A somber atmosphere filled the Hudson’s Bay Company store in downtown Calgary on Wednesday, as customers flocked to the location to snag last-minute deals before it closes its doors for good on Sunday.
Yellow posters plastered on the glass panes of the entrance announced sales of up to 80% off. The big red and black font stood out starkly against the otherwise empty interior. Tables, racks, and glass counters lay bare inside, with only a few remaining displays still stocked with clothes for sale.
"It seems like a funeral," said Don, a customer who visited Wednesday. "The atmosphere inside was somber."
The company began liquidating all its Canadian stores after receiving creditor protection in March. By Monday, it had announced plans to lay off about 90% of its workforce by Sunday.
Locations Affected
Hudson’s Bay held locations in several major malls across Alberta, including:
- Market Mall
- Southcentre Mall
- Chinook Centre (currently closed due to renovations)
- Sunridge Mall in Calgary
- An outlet mall at CrossIron Mills outside Balzac
For regular customers like Don and Karen—who used to visit at least once every other week when they lived in Chestermere but now make trips north to see family members—this marks an end to an era.
"We used their credit card," said Karen. "We’ve been loyal customers." She added that she was sad about losing her go-to place for shopping. "I’m going to miss them," she said.
Don echoed her sentiments. "I’ll miss them too," he said.
As shoppers scoured through what remained of Hudson’s Bay stockpiles on Wednesday afternoon—including discounted clothing from brands such as Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger—many expressed sadness over losing their beloved store chain.
"It feels like we’re losing something special here," said another customer who wished to remain anonymous due to privacy concerns. "I’ve been shopping here since I was little." She added that she would likely have no choice but to shop online if there were no more physical locations available locally or in nearby cities where she could visit during holidays or vacations from work. "Online shopping isn’t my thing because I don’t want anything until I can try it on first."
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