse Sale

What: Shop trendiest booties of the season and take additional 40% off on top brand-name women’s footwear. More details here.
Where: in stores

Adidas

What: If you have sports lovers on your holiday shopping list, head to Adidas and find great gifts under $10, under $30 and under $50 through December 18^th.
Where: Online

StyleDemocracy Online Sale

What: Check out the amazing deals, including up to 68% off TOMS shoes, 74% off Calvin Klein underwear, and 68% off Puma accessories!
Where: online 

Did we miss any great sales happening this weekend? Let us know in the comments!

Featured image: Instagram/ @aldo

Calling all fall job seekers: there’s a big retail job fair happening in Toronto this September.

On Tuesday, September 12, the Retail Council of Canada will be partnering with City of Toronto for a retail job fair for youth and adults. With over 25 different retailers in tow and over 500 opportunities up for grabs, you’re sure to find something to help pay those bills.

Retailers you can expect in attendance include Hudson’s Bay, Roots, Winners, Starbucks, H&M, Pusateri’s, Calvin Klein, Foot Locker, Town Shoes and more. Check out the full list here.

Pre-registration for the fair is required, and all attendees are advised to bring 15+ copies of resumes and to dress for success.

Get full details about the retail job fair here.

Featured Image: Flickr/WOCinTech 

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