The Bay may bring Bloomingdale's to Canada

Sonic Death Monkey · 01-05-2012, 01:39 PM

http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/stor...es-canada.html

Quote:

Iconic Canadian retailer Hudson's Bay Company is in talks with New York-based Bloomingdale's to bring the luxury chain to Canada, a report suggested Tuesday.

According to the Globe and Mail, HBC is looking to set up Bloomingdale's stores within HBC's national chain of stores.
The paper cited unnamed industry sources for the story. When asked for an interview by CBC News, a spokesperson with HBC declined to comment on the report.

But experts suggest the move is a pre-emptive strike against an invasion by well-heeled American luxury retailers looking to set up shop in Canada.

Barry N · 01-05-2012, 02:03 PM

Interesting times we live in.

NielCole · 01-05-2012, 03:49 PM

I read the article, While it sounds appealing in one manner (Bloomingdales hitting the Canadian market in a limited fashion) It sounds bizarre in another manner in regards that HBC is owned by the same company that owns Lord & Taylor and is competition to Bloomingdales in the US.

When they aquired HBC several years ago the rumour mill was flooded with articles in regards to L&T entering the Canadian market with either blended Bay/Lord & Taylor stores or separate stores to enter into major Canadian cities.

While HBC presently carries certain brands from both companies that own Macy's and Lord&Taylor stores for the Canadian market, Housing a "Bloomingdales" boutique within a handfull of larger Bay stores just strikes me as rather pointless since we have heard the talk before (Lord&Taylor) with no actual action.

I know space is limited in Canada for whole chains to start opening "full line" branches in our market but having HBC selling Bloomingdale's merchandise in a limited fashion just does not sound (to me the retail junkie

) overly workable.

I could be wrong, time will tell.

SpongeG · 02-05-2012, 11:08 PM

i wonder what they would sell? I went to bloomingdales in san fran and didn't seem any fancier than the bay, now neiman marcus - that was a fancy store - you felt like you had to pay just to sneeze in the store

NielCole · 03-05-2012, 01:46 AM

Good question to me, I was in the original Bloomingdale's in Manhattan in 2001 and dropped in for the first time, I really felt like it was The Bay on Queen Street in Toronto, Nice clothes and cosmetics, I did not scope out the furniture department (which is supposed to be out of this world) in regards to department stores, But as I said it felt no glitzier at that time than the freshly remodelled HBC in T.O.

Chmilz · 03-05-2012, 08:56 AM

I don't care what they call it, can someone please just make good use of the huge department store spaces we have? Bay and Sears completely blow it. Most wasted square footage ever.

01-05-2012, 02:03 PM	#2
Barry N Addicted to C2E Join Date: May 2006 Location: Where the sun keeps shining thru the pouring rain.	Interesting times we live in. __________________ "Show me a man with both feet on the ground, and I'll show you a man that can't get his pants on!"

03-05-2012, 08:56 AM	#6
Chmilz Addicted to C2E Join Date: Jan 2009	I don't care what they call it, can someone please just make good use of the huge department store spaces we have? Bay and Sears completely blow it. Most wasted square footage ever. __________________ "Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction" - Blaise Pascal

01-05-2012, 03:49 PM	#3
NielCole Addicted to C2E Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Edmonton	I read the article, While it sounds appealing in one manner (Bloomingdales hitting the Canadian market in a limited fashion) It sounds bizarre in another manner in regards that HBC is owned by the same company that owns Lord & Taylor and is competition to Bloomingdales in the US. When they aquired HBC several years ago the rumour mill was flooded with articles in regards to L&T entering the Canadian market with either blended Bay/Lord & Taylor stores or separate stores to enter into major Canadian cities. While HBC presently carries certain brands from both companies that own Macy's and Lord&Taylor stores for the Canadian market, Housing a "Bloomingdales" boutique within a handfull of larger Bay stores just strikes me as rather pointless since we have heard the talk before (Lord&Taylor) with no actual action. I know space is limited in Canada for whole chains to start opening "full line" branches in our market but having HBC selling Bloomingdale's merchandise in a limited fashion just does not sound (to me the retail junkie ) overly workable. I could be wrong, time will tell.

02-05-2012, 11:08 PM	#4
SpongeG Partially Addicted to C2E Join Date: Oct 2010	i wonder what they would sell? I went to bloomingdales in san fran and didn't seem any fancier than the bay, now neiman marcus - that was a fancy store - you felt like you had to pay just to sneeze in the store

03-05-2012, 01:46 AM	#5
NielCole Addicted to C2E Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Edmonton	Good question to me, I was in the original Bloomingdale's in Manhattan in 2001 and dropped in for the first time, I really felt like it was The Bay on Queen Street in Toronto, Nice clothes and cosmetics, I did not scope out the furniture department (which is supposed to be out of this world) in regards to department stores, But as I said it felt no glitzier at that time than the freshly remodelled HBC in T.O.