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August 17, 2022 9:19 am  #1


The Lowest Price Is The Law....It's Official

Not a media story, but they were major advertisers for many years.  Hudson's Bay has confirmed that Zellers definitely will make a comeback in 2023.  After experimenting with two pop up locations last year the company has decided to bring back the popular discount retailer...More from CTV News..https://www.ctvnews.ca/business/the-return-of-zellers-hudson-s-bay-to-resurrect-canadian-discount-retail-chain-1.6030337

 

August 17, 2022 1:18 pm  #2


Re: The Lowest Price Is The Law....It's Official

https://twitter.com/oldcanadaseries/status/1559914940458319872?t=Tfim2EBK9lCsMI1YMRyTkA&s=19

If we're lucky it'll be a good recreation of the beloved brand and not something that reminds us of Stephen King's Pet Semetary 🤞😶

 

August 17, 2022 1:32 pm  #3


Re: The Lowest Price Is The Law....It's Official

Is Zeddy coming back, too? And is he pronounced "Zeedy" by Americans? Inquiring minds want to know.

 

August 17, 2022 2:16 pm  #4


Re: The Lowest Price Is The Law....It's Official

 

August 17, 2022 2:40 pm  #5


Re: The Lowest Price Is The Law....It's Official

Roland Parliament was the voice of Zeddy back in the day.  I recorded him regularly at Eastern Sound on Yorkville (which is now the Four Seasons Hotel).  Hope Zellers hires him again.

 

August 17, 2022 2:45 pm  #6


Re: The Lowest Price Is The Law....It's Official

Whatever happened to that plan to bring back the BiWay?

 

August 17, 2022 7:52 pm  #7


Re: The Lowest Price Is The Law....It's Official

https://twitter.com/cspotweet/status/1559938380439363587?t=_bwf4dPjFW26Azmfpy06Zg&s=19

amazing thread with pictures! about their restaurant offerings, do not read if hungry

 

August 17, 2022 8:02 pm  #8


Re: The Lowest Price Is The Law....It's Official

We miss Zellers and we miss BiWay. But Giant Tiger is trying admirably to fill the void.


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

August 17, 2022 8:41 pm  #9


Re: The Lowest Price Is The Law....It's Official

turkeytop wrote:

We miss Zellers and we miss BiWay. But Giant Tiger is trying admirably to fill the void.

Well being a thrifty senior and a Scot to boot, I rather like Giant Tiger.  I find their clothing lines to be of good quality and very reasonably priced.  For a discount store they don't sell junk like some other much larger retailers. 

.I never minded Zellers. I know some didn't like them at all, but overall I had no issues with them. Like Giant Tiger the clothing lines were good quality at a decent price.  Only difference was that Zellers had a much larger variety. Let's see what happens next year. 

     Thread Starter
 

August 17, 2022 8:46 pm  #10


Re: The Lowest Price Is The Law....It's Official

paterson1 wrote:

turkeytop wrote:

We miss Zellers and we miss BiWay. But Giant Tiger is trying admirably to fill the void.

Well being a thrifty senior and a Scot to boot, I rather like Giant Tiger.  I find their clothing lines to be of good quality and very reasonably priced.  For a discount store they don't sell junk like some other much larger retailers. 

.I never minded Zellers. I know some didn't like them at all, but overall I had no issues with them. Like Giant Tiger the clothing lines were good quality at a decent price.  Only difference was that Zellers had a much larger variety. Let's see what happens next year. 

I like bedding at Giant Tiger.  Groceries are actually more expensive than No Frills and Food Basics though.  I somewhat miss Woolco, but I never shopped a lot at Zellers before.
 


Cheers,
Jody Thornton
 
 

August 17, 2022 8:50 pm  #11


Re: The Lowest Price Is The Law....It's Official

And never forget Towers:

"At Towers, everything connects,
The last day of one sale
Is the first of the next."


 

August 17, 2022 8:55 pm  #12


Re: The Lowest Price Is The Law....It's Official

RadioActive wrote:

And never forget Towers:

"At Towers, everything connects,
The last day of one sale
Is the first of the next."


When I lived in Stoney Creek as a youngster, we had a Towers at Queenston and Nash.  I've never walked into one though.
 


Cheers,
Jody Thornton
 
 

August 17, 2022 8:57 pm  #13


Re: The Lowest Price Is The Law....It's Official

RadioActive wrote:

Is Zeddy coming back, too? And is he pronounced "Zeedy" by Americans? Inquiring minds want to know.

I don't think Americans thought too much of that pronunciation.  They felt it seemed kinda "zee-dy"
(darn - it sounded better in my head aka "seedy")
 


Cheers,
Jody Thornton
 
 

August 17, 2022 9:22 pm  #14


Re: The Lowest Price Is The Law....It's Official

I know of one Giant Tiger in Toronto but too far to travel to. It would be nice if some of these stores would come back. More reasonably priced department stores.  There is only Walmart, that I am aware of, and I rarely go there.

 

August 17, 2022 9:27 pm  #15


Re: The Lowest Price Is The Law....It's Official

No Giant Tigers here in Richmond Hill.  I have to go to Stouffville.


Cheers,
Jody Thornton
 
 

August 17, 2022 9:43 pm  #16


Re: The Lowest Price Is The Law....It's Official

Still bummed they botched the Canadian version of Target

 

August 17, 2022 10:07 pm  #17


Re: The Lowest Price Is The Law....It's Official

betaylored wrote:

Still bummed they botched the Canadian version of Target

If Target had stuck it out Zellers wouldn't be reopening.  Target opened too many stores too soon.  They didn't have their distribution worked out properly, and that's why all of the empty shelves even during the grand opening.  A store like Target should never have empty shelves, especially for a grand opening.

The price difference between the US and Canadian Target stores was overblown.  Walmart is more expensive here too. Target dropped the very popular Zellers restaurants and replaced them with Starbucks.  They should have kept the restaurants in store.  Zellers had picked up most of Target's clothing lines years earlier and when Target did open people didn't see enough of a difference in what was being offered.  Also for some reason Target stores had a small hardware department.  People here would not go to a store like Target for hardware, especially when there likely would be a Home Depot, Canadian Tire, Lowe's, Rona or Home Hardware close by. 

     Thread Starter
 

August 17, 2022 10:50 pm  #18


Re: The Lowest Price Is The Law....It's Official

Listener wrote:

I know of one Giant Tiger in Toronto but too far to travel to. It would be nice if some of these stores would come back. More reasonably priced department stores. There is only Walmart, that I am aware of, and I rarely go there.

GT was a mostly a small town store. But, in recent years, they've been expanding into small to medium size cities. They have four stores here in London.


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

August 18, 2022 12:04 am  #19


Re: The Lowest Price Is The Law....It's Official

And let's not forget: (There was one in Lawrence Plaza that I remember very well.) The chain eventually became Woolco in Canada and then stopped gathering Wool(co) altogether. 

 

August 18, 2022 7:58 am  #20


Re: The Lowest Price Is The Law....It's Official

F.W. Woolworth and Kresges stores....now that brings back memories!!

 

August 18, 2022 10:44 am  #21


Re: The Lowest Price Is The Law....It's Official

Woolco stores in Canada eventually were converted into Walmart.  Walmart bought the chain except for any downtown locations or stores that were unionized. 

Walmart rolled out the converted stores slowly and took years before the change over was complete.  Initially Walmart didn't put out many flyers and relied on their Everyday Low Prices.  However this concept was not known that well in Canada, and Canadian shoppers were accustomed to sales.  After 18 months Walmart doubled the number of flyer drops per year and eventually had a flyer every week, similar to their competition. Walmart would never call anything a sale, but rather "New Lower Prices."

Initially Walmart didn't do anything special for Boxing Day/Week and sales suffered badly as customers went to the competition for bargains.  Within two or three years Walmart also had Boxing Day/Week specials promoted on TV and with a flyer. 

     Thread Starter
 

August 18, 2022 10:48 am  #22


Re: The Lowest Price Is The Law....It's Official

RadioActive wrote:

And let's not forget: (There was one in Lawrence Plaza that I remember very well.) The chain eventually became Woolco in Canada and then stopped gathering Wool(co) altogether. 

Looks like a Saturn parked in front, another company that no longer exists.

 

August 18, 2022 10:56 am  #23


Re: The Lowest Price Is The Law....It's Official

Speaking of outlets that no longer exist... Now where did I put that little tiny pencil you needed to fill out the order?

 

 

January 9, 2023 6:26 pm  #24


Re: The Lowest Price Is The Law....It's Official

paterson1 wrote:

Not a media story, but they were major advertisers for many years.  Hudson's Bay has confirmed that Zellers definitely will make a comeback in 2023.  After experimenting with two pop up locations last year the company has decided to bring back the popular discount retailer...More from CTV News..https://www.ctvnews.ca/business/the-return-of-zellers-hudson-s-bay-to-resurrect-canadian-discount-retail-chain-1.6030337

And it's here. Well, almost. A website has popped up advertising the long absent chain, which appears to be returning inside The Bay stores and online in "early 2023." 

After decade-long absence, Zellers gives sneak peek of its comeback

 

January 9, 2023 8:53 pm  #25


Re: The Lowest Price Is The Law....It's Official

If you're not shopping Bargain Harolds, you're paying too much.

Happy to hear Zellers will be back. In downtown Toronto, there's no Giant Tiger. Walmart is the only option. 


- Not an industry person.  Just a guy with a love of Toronto radio. 
 

January 9, 2023 10:50 pm  #26


Re: The Lowest Price Is The Law....It's Official

It seems like a classic case of "You don't know what you've got until it's gone."  When Zellers was being liquidated lots of people were saying "good riddance" and looking forward to the big red bullseye.  Likewise with Woolco turning into Wal-Mart.

Now everyone is waxing nostalgic for Zeddy and the Skillet Restuarant.  And if I had a buck for each time I heard someone lament the passing of $1.44 day...

By the way, anyone shopped at a K-Mart in the U.S. lately?  
 

 

January 9, 2023 11:38 pm  #27


Re: The Lowest Price Is The Law....It's Official

Peter the K wrote:

It seems like a classic case of "You don't know what you've got until it's gone."  When Zellers was being liquidated lots of people were saying "good riddance" and looking forward to the big red bullseye.  Likewise with Woolco turning into Wal-Mart.

Now everyone is waxing nostalgic for Zeddy and the Skillet Restuarant.  And if I had a buck for each time I heard someone lament the passing of $1.44 day...

By the way, anyone shopped at a K-Mart in the U.S. lately?  
 

A few stories I have read recently mentioned that K Mart in the US is down to about 20 stores and Sears around 15.  Maybe they will survive somehow on line.

     Thread Starter
 

January 10, 2023 1:24 am  #28


Re: The Lowest Price Is The Law....It's Official

By the time it left Zellers stores were dirty and neglected, the prices weren’t great and the selection was lacking. Giant Tiger has done a wonderful job of filling the void.  The stores are clean, the merchandise is of good quality and the prices, especially the flyer prices, are lower than discount grocery stores and Walmart.

 

January 10, 2023 2:46 am  #29


Re: The Lowest Price Is The Law....It's Official

Tomas Barlow wrote:

By the time it left Zellers stores were dirty and neglected, the prices weren’t great and the selection was lacking. Giant Tiger has done a wonderful job of filling the void. The stores are clean, the merchandise is of good quality and the prices, especially the flyer prices, are lower than discount grocery stores and Walmart.

Giant Tiger does not have enough stores though, and none in downtown Toronto.
Their locations are just too far away.

It amazes me that Giant Tiger didn't try to snatch up ground level space where Honest Ed's used to be. 
They would have done quite well!! 


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

 
 

January 10, 2023 11:30 am  #30


Re: The Lowest Price Is The Law....It's Official

paterson1 wrote:

A few stories I have read recently mentioned that K Mart in the US is down to about 20 stores and Sears around 15.  Maybe they will survive somehow on line.

Actually, they all but gone now.  I still get emails from k-mart who are now pretty much an online entity.

But you've got to hand it to them, they did one of the best commercials (in my opinion) of all time: