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05-15-2020 06:31 PM
Department stores are on the decline and the pandemic is just hastening their demise. Canadian Hudson's Bay department stores are getting ready to reopen their stores in British Columbia next week, but just how long can stores hang on when their store hours are going to be 12-5 pm for the general public for trhe foreseeable future?
From Retail Insider:
Hudson’s Bay Exiting Downtown Edmonton After 207 Years
From the CBC:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/hbc-350-years-history-1.5569656
Hudson's Bay Company has 350 years of history — but does it have a future?
There's rumours and speculation that as Hudson's Bay (which has existed for 350 years) is going to be filing for bankruptcy soon in order to restructure their business and shed stores. Their board of directors took the company private this spring just before the pandemic ended up closing their stores as they are a non-essential business.
HBC will be closing their Edmonton, Alberta downtown flagship Hudson's Bay store this fall.
Their suburban stores that I've seen in the lower mainland area of Vancouver, B.C. have never been updated including their bathrooms with cracked tiles, their dirty dressing rooms that are in need of repainting, and torn and dirty carpets all over that are still repaired with duct tape.
How well are they going to be cleaning and sanitizing the stores when it's something that they have been lax on before the pandemic?
05-15-2020 08:22 PM
Having seen in retail for 10 years after teaching, Hudson's never returned some of their prophets into the upkeep of their stores if the condition you described is across the board. They didn't chose to remain relevant, probably passing on profits to management and shareholders while allowing their business to go down hill as you describe.
Customers will shop where they can find good prices as well as be in a pleasing environment for the most part. They don't like dirty restrooms, partitions where you can see through, and doors with no or locks that don't work.
If Hudson's has a strong on line presence, they may become wholly on line.
05-16-2020 05:45 AM
I just saw on the news that J.C. Penny is filing for chapter 11.
05-16-2020 06:49 PM
This resurrects a really old memory from my past. Like in the 50's, my new stepfather somehow had some connection with the Hudson's Bay blanket people and periodically brought home one of those wool blankets with the stripes. I haven't a clue if these are the same people.
05-16-2020 11:39 PM
Yes, Hudson's Bay still sells their striped wook blankets -- they are very expensive -- as the flagship stores in downtown areas cater to tourists. Not that there will be any of those this summer.
05-16-2020 11:42 PM
Hudson's Bay is about the same as J.C. Penney -- an older department store that sat on their laurels as they made misstep after misstep.
I read that J.C. Penney's board gave their executives 40 million dollars in bonuses before they filed for bankruptcy. Yeah, I doubt that will go over well with the rank and file workers or whatever remains of their customers.
05-16-2020 11:44 PM
@ECBG wrote:Having seen in retail for 10 years after teaching, Hudson's never returned some of their prophets into the upkeep of their stores if the condition you described is across the board. They didn't chose to remain relevant, probably passing on profits to management and shareholders while allowing their business to go down hill as you describe.
Customers will shop where they can find good prices as well as be in a pleasing environment for the most part. They don't like dirty restrooms, partitions where you can see through, and doors with no or locks that don't work.
If Hudson's has a strong on line presence, they may become wholly on line.
Hudson's Bay has a shopping website but their shipping times are on the slow side and have never improved. I recently bought a pair of Rockport booties from their website and the package sat in their warehouse for nearly a week before it shipped out via Canada Post.
05-17-2020 10:09 AM
@TY @They May get better at shipping when the stores close and there is only a warehouse.i loved that store and Eatons too.I don't do well with my online shopping but I won't have a choice soon.
05-17-2020 05:28 PM
I remember a Hudsons store in the mall in Ohio...it was a great store. The prices were good, store was clean....I recall getting some really good deals. The store closed years ago, I didn't know they were still in business.
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