There was a time when certain stores weren’t just stores — they were part of the routine. Saturday errands. Back-to-school trips. Wandering the aisles for no real reason.
And then, slowly, they were gone.
Zellers
The red logo, the slightly unpredictable layout, the in-store diner where fries somehow tasted better than they should have. For decades, Zellers was the middle ground between bargain and department store. When the lights went out for good, it felt like something familiar closed with it.
Consumers Distributing
Not quite a store in the traditional sense. You flipped through a catalog, wrote down the item number, and waited at a counter while someone retrieved it from the warehouse. It required patience — and it made shopping feel oddly exciting.
Future Shop
The bold yellow-and-black branding. The commission-driven sales floor. Lining up for the latest tech release. Before online carts and one-click ordering, this was where big electronics purchases happened.
Becker’s
Late-night convenience stops. Slushies. Lottery tickets. A neighborhood staple in many communities that quietly disappeared as larger chains expanded.
BiWay
Discount racks, fluorescent lighting, and treasure-hunt finds. It wasn’t glamorous, but it was practical — and packed before back-to-school season.
The It Store
Mall corridors weren’t complete without it. Novelty gifts, gag items, lava lamps, and things nobody technically needed but somehow always bought.
Sam the Record Man
The giant neon spinning records. A pilgrimage spot for music lovers. Browsing actual CDs, flipping through cases, debating which album was worth the allowance money.
Target Canada
A brief but memorable chapter. The excitement when it arrived. The confusion when shelves sat half-empty. And then, just as quickly, the departure.
These stores didn’t all close at once.
There wasn’t one dramatic goodbye.
They faded — replaced by online carts and next-day shipping.
But for a generation, those aisles were part of the backdrop of everyday life.