Hudson’s Bay is expanding its Zellers brand to even more of its department stores.
The Toronto-based retailer says Zellers pop-ups will open within all Hudson’s Bay stores that do not yet feature the discount chain.
The most recent expansion covers 13 Ontario locations, seven in B.C., six in Alberta, four in Quebec and one in Manitoba. The Ontario locations include Ottawa’s Bayshore Shopping Centre.
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The pop-ups will be open by Sept. 22 in time for the holidays and bring the number of Hudson’s Bay stores across the country with a Zellers presence to 78.
The pop-up locations typically have a footprint ranging from 1,000 to 2,800 square feet and stock an array of affordable household goods. Zellers also has 24 “store-in-stores” within Hudson’s Bay locations ranging from 8,000 to 10,000 square feet.
Hudson’s Bay says it uses pop-ups to determine which markets would be ideal for future Zellers stores.
“Pop-ups are a key ingredient in our expansion strategy, allowing us to explore and test in new markets and fine-tune our offering before establishing larger-format store locations,” Sophia Hwang-Judiesch, president of Hudson’s Bay, said in a statement.
“Our customers are in the driver’s seat — they will tell us how and where to grow.”
Pop-up locations in the National Capital Region include Place D’Orléans, the Rideau Centre and St. Laurent Centre, as well as Les Promenades Gatineau.
In May, HBC, the holding company of investments and businesses that include Hudson’s Bay and Zellers, as well as Saks Fifth Avenue and Saks Off Fifth, announced that it had raised $240 million of additional liquidity to grow its operating businesses.
The company said the capital would strengthen its strategic position, while also taking advantage of the opportunities being created as other retailers exit the Canadian market.
“As we diversify our consumer offerings, we are strongly positioned to expand on the retail experience customers have come to expect from Hudson’s Bay, Saks Fifth Avenue, Saks Off Fifth and now Zellers,” said Richard Baker, governor, executive chairman and CEO of HBC. “With this incremental liquidity, we will strengthen our businesses and build upon the great foundation we have established.”
With files from The Canadian Press
