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<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
A Defining Moment in Canadian Retail History<\/strong><\/h2>\nApril 24, 2025, will be remembered as the last day that the Hudson\u2019s Bay department store operated in its traditional form in Canada. Once the cornerstone of urban shopping districts across the country, Hudson\u2019s Bay now joins the list of storied department store brands that have faded into retail history.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday of this week, it was confirmed through court filings and official communications that the six remaining Hudson\u2019s Bay stores spared from initial liquidation proceedings would also be shuttering. Starting Friday, April 25, all 80 Hudson\u2019s Bay stores nationwide will be in active liquidation, concluding a nearly 355 year legacy under the Hudson\u2019s Bay Company name.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/retailinsider.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Bay-Montreal-1200x704.png\")
Downtown Montreal flagship Hudson\u2019s Bay store on April 24, 2025. The building started as a location for the Henry Morgan department store chain, which in decades past operated as an upscale business. Photo: Carl Boutet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/retailinsider.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_1933-1200x675.jpg\")
The main floor of Saks Fifth Avenue in the Hudson\u2019s Bay building in downtown Toronto on April 24, 2025. Saks begins liquidation on Friday along with six Hudson\u2019s Bay stores. Photo: Craig Patterson<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThe Final Six Stores Join Nationwide Liquidation<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe six stores previously excluded from liquidation included two high-profile flagships: the Queen Street store in downtown Toronto, connected to Saks Fifth Avenue, and the historic downtown Montreal location on Sainte-Catherine Street. Also included were the Yorkdale Shopping Centre store in Toronto, the Hillcrest Mall location in Richmond Hill, and two suburban Montreal locations: CF Carrefour Laval and CF Fairview Pointe-Claire.<\/p>\n
Their exclusion was initially interpreted as a sign of hope for a leaner, more modern Hudson\u2019s Bay retail footprint. However, in an April 23 court filing, Hudson\u2019s Bay stated that no viable buyers or restructuring plans had emerged. Liquidating the final six locations was necessary to ensure the maximization of value for creditors amid the ongoing Companies\u2019 Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA) proceedings.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/retailinsider.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_1852-1200x675.jpg\")
Saks Fifth Avenue in the Hudson\u2019s Bay building in downtown Toronto on April 24, 2025. Saks begins liquidation on Friday along with six Hudson\u2019s Bay stores. Photo: Craig Patterson<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/retailinsider.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_2002-1200x675.jpg\")
Second floor women\u2019s shoes at the Hudson\u2019s Bay flagship store (Queen Street) in downtown Toronto on April 24, 2025. Photo: Craig Patterson<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nA Farewell Visit to the Queen Street Flagship<\/strong><\/h2>\nRetail Insider visited the Queen Street flagship store in Toronto on its final day operating outside of liquidation. The mood inside was subdued. Shoppers milled about the seven-level, nearly 700,000-square-foot complex that has served as Hudson\u2019s Bay\u2019s flagship since 1991. Many were unaware that it was the last day of full operations.<\/p>\n
Adjacent to the main Hudson\u2019s Bay store is a 150,000-square-foot Saks Fifth Avenue store, which opened on February 18, 2016. The Saks Food Hall in the basement\u2014once a beacon of luxury grocery\u2014had already closed in 2024 following the bankruptcy of Pusateri\u2019s.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/retailinsider.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_1815-1200x675.jpg\")
Online \u2018The Bay\u2019 click and collect in the handbag department on the main floor of Hudson\u2019s Bay Queen Street in Toronto. Photo taken April 24, 2025 by Craig Patterson<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThe Queen Street building is a living monument to Canada\u2019s department store era. Originally opened as a Simpsons department store in 1896, the structure has undergone numerous expansions, architectural transformations, and brand transitions. It was rebranded as Hudson\u2019s Bay in 2013, following decades as The Bay and, prior to 1991, as Simpsons.<\/p>\n
Beyond its architectural grandeur and retail significance, the Queen Street store holds a special place in Canadian pop culture as the backdrop for the beloved children\u2019s television series Today\u2019s Special<\/em>. Airing from 1981 to 1987 on TVOntario and later on Nickelodeon in the United States, the show was set in the Simpsons department store where, after hours, a mannequin named Jeff comes to life. While many interior scenes were filmed on constructed sets, several exterior and select interior scenes were shot on location at the Simpsons department store at Queen and Yonge Streets.\u00a0<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/retailinsider.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_1821-1200x675.jpg\")
World War 2 memorial of lost Simpsons employees at Hudson\u2019s Bay Queen Street in Toronto. The memorial wall is beside the escalators on the main floor of the store. There are calls to save the memorial. Photo taken April 24, 2025 by Craig Patterson<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/retailinsider.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/BayMontrealinside-1200x753.png\")
Hudson\u2019s Bay flagship store in downtown Montreal. Photo taken April 24, 2025 by Carl Boutet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThe End of Grand Flagships Across Canada<\/strong><\/h2>\nHudson\u2019s Bay\u2019s departure from the traditional department store model means not only the loss of a retailer but also the cultural void left by its iconic buildings.<\/p>\n
The Montreal flagship on Sainte-Catherine Street, first opened by Henry Morgan & Company in 1891, was also photographed by retail expert Carl Boutet on April 24. Less modernized than its Toronto counterpart, the building nonetheless holds deep architectural and commercial heritage. It has served generations of Montrealers under the Morgan\u2019s and later Hudson\u2019s Bay names, evolving with the city\u2019s retail landscape.<\/p>\n
Other prominent Hudson\u2019s Bay flagship stores already in liquidation include locations in downtown Vancouver, Calgary, and Ottawa\u2014further driving home the demise of the once-dominant urban department store format in Canada.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/retailinsider.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Maisoneuve-1200x1187.png\")
Brutalist extension on Maisonneuve at the Hudson\u2019s Bay flagship store in downtown Montreal. Photo taken April 24, 2025 by Carl Boutet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nA Deep Historical Legacy<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe Hudson\u2019s Bay Company, founded in 1670, is the oldest incorporated company in North America. It once managed a sprawling network of fur trade outposts before evolving into a retail powerhouse by the 20th century.<\/p>\n
The Queen Street store in Toronto is particularly rich in history. After the Hudson\u2019s Bay Company acquired Simpsons in 1978, the building at Queen and Yonge eventually became the company\u2019s flagship in 1991. In 1978, annual sales at the Queen Street store were estimated at $180 million\u2014equivalent to roughly $900 million today when adjusted for inflation. Sales today in the building, in today\u2019s dollars, are less than the 1978 sales number.\u00a0<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/retailinsider.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_1829-1200x675.jpg\")
Luxury women\u2019s department \u2018The Room\u2019 at the Hudson\u2019s Bay flagship store (Queen Street) in downtown Toronto on April 24, 2025. The Room began as the St. Regis Room at Simpsons in 1937, with luxury salons opening in other Simpsons stores including downtown Montreal in 1939. Photo: Craig Patterson<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nIn 2014, HBC sold the Queen Street property to Cadillac Fairview in a sale-leaseback deal, formally integrating the store into the CF Toronto Eaton Centre complex. That move, while financially strategic, signaled a shift away from long-term property ownership toward more flexible, asset-light operations for Hudson\u2019s Bay.<\/p>\n
The Montreal flagship, originally Morgan\u2019s, underwent similar transitions. Rebranded in 1972 and now spanning over 655,000 square feet, the building was included in a 2021 redevelopment proposal that may still proceed under a new landlord or ownership group. A 2017 plan to add Saks at the back of the downtown Montreal Hudson\u2019s Bay was put on ice a couple of years later. <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/retailinsider.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Zellers-Montreal-1200x1116.png\")
Zellers department at the Hudson\u2019s Bay flagship store in downtown Montreal. Photo taken April 24, 2025 by Carl Boutet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nWhy the End Came<\/strong><\/h2>\nHudson\u2019s Bay\u2019s CCAA filing on March 7, 2025, cited numerous challenges: declining store traffic, rising e-commerce competition, high operational costs, and broader macroeconomic pressures including trade disruptions and inflation. Observers also blame a lack of investment and mismanagement for the retailer\u2019s struggles. Despite exploring restructuring options, no sustainable financial path emerged.<\/p>\n
A Sale and Investment Solicitation Process (SISP) launched shortly after the filing generated interest in some leases, but none led to the preservation of the Hudson\u2019s Bay brand as a department store.<\/p>\n
Though all Hudson\u2019s Bay stores are now being liquidated, there remains a chance that certain leases or locations could be repurposed under a new format or brand. Some experts believe there\u2019s potential for the Hudson\u2019s Bay name to survive in another form\u2014perhaps as an online-only retailer, a specialty store concept, or a series of pop-ups.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/retailinsider.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_1838-1200x675.jpg\")
Third floor women\u2019s designer department at Saks Fifth Avenue in the Hudson\u2019s Bay Queen Street building in Toronto. Photo taken April 24, 2025 by Craig Patterson<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nWhat Comes Next<\/strong><\/h2>\nAs of Friday, April 25, liquidation signs will be placed in every Hudson\u2019s Bay store in Canada. The company is expected to complete all store closures and asset sales by mid-June 2025.<\/p>\n
A final report to creditors is anticipated shortly thereafter, along with a proposed distribution of proceeds. However, concerns persist regarding whether unsecured creditors, including pensioners and suppliers, will see any meaningful return after senior lenders are repaid.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/retailinsider.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_1884-1200x675.jpg\")
5th floor men\u2019s department at the Hudson\u2019s Bay flagship store (Queen Street) in downtown Toronto on April 24, 2025. Photo: Craig Patterson<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nA Moment of Reflection<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe closure of Hudson\u2019s Bay as a traditional department store is a profound moment not only for retail, but for Canada\u2019s urban identity. These stores were not just shopping destinations\u2014they were landmarks, community anchors, and symbols of Canadian commercial evolution.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s emotional,\u201d said one shopper named Jennifer in the Queen Street store Thursday evening. \u201cMy grandmother took me here every Christmas to see the windows. I brought my kids here too. It\u2019s hard to believe this is it.\u201d<\/p>\n
With the sun setting on Hudson\u2019s Bay\u2019s flagship locations in Toronto, Montreal, and beyond, Canadians bid farewell to a legacy institution that helped shape the nation\u2019s downtowns and department store culture for over a century.<\/p>\n
More from Retail Insider:\u00a0<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n
The Final Six Stores Join Nationwide Liquidation<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe six stores previously excluded from liquidation included two high-profile flagships: the Queen Street store in downtown Toronto, connected to Saks Fifth Avenue, and the historic downtown Montreal location on Sainte-Catherine Street. Also included were the Yorkdale Shopping Centre store in Toronto, the Hillcrest Mall location in Richmond Hill, and two suburban Montreal locations: CF Carrefour Laval and CF Fairview Pointe-Claire.<\/p>\n
Their exclusion was initially interpreted as a sign of hope for a leaner, more modern Hudson\u2019s Bay retail footprint. However, in an April 23 court filing, Hudson\u2019s Bay stated that no viable buyers or restructuring plans had emerged. Liquidating the final six locations was necessary to ensure the maximization of value for creditors amid the ongoing Companies\u2019 Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA) proceedings.<\/p>\nSaks Fifth Avenue in the Hudson\u2019s Bay building in downtown Toronto on April 24, 2025. Saks begins liquidation on Friday along with six Hudson\u2019s Bay stores. Photo: Craig Patterson<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nSecond floor women\u2019s shoes at the Hudson\u2019s Bay flagship store (Queen Street) in downtown Toronto on April 24, 2025. Photo: Craig Patterson<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nA Farewell Visit to the Queen Street Flagship<\/strong><\/h2>\nRetail Insider visited the Queen Street flagship store in Toronto on its final day operating outside of liquidation. The mood inside was subdued. Shoppers milled about the seven-level, nearly 700,000-square-foot complex that has served as Hudson\u2019s Bay\u2019s flagship since 1991. Many were unaware that it was the last day of full operations.<\/p>\n
Adjacent to the main Hudson\u2019s Bay store is a 150,000-square-foot Saks Fifth Avenue store, which opened on February 18, 2016. The Saks Food Hall in the basement\u2014once a beacon of luxury grocery\u2014had already closed in 2024 following the bankruptcy of Pusateri\u2019s.<\/p>\nOnline \u2018The Bay\u2019 click and collect in the handbag department on the main floor of Hudson\u2019s Bay Queen Street in Toronto. Photo taken April 24, 2025 by Craig Patterson<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThe Queen Street building is a living monument to Canada\u2019s department store era. Originally opened as a Simpsons department store in 1896, the structure has undergone numerous expansions, architectural transformations, and brand transitions. It was rebranded as Hudson\u2019s Bay in 2013, following decades as The Bay and, prior to 1991, as Simpsons.<\/p>\n
Beyond its architectural grandeur and retail significance, the Queen Street store holds a special place in Canadian pop culture as the backdrop for the beloved children\u2019s television series Today\u2019s Special<\/em>. Airing from 1981 to 1987 on TVOntario and later on Nickelodeon in the United States, the show was set in the Simpsons department store where, after hours, a mannequin named Jeff comes to life. While many interior scenes were filmed on constructed sets, several exterior and select interior scenes were shot on location at the Simpsons department store at Queen and Yonge Streets.\u00a0<\/p>\nWorld War 2 memorial of lost Simpsons employees at Hudson\u2019s Bay Queen Street in Toronto. The memorial wall is beside the escalators on the main floor of the store. There are calls to save the memorial. Photo taken April 24, 2025 by Craig Patterson<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nHudson\u2019s Bay flagship store in downtown Montreal. Photo taken April 24, 2025 by Carl Boutet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThe End of Grand Flagships Across Canada<\/strong><\/h2>\nHudson\u2019s Bay\u2019s departure from the traditional department store model means not only the loss of a retailer but also the cultural void left by its iconic buildings.<\/p>\n
The Montreal flagship on Sainte-Catherine Street, first opened by Henry Morgan & Company in 1891, was also photographed by retail expert Carl Boutet on April 24. Less modernized than its Toronto counterpart, the building nonetheless holds deep architectural and commercial heritage. It has served generations of Montrealers under the Morgan\u2019s and later Hudson\u2019s Bay names, evolving with the city\u2019s retail landscape.<\/p>\n
Other prominent Hudson\u2019s Bay flagship stores already in liquidation include locations in downtown Vancouver, Calgary, and Ottawa\u2014further driving home the demise of the once-dominant urban department store format in Canada.<\/p>\nBrutalist extension on Maisonneuve at the Hudson\u2019s Bay flagship store in downtown Montreal. Photo taken April 24, 2025 by Carl Boutet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nA Deep Historical Legacy<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe Hudson\u2019s Bay Company, founded in 1670, is the oldest incorporated company in North America. It once managed a sprawling network of fur trade outposts before evolving into a retail powerhouse by the 20th century.<\/p>\n
The Queen Street store in Toronto is particularly rich in history. After the Hudson\u2019s Bay Company acquired Simpsons in 1978, the building at Queen and Yonge eventually became the company\u2019s flagship in 1991. In 1978, annual sales at the Queen Street store were estimated at $180 million\u2014equivalent to roughly $900 million today when adjusted for inflation. Sales today in the building, in today\u2019s dollars, are less than the 1978 sales number.\u00a0<\/p>\nLuxury women\u2019s department \u2018The Room\u2019 at the Hudson\u2019s Bay flagship store (Queen Street) in downtown Toronto on April 24, 2025. The Room began as the St. Regis Room at Simpsons in 1937, with luxury salons opening in other Simpsons stores including downtown Montreal in 1939. Photo: Craig Patterson<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nIn 2014, HBC sold the Queen Street property to Cadillac Fairview in a sale-leaseback deal, formally integrating the store into the CF Toronto Eaton Centre complex. That move, while financially strategic, signaled a shift away from long-term property ownership toward more flexible, asset-light operations for Hudson\u2019s Bay.<\/p>\n
The Montreal flagship, originally Morgan\u2019s, underwent similar transitions. Rebranded in 1972 and now spanning over 655,000 square feet, the building was included in a 2021 redevelopment proposal that may still proceed under a new landlord or ownership group. A 2017 plan to add Saks at the back of the downtown Montreal Hudson\u2019s Bay was put on ice a couple of years later. <\/p>\nZellers department at the Hudson\u2019s Bay flagship store in downtown Montreal. Photo taken April 24, 2025 by Carl Boutet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nWhy the End Came<\/strong><\/h2>\nHudson\u2019s Bay\u2019s CCAA filing on March 7, 2025, cited numerous challenges: declining store traffic, rising e-commerce competition, high operational costs, and broader macroeconomic pressures including trade disruptions and inflation. Observers also blame a lack of investment and mismanagement for the retailer\u2019s struggles. Despite exploring restructuring options, no sustainable financial path emerged.<\/p>\n
A Sale and Investment Solicitation Process (SISP) launched shortly after the filing generated interest in some leases, but none led to the preservation of the Hudson\u2019s Bay brand as a department store.<\/p>\n
Though all Hudson\u2019s Bay stores are now being liquidated, there remains a chance that certain leases or locations could be repurposed under a new format or brand. Some experts believe there\u2019s potential for the Hudson\u2019s Bay name to survive in another form\u2014perhaps as an online-only retailer, a specialty store concept, or a series of pop-ups.<\/p>\nThird floor women\u2019s designer department at Saks Fifth Avenue in the Hudson\u2019s Bay Queen Street building in Toronto. Photo taken April 24, 2025 by Craig Patterson<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nWhat Comes Next<\/strong><\/h2>\nAs of Friday, April 25, liquidation signs will be placed in every Hudson\u2019s Bay store in Canada. The company is expected to complete all store closures and asset sales by mid-June 2025.<\/p>\n
A final report to creditors is anticipated shortly thereafter, along with a proposed distribution of proceeds. However, concerns persist regarding whether unsecured creditors, including pensioners and suppliers, will see any meaningful return after senior lenders are repaid.<\/p>\n5th floor men\u2019s department at the Hudson\u2019s Bay flagship store (Queen Street) in downtown Toronto on April 24, 2025. Photo: Craig Patterson<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nA Moment of Reflection<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe closure of Hudson\u2019s Bay as a traditional department store is a profound moment not only for retail, but for Canada\u2019s urban identity. These stores were not just shopping destinations\u2014they were landmarks, community anchors, and symbols of Canadian commercial evolution.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s emotional,\u201d said one shopper named Jennifer in the Queen Street store Thursday evening. \u201cMy grandmother took me here every Christmas to see the windows. I brought my kids here too. It\u2019s hard to believe this is it.\u201d<\/p>\n
With the sun setting on Hudson\u2019s Bay\u2019s flagship locations in Toronto, Montreal, and beyond, Canadians bid farewell to a legacy institution that helped shape the nation\u2019s downtowns and department store culture for over a century.<\/p>\n
More from Retail Insider:\u00a0<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n
A Farewell Visit to the Queen Street Flagship<\/strong><\/h2>\nRetail Insider visited the Queen Street flagship store in Toronto on its final day operating outside of liquidation. The mood inside was subdued. Shoppers milled about the seven-level, nearly 700,000-square-foot complex that has served as Hudson\u2019s Bay\u2019s flagship since 1991. Many were unaware that it was the last day of full operations.<\/p>\n
Adjacent to the main Hudson\u2019s Bay store is a 150,000-square-foot Saks Fifth Avenue store, which opened on February 18, 2016. The Saks Food Hall in the basement\u2014once a beacon of luxury grocery\u2014had already closed in 2024 following the bankruptcy of Pusateri\u2019s.<\/p>\nOnline \u2018The Bay\u2019 click and collect in the handbag department on the main floor of Hudson\u2019s Bay Queen Street in Toronto. Photo taken April 24, 2025 by Craig Patterson<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThe Queen Street building is a living monument to Canada\u2019s department store era. Originally opened as a Simpsons department store in 1896, the structure has undergone numerous expansions, architectural transformations, and brand transitions. It was rebranded as Hudson\u2019s Bay in 2013, following decades as The Bay and, prior to 1991, as Simpsons.<\/p>\n
Beyond its architectural grandeur and retail significance, the Queen Street store holds a special place in Canadian pop culture as the backdrop for the beloved children\u2019s television series Today\u2019s Special<\/em>. Airing from 1981 to 1987 on TVOntario and later on Nickelodeon in the United States, the show was set in the Simpsons department store where, after hours, a mannequin named Jeff comes to life. While many interior scenes were filmed on constructed sets, several exterior and select interior scenes were shot on location at the Simpsons department store at Queen and Yonge Streets.\u00a0<\/p>\nWorld War 2 memorial of lost Simpsons employees at Hudson\u2019s Bay Queen Street in Toronto. The memorial wall is beside the escalators on the main floor of the store. There are calls to save the memorial. Photo taken April 24, 2025 by Craig Patterson<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nHudson\u2019s Bay flagship store in downtown Montreal. Photo taken April 24, 2025 by Carl Boutet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThe End of Grand Flagships Across Canada<\/strong><\/h2>\nHudson\u2019s Bay\u2019s departure from the traditional department store model means not only the loss of a retailer but also the cultural void left by its iconic buildings.<\/p>\n
The Montreal flagship on Sainte-Catherine Street, first opened by Henry Morgan & Company in 1891, was also photographed by retail expert Carl Boutet on April 24. Less modernized than its Toronto counterpart, the building nonetheless holds deep architectural and commercial heritage. It has served generations of Montrealers under the Morgan\u2019s and later Hudson\u2019s Bay names, evolving with the city\u2019s retail landscape.<\/p>\n
Other prominent Hudson\u2019s Bay flagship stores already in liquidation include locations in downtown Vancouver, Calgary, and Ottawa\u2014further driving home the demise of the once-dominant urban department store format in Canada.<\/p>\nBrutalist extension on Maisonneuve at the Hudson\u2019s Bay flagship store in downtown Montreal. Photo taken April 24, 2025 by Carl Boutet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nA Deep Historical Legacy<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe Hudson\u2019s Bay Company, founded in 1670, is the oldest incorporated company in North America. It once managed a sprawling network of fur trade outposts before evolving into a retail powerhouse by the 20th century.<\/p>\n
The Queen Street store in Toronto is particularly rich in history. After the Hudson\u2019s Bay Company acquired Simpsons in 1978, the building at Queen and Yonge eventually became the company\u2019s flagship in 1991. In 1978, annual sales at the Queen Street store were estimated at $180 million\u2014equivalent to roughly $900 million today when adjusted for inflation. Sales today in the building, in today\u2019s dollars, are less than the 1978 sales number.\u00a0<\/p>\nLuxury women\u2019s department \u2018The Room\u2019 at the Hudson\u2019s Bay flagship store (Queen Street) in downtown Toronto on April 24, 2025. The Room began as the St. Regis Room at Simpsons in 1937, with luxury salons opening in other Simpsons stores including downtown Montreal in 1939. Photo: Craig Patterson<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nIn 2014, HBC sold the Queen Street property to Cadillac Fairview in a sale-leaseback deal, formally integrating the store into the CF Toronto Eaton Centre complex. That move, while financially strategic, signaled a shift away from long-term property ownership toward more flexible, asset-light operations for Hudson\u2019s Bay.<\/p>\n
The Montreal flagship, originally Morgan\u2019s, underwent similar transitions. Rebranded in 1972 and now spanning over 655,000 square feet, the building was included in a 2021 redevelopment proposal that may still proceed under a new landlord or ownership group. A 2017 plan to add Saks at the back of the downtown Montreal Hudson\u2019s Bay was put on ice a couple of years later. <\/p>\nZellers department at the Hudson\u2019s Bay flagship store in downtown Montreal. Photo taken April 24, 2025 by Carl Boutet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nWhy the End Came<\/strong><\/h2>\nHudson\u2019s Bay\u2019s CCAA filing on March 7, 2025, cited numerous challenges: declining store traffic, rising e-commerce competition, high operational costs, and broader macroeconomic pressures including trade disruptions and inflation. Observers also blame a lack of investment and mismanagement for the retailer\u2019s struggles. Despite exploring restructuring options, no sustainable financial path emerged.<\/p>\n
A Sale and Investment Solicitation Process (SISP) launched shortly after the filing generated interest in some leases, but none led to the preservation of the Hudson\u2019s Bay brand as a department store.<\/p>\n
Though all Hudson\u2019s Bay stores are now being liquidated, there remains a chance that certain leases or locations could be repurposed under a new format or brand. Some experts believe there\u2019s potential for the Hudson\u2019s Bay name to survive in another form\u2014perhaps as an online-only retailer, a specialty store concept, or a series of pop-ups.<\/p>\nThird floor women\u2019s designer department at Saks Fifth Avenue in the Hudson\u2019s Bay Queen Street building in Toronto. Photo taken April 24, 2025 by Craig Patterson<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nWhat Comes Next<\/strong><\/h2>\nAs of Friday, April 25, liquidation signs will be placed in every Hudson\u2019s Bay store in Canada. The company is expected to complete all store closures and asset sales by mid-June 2025.<\/p>\n
A final report to creditors is anticipated shortly thereafter, along with a proposed distribution of proceeds. However, concerns persist regarding whether unsecured creditors, including pensioners and suppliers, will see any meaningful return after senior lenders are repaid.<\/p>\n5th floor men\u2019s department at the Hudson\u2019s Bay flagship store (Queen Street) in downtown Toronto on April 24, 2025. Photo: Craig Patterson<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nA Moment of Reflection<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe closure of Hudson\u2019s Bay as a traditional department store is a profound moment not only for retail, but for Canada\u2019s urban identity. These stores were not just shopping destinations\u2014they were landmarks, community anchors, and symbols of Canadian commercial evolution.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s emotional,\u201d said one shopper named Jennifer in the Queen Street store Thursday evening. \u201cMy grandmother took me here every Christmas to see the windows. I brought my kids here too. It\u2019s hard to believe this is it.\u201d<\/p>\n
With the sun setting on Hudson\u2019s Bay\u2019s flagship locations in Toronto, Montreal, and beyond, Canadians bid farewell to a legacy institution that helped shape the nation\u2019s downtowns and department store culture for over a century.<\/p>\n
More from Retail Insider:\u00a0<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n
The Queen Street building is a living monument to Canada\u2019s department store era. Originally opened as a Simpsons department store in 1896, the structure has undergone numerous expansions, architectural transformations, and brand transitions. It was rebranded as Hudson\u2019s Bay in 2013, following decades as The Bay and, prior to 1991, as Simpsons.<\/p>\n
Beyond its architectural grandeur and retail significance, the Queen Street store holds a special place in Canadian pop culture as the backdrop for the beloved children\u2019s television series Today\u2019s Special<\/em>. Airing from 1981 to 1987 on TVOntario and later on Nickelodeon in the United States, the show was set in the Simpsons department store where, after hours, a mannequin named Jeff comes to life. While many interior scenes were filmed on constructed sets, several exterior and select interior scenes were shot on location at the Simpsons department store at Queen and Yonge Streets.\u00a0<\/p>\n Hudson\u2019s Bay\u2019s departure from the traditional department store model means not only the loss of a retailer but also the cultural void left by its iconic buildings.<\/p>\n The Montreal flagship on Sainte-Catherine Street, first opened by Henry Morgan & Company in 1891, was also photographed by retail expert Carl Boutet on April 24. Less modernized than its Toronto counterpart, the building nonetheless holds deep architectural and commercial heritage. It has served generations of Montrealers under the Morgan\u2019s and later Hudson\u2019s Bay names, evolving with the city\u2019s retail landscape.<\/p>\n Other prominent Hudson\u2019s Bay flagship stores already in liquidation include locations in downtown Vancouver, Calgary, and Ottawa\u2014further driving home the demise of the once-dominant urban department store format in Canada.<\/p>\n The Hudson\u2019s Bay Company, founded in 1670, is the oldest incorporated company in North America. It once managed a sprawling network of fur trade outposts before evolving into a retail powerhouse by the 20th century.<\/p>\n The Queen Street store in Toronto is particularly rich in history. After the Hudson\u2019s Bay Company acquired Simpsons in 1978, the building at Queen and Yonge eventually became the company\u2019s flagship in 1991. In 1978, annual sales at the Queen Street store were estimated at $180 million\u2014equivalent to roughly $900 million today when adjusted for inflation. Sales today in the building, in today\u2019s dollars, are less than the 1978 sales number.\u00a0<\/p>\n In 2014, HBC sold the Queen Street property to Cadillac Fairview in a sale-leaseback deal, formally integrating the store into the CF Toronto Eaton Centre complex. That move, while financially strategic, signaled a shift away from long-term property ownership toward more flexible, asset-light operations for Hudson\u2019s Bay.<\/p>\n The Montreal flagship, originally Morgan\u2019s, underwent similar transitions. Rebranded in 1972 and now spanning over 655,000 square feet, the building was included in a 2021 redevelopment proposal that may still proceed under a new landlord or ownership group. A 2017 plan to add Saks at the back of the downtown Montreal Hudson\u2019s Bay was put on ice a couple of years later. <\/p>\n Hudson\u2019s Bay\u2019s CCAA filing on March 7, 2025, cited numerous challenges: declining store traffic, rising e-commerce competition, high operational costs, and broader macroeconomic pressures including trade disruptions and inflation. Observers also blame a lack of investment and mismanagement for the retailer\u2019s struggles. Despite exploring restructuring options, no sustainable financial path emerged.<\/p>\n A Sale and Investment Solicitation Process (SISP) launched shortly after the filing generated interest in some leases, but none led to the preservation of the Hudson\u2019s Bay brand as a department store.<\/p>\n Though all Hudson\u2019s Bay stores are now being liquidated, there remains a chance that certain leases or locations could be repurposed under a new format or brand. Some experts believe there\u2019s potential for the Hudson\u2019s Bay name to survive in another form\u2014perhaps as an online-only retailer, a specialty store concept, or a series of pop-ups.<\/p>\n As of Friday, April 25, liquidation signs will be placed in every Hudson\u2019s Bay store in Canada. The company is expected to complete all store closures and asset sales by mid-June 2025.<\/p>\n A final report to creditors is anticipated shortly thereafter, along with a proposed distribution of proceeds. However, concerns persist regarding whether unsecured creditors, including pensioners and suppliers, will see any meaningful return after senior lenders are repaid.<\/p>\n The closure of Hudson\u2019s Bay as a traditional department store is a profound moment not only for retail, but for Canada\u2019s urban identity. These stores were not just shopping destinations\u2014they were landmarks, community anchors, and symbols of Canadian commercial evolution.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s emotional,\u201d said one shopper named Jennifer in the Queen Street store Thursday evening. \u201cMy grandmother took me here every Christmas to see the windows. I brought my kids here too. It\u2019s hard to believe this is it.\u201d<\/p>\n With the sun setting on Hudson\u2019s Bay\u2019s flagship locations in Toronto, Montreal, and beyond, Canadians bid farewell to a legacy institution that helped shape the nation\u2019s downtowns and department store culture for over a century.<\/p>\nThe End of Grand Flagships Across Canada<\/strong><\/h2>\n
A Deep Historical Legacy<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Why the End Came<\/strong><\/h2>\n
What Comes Next<\/strong><\/h2>\n
A Moment of Reflection<\/strong><\/h2>\n
More from Retail Insider:\u00a0<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n