To many Canadians, these brands represented more than just stores; they were fixtures in their lives and memories.
Eaton’s
Eaton’s was an absolute Canadian icon that basically ruled retail commerce for well over a century. Their catalogue was a literal lifesaver for so many people living in rural Canada, connecting them to the rest of the country.
The company was notoriously resistant to change, however, and eventually went bankrupt in 1999.
Sears Canada
Whether you needed appliances, power tools, school supplies, wedding registries, or just new clothes, Sears was always the go-to solution for multiple generations of Canadian families.
It was a fixture in shopping malls across the country until it finally disappeared in 2018.
Future Shop
Future Shop was where most Canadians went to buy new tech gadgets, audio equipment, and computers before Best Buy came to Canada.
It was known for its extensive electronics selection and overly aggressive sales associates. Much to everyone’s surprise, its parent company decided to rebrand all of the Future Shop locations under the Best Buy name in 2015.
Zellers
Zellers was Canada’s friendly, everyday low-cost store for decades, made famous by its mascot Zeddy the Bear. It was known for budget-friendly home essentials, toys, and clothing.
Though the brand has recently been revived on a small scale, the original, expansive national chain that we all grew up with is still deeply missed.
Woolco
The F.W. Woolworth Company’s Woolco division was another giant Canadian department store throughout the 1970s and 1980s, serving as a large one-stop shop for Canadian families.
Walmart acquired the majority of Woolco’s locations when it officially entered Canada in 1994.
Woodward’s
If you grew up in Western Canada, Woodward’s was probably the anchor tenant of your local mall. Woodward’s was known for its upscale clothing department, home goods, and massive grocery department known as the “Food Floor”.
However, Woodward’s could not keep up with increasing business costs in the early 90s and went out of business.
Sam the Record Man
When music lovers walked into Sam the Record Man, they were immediately hit with row upon row of vinyl records. The store itself was iconic, known in particular for its neon light bulb-shaped spinning record atop the store’s main entrance.
Sam’s was a Canadian institution for new music discovery until it began to lose out to digital music downloads.
Consumers Distributing
Shopping at Consumers was a bizarre experience. Instead of shopping in-store aisles, you browsed through a large catalog and ordered your product via a slip that store associates would run to the warehouse.
It was ahead of its time in terms of tech-enabled shopping, but couldn’t quite compete with self-serve retail.
Army & Navy
Canada’s first discount department store, Army & Navy, carried its name quite proudly, selling used military surplus gear, durable work clothes, and furniture.
It was always a fun store to browse through, as you never knew what kind of hidden gems you’d find. Army & Navy quietly closed their doors in 2020.
Beaver Lumber
Canadians loved Beaver Lumber when it came to buying lumber, household hardware, paint or any of the other supplies needed for home DIY projects.
Eventually, Beaver Lumber got bought up and assimilated into other larger hardware store brands.
Steinberg’s
Steinberg’s was a household name in Quebec for as long as anyone could remember. Serving Canadian’s groceries for generations, the small startup grew to become a powerhouse in the provincially competitive market.
Despite its popularity, Steinberg’s was another unlucky business that suffered from horrible management and went bankrupt.
Simpsons
Long before it was gobbled up by Hudson’s Bay, Simpsons was a classy department store that almost everyone shopped at.
Families knew Simpsons for its classy shopping experience and high-quality products. The brand has been slowly disappearing over the decades.
Target Canada
Target Canada had Canadians super-excited when it announced its grand arrival back in 2013. Everyone loves a good bargain, and Target promised “cheap chic” shopping like no other.
Despite heavy anticipation, Target Canada was a highly publicized disaster. Shelves were empty, items were expensive, and stores were shut down by 2015.
Miracle Mart
Miracle Mart was one of those quintessential brands that feels like it’s been around forever. Canadians loved shopping at Miracle Mart for reasonably-priced home goods, electronics, and clothing.
However, it wasn’t able to compete with larger discount retail chains that popped up around the same era.
BiWay
BiWay stores were definitely a jack-of-all-trades retailer. They sold everything from affordable clothing to housewares and seasonal décor.
BiWay stores were a welcome fixture in so many Canadian neighborhoods. They are truly one of those brands that Canadians miss the most.
Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.