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September 24, 2021 5:09 pm  #1


Zellers Returns!

https://retail-insider.com/retail-insider/2021/09/zellers-store-in-store-launches-inside-of-hudsons-bay-location-photos/

Nothing to do with radio, I know, but with all of the changes this pandemic has brought to our lives, perhaps a bit of happy nostalgia is in order. It's enough to make you want to go sit at the counter, have a grill cheese sandwich or hamburger and fries with a real soda fountain Coke full of bubbles, and then go check out the records and stereo equipment.

As I recall a few radio hosts we know got their start making announcements over the PA system in department stores. (Figured out how to do the radio tie-in after all.)

 

September 24, 2021 5:22 pm  #2


Re: Zellers Returns!

Is the Zeddy mascot coming back, too?

 

September 24, 2021 6:27 pm  #3


Re: Zellers Returns!

But will they "ship your pants"? .. : )) .. 


 

 

September 25, 2021 12:09 am  #4


Re: Zellers Returns!

https://twitter.com/brittlestar/status/1441372710647468037?s=19

re: Zellers

Last edited by betaylored (September 25, 2021 12:11 am)

     Thread Starter
 

September 25, 2021 12:56 am  #5


Re: Zellers Returns!

When we were last in  Florida (early 2020) I saw Zellers branded products in a liquidation store.


I started out with nothing and I still have most of it.
 

September 25, 2021 10:26 am  #6


Re: Zellers Returns!

A middle aged check out person at The Bay told me a few years ago that a lot of people think that the Hudson's Bay should bring back Zellers.  The last two stores, didn't close until early January 2020, one in Etobicoke and one in Ottawa. There is a bit of a gap in department stores with Sears closing, and everyone doesn't like Walmart, and find Giant Tiger lacks choice.  Giant Tiger has benefited greatly from the demise of Zellers.
 
I suggested to the clerk that Zellers should open maybe 15-20 stores in Ontario as a test and if successful expand if they wanted.  It was interesting since she was really surprised by the number of people who mention Zellers all the time and how much they missed the store. 

BREAKING NEWS More on this evolving story from CTV News...https://winnipeg.ctvnews.ca/zellers-is-popping-back-into-canadians-lives-where-in-canada-is-the-new-location-1.5599857

 

September 25, 2021 11:50 am  #7


Re: Zellers Returns!

Does this mean I can actually get a chocolate soda again?  I found a soda fountain shop in Gettysburg about 5 years ago.  That's the last time I had one.  Don't know who might sell them in Toronto.

 

September 25, 2021 12:26 pm  #8


Re: Zellers Returns!

John D wrote:

Does this mean I can actually get a chocolate soda again?  I found a soda fountain shop in Gettysburg about 5 years ago.  That's the last time I had one.  Don't know who might sell them in Toronto.

The last time I saw Chocolate soda, Loblaws had them in bottles. President's choice...
(gone for at least 5 years now...)



 


RadioWiz & RadioQuiz are NOT the same person. 
RadioWiz & THE Wiz are NOT the same person.

 
 

September 25, 2021 9:50 pm  #9


Re: Zellers Returns!

Radiowiz wrote:

John D wrote:

Does this mean I can actually get a chocolate soda again?  I found a soda fountain shop in Gettysburg about 5 years ago.  That's the last time I had one.  Don't know who might sell them in Toronto.

The last time I saw Chocolate soda, Loblaws had them in bottles. President's choice...
(gone for at least 5 years now...)



Oh dear God…

Did not know this was a thing. And I’m primarily a Loblaws/Superstore shopper.

 

 

September 27, 2021 10:24 am  #10


Re: Zellers Returns!

Zellers would be cool to see again just from a nostalgic standpoint, but realistically Wal-Mart would sweep the floor with them in terms of everything it carrys. 

 

September 27, 2021 10:49 am  #11


Re: Zellers Returns!

I always shopped at a couple of their newer locations here in K/W and the one in Fergus.  Good stores and great prices on clothing.  Walmart's clothing department back then had terrible quality if you got away from any name brand, and the prices were not always the lowest.  I have had too many items over the years that I had to take back to Walmart that didn't work or fell apart.  Pain in the butt returning product to them since there is always a long line.  This never happened at Zellers. Not sure this experiment will work but it is interesting that they are giving it a shot.  

 

September 27, 2021 11:42 am  #12


Re: Zellers Returns!

Why stop there? Why not bring back Bargain Harold's, Kresge's and Woolworth's?

Or what about the Bi-Way? (Which, come to think of it, may have an entirely different meaning in these sexually liberated times...)

 

September 27, 2021 12:54 pm  #13


Re: Zellers Returns!

...or Towers! Still remember hearing their ads on Barrie/Collingwood radio as a very young child in Stayner.

 

September 27, 2021 1:17 pm  #14


Re: Zellers Returns!

RadioActive wrote:

Or what about the Bi-Way? (Which, come to think of it, may have an entirely different meaning in these sexually liberated times...)

Bi-way is back, expected to open very soon on Orfus road in Toronto (if not already open...)  https://biwaystore.com/


RadioWiz & RadioQuiz are NOT the same person. 
RadioWiz & THE Wiz are NOT the same person.

 
 

September 27, 2021 1:19 pm  #15


Re: Zellers Returns!

Forward Power wrote:

...or Towers! Still remember hearing their ads on Barrie/Collingwood radio as a very young child in Stayner.

Where the last day of one sale is the first day of the next!

 

September 27, 2021 1:29 pm  #16


Re: Zellers Returns!

Or, for those who like to fill out forms... (Can't believe I still have one of these.)



The latest in high tech listening in 1996:


 

September 27, 2021 2:36 pm  #17


Re: Zellers Returns!

RadioActive wrote:

Or, for those who like to fill out forms... (Can't believe I still have one of these.)

And I can't believe that you that someone would pay $4 for their catalogue... ( I remember when they were free...  and ShopRite, Cardinal, and Woolco as well...)
 

Last edited by Glen Warren (September 27, 2021 2:36 pm)

 

September 27, 2021 3:22 pm  #18


Re: Zellers Returns!

Actually, I didn't pay the four bucks. I have no idea where that catalogue came from, but I can assure you it would never be worth two toonies to me - even though those coins didn't exist back then. 

 

September 27, 2021 3:26 pm  #19


Re: Zellers Returns!

 RadioActive wrote:Or, for those who like to fill out forms... 


...Only to often be told that the item was out of stock.

Last edited by Media Observer (September 27, 2021 3:26 pm)

 

September 27, 2021 3:49 pm  #20


Re: Zellers Returns!

The only thing I can ever remember buying at Consumers Distributing. (Amazingly, it still works!)


 

September 29, 2021 8:25 pm  #21


Re: Zellers Returns!

Great memories! 🙂 I bet many of you here remember Woolco?

 

September 29, 2021 8:42 pm  #22


Re: Zellers Returns!

paterson1 wrote:

There is a bit of a gap in department stores with Sears closing, and everyone doesn't like Walmart, and find Giant Tiger lacks choice.  Giant Tiger has benefited greatly from the demise of Zellers.

 
I agree that Giant Tiger lacks choice on their products. They don't have a wide selection of clothing, shoes, etc. Would be an idea if Giant Tiger closes their doors and have Zellers take over all the GT locations!

As for Sears, I can imagine that many people miss that department store too like myself! Sears was a name that's been around for about a hundred years until they closed their stores a few years ago.

 

September 29, 2021 8:49 pm  #23


Re: Zellers Returns!

And I forgot Eaton's and I'm pretty sure there's a few more department stores that were around when I was growing up in the 1980's.

Last edited by Scorpio42 (September 29, 2021 8:49 pm)

 

September 29, 2021 10:58 pm  #24


Re: Zellers Returns!

Scorpio42 wrote:

Great memories! 🙂 I bet many of you here remember Woolco?

Woolco used to have a sale one day each month they called $1.44 Day. I worked in a plant where most of the employees were women. At the end of our shift on $1.44 Day the plant's parking lot became a speedway as all the women raced to get across town to the Woolco store.


I started out with nothing and I still have most of it.
 

September 30, 2021 2:29 am  #25


Re: Zellers Returns!

Scorpio42 wrote:

Great memories! 🙂 I bet many of you here remember Woolco?

I used to work there in the early 90's. ("At Woolco price is just the beginning" lol)
I was part of the cleaning/maintenance crew. 
 When the GST was first introduced, Woolco decided to include the GST in all their prices.
It sounded like a great idea at first but once the $1.44, $2.44, $3.44 days were up and running, customers didn't think to realize that.
Many kept complaining that it's cheaper to shop at Zellers. (GST was 7% also, not the 5% that it is today)
Shortly after, all store prices went back to being 15% extra. (7% GST, 8% PST)
This is most likely why it is rare to see any particular store choose to compete with other similar stores with
"gst included" as an every day selling point.

Okay now, one more time for old time's sake, lol... (In store radio jingle...)

"WOOLCO RAY DEE YO!!! DOUBLE YOU ELLL SEEEEE OH!!!!!" 
 


RadioWiz & RadioQuiz are NOT the same person. 
RadioWiz & THE Wiz are NOT the same person.

 
 

September 30, 2021 1:08 pm  #26


Re: Zellers Returns!


All of these defunct department stores were great advertisers.  For many newspapers and radio stations they were their biggest accounts.  While not a big as Eaton's, Simpsons was also a somewhat upscale retailer that was founded in Toronto, and a store that was eventually bought out by the Bay.  They founded the very successful Simpsons-Sears chain along with Sears Roebuck, while still maintaining the separate Simpsons stores.  In time Simpsons-Sears became the first serious competitor for Eaton's and the legendary Eaton's catalogue, and eventually surpassing the private  family owned store in terms of sales and locations.. 
 

Last edited by paterson1 (September 30, 2021 1:18 pm)

 

September 30, 2021 1:42 pm  #27


Re: Zellers Returns!

I'm amazed how much interest this thread has attracted. The department store concept may be long gone, but it's obviously not forgotten. Here's one more. I don't know how many people remember Morgan's, which was a chain that originally started in Montreal. There were a few here in Toronto and the one that was closest to me as a kid was at Lawrence Plaza. It was eventually bought out by The Bay. 

Haven't been to Bathurst and Lawrence in a long time, but I think that store is now a Winners.

 

September 30, 2021 1:50 pm  #28


Re: Zellers Returns!

paterson1 wrote:

All of these defunct department stores were great advertisers.  For many newspapers and radio stations they were their biggest accounts. ... 

Very true...  numerous Sears Canada commercials were shot on video at VTR Productions smaller Studio/Stage 2 on Scollard St. and then the edit and distribution was done on the Post side. 70s and 80s...  followed very close to the production standard/look of the US Sears TV commercials of the 80s.

And Eaton's had their own TV studio(s) up in Agincourt, as they were the part owners in Baton / CFTO back in the day. Lots of Eaton's, Kraft Foods, Ford commercials shot at CFTO.


 

 

September 30, 2021 2:44 pm  #29


Re: Zellers Returns!

Glen Warren wrote:

paterson1 wrote:

All of these defunct department stores were great advertisers.  For many newspapers and radio stations they were their biggest accounts. ... 

Very true...  numerous Sears Canada commercials were shot on video at VTR Productions smaller Studio/Stage 2 on Scollard St. and then the edit and distribution was done on the Post side. 70s and 80s...  followed very close to the production standard/look of the US Sears TV commercials of the 80s.

And Eaton's had their own TV studio(s) up in Agincourt, as they were the part owners in Baton / CFTO back in the day. Lots of Eaton's, Kraft Foods, Ford commercials shot at CFTO.


 

About five years before they went bankrupt, Eaton's made a play to buy out the CTV network. They already owned a chunk through Baton Broadcasting and were interested in owning the whole network.  Naturally it never happened.  I had a relative who headed up TDF Productions and Eaton's was their biggest account.  The company was fortunately moving into TV production and commercials in the early 70's.  They handled all of the artwork and creative photography for Eaton's catalogues.  When the retailer cancelled the catalogue division, could have been the death of TDF.  However they were well situated producing commercials for Coke, CIBC, and catalogue work with Canadian Tire and others.  

 

September 30, 2021 7:52 pm  #30


Re: Zellers Returns!

Scorpio42 wrote:

And I forgot Eaton's and I'm pretty sure there's a few more department stores that were around when I was growing up in the 1980's.

Ah yes. How well I remember, as a lad, furtively poring over the women's underwear section of Eaton's catalogue. We didn't have Playboy.
 


I started out with nothing and I still have most of it.