I want to say the "bon"(nick name)? when we traveled to Vancouver way back in the 70's we enjoyed shopping in this lovely medium priced store. in fact bought food there as well as shoes because they were tax free for children's shoes?
and I've always wondered if nordstroms was related as they seemed to have some same name areas in the store?

Marie,

We have the Hudson's Bay Company, or the "Bay" here that I don't think is across the border. It is the oldest company in North America, something like 350 years. There was also Zellers, that the Bay bought and took over, great place for kids cloths. The Bay closed Zellers two years ago and sold the realestate to Target Stores.

Going back in my memory, we also had Kreskies, don't know if that was in the states, The Saan Stores and Robinson's Store. And Woodward's. They have all gone the way of the big box stores over the years. Woodward's was an upper scale store. Woolworth's stores, if memory serves me correctly, was the parent company to Woolco, which folded and made room for Walmart 20 years ago.

From your previous posts, I have to guess you are from around the Minot area. Crossing over would bring you to Regina. So, I am going to assume, especially with Weston Dressler coming from the Dakotas and playing football for the Roughriders, you would be a Roughies fan? Personally, I am a Calgary Stampeders fan, but I have to say Weston is a class act. Wish he played for us!

Stores we formerly had in Canada were:
Adilman's Department Store - Saskatoon, SK (1921-1974)

Ayre and Sons - Newfoundland-based department store chain. (1859-1991).

Bretton's - High-end department store 1985-1996.

Eaton's - Went bankrupt in 1999, sold Canadian stores to Hudson's Bay Company in 1997.

Marks & Spencer - British retailer's Canadian stores 1973- 1999

Miracle Mart - Discount department store operated by Steinberg's, defunct 1992.

Morgan's - Merged with Hudson's Bay Company.

Sam's Club - 2005-2009

Sayvette - Discount department store, defunct 1970s.

Sentry - Ontario chain of retail department stores, closed in the early 1980s

Simpson's - Acquired by the Hudson's Bay Company and closed 1991; name now owned by Sears Canada since 2001
Simpsons-Sears Limited - Renamed Sears Canada Inc. 1952-1984

Spencer's - Western Canada, bought by Eaton's.

S.S. Kresge - Smaller, downtown locations.

Towers Department Stores/BoniMart - Sold to Zellers in 1990.

Woodward's - Western Canada, defunct 1993, most stores converted to Zellers and The Bay.

Woolco - Discount department store, usually in the suburbs, acquired by Wal-Mart in 1994.

Woolworth's - Closed Canadian stores in 1994, though some became Woolco

Zellers - closed their last department store in 2014. Target Canada bought many locations, starting in 2011 and converted them into Target stores, which will now be closing in Canada as well.

The Bay is now America owned. I think the only "Canadian" chains we have left are Superstore, Canadian Tire and Shoppers Drug Mart.

I've heard through the rumour mill, many of the Targets will become Walmarts. Like we don't already have enough of those around (2 within a 10 minute drive from my doorstep already and Target is a 5 minute drive from my house...I've walked to it).

I would love for Zellers to come back. Eatons made a comeback but they blew it because they were so sOOOOOOO expensive. Not sure how Noordstroms is doing here. I can barely afford to window shop in that store. I found the boots I've been looking for but they were *only* $495! That's more than 1/2 my mortgage payment! And then I found a sweater to die for. And I would have died had I bought it: $1500!

I am not a Walmart fan at all. I think the last time I was in a Walmart was over a year ago.

I just read a few minutes ago they are closing all the Target stores in Canada.

Pickyshopper, I totally forgot about Eatons. Never was a big Eatons shopper.

Debby_ab, I'm with you. I really liked Zellers. Shopped them all the time.

I am a Superstore shopper, although I am not a big fan of their clothing line. Love their grocery dept. though.

I sure do miss Marks and Spencers and Kresges and Woolco, I even miss Kmart. Zellers at Tecumseh Mall and the Bay at Devonshire Mall became crappy messy stores when they were first bought out by the US company. Zellers finally cleaned up their act not long before they closed and the Bay isn't so bad any more. That being said I rarely buy anything in a department store. I like to window shop at Winners and Home Sense which are owned by the American TJX Company. Shoppers Drug Mart is out of my budget unless something is on sale. Their mark up is really high. I usually buy my eggs there, used to buy butter but now it is owned by Loblaws the only butter I have seen stocked is the yellow no name butter. I am hoping that will change. Their bagged milk is a good price but I don't buy that kind of milk.

A lot of Sears stores in Canada are closing down but I was told the Windsor store is safe from closure because it has the highest volume in sales. I like Canadian Tire. I also prefer to to shop at locally owned stores if they have what I am looking for or need. :

Zehrs like the Superstore also sells home goods.

In Windsor's hayday we had the best department stores like Smith's, Bartletts and Adelman's, the linen store for linens, Trotts and Agnew Surpass for shoes. Shanfield's for fabrics, Stedman's, Baum and Brody for furniture, Red Robin, Birks for jewelry and gift items. We had the best downtown, now it is just bars and restaurants at one time basically catering to US teens who came here to drink underage because our lower drinking age and strip clubs and massage parlours. Our downtown became known as Sin City of the North. I worked downtown for many many years and it was heartbreaking to see what it turned into. I have no reason to go downtown any longer.

When we traveled in Canada (and camped) we loved the Zeller stores--If I remember they had a restaurant that was so good. I also liked the Superstores --I think they were painted green and we both liked the Canadian Tire store My kitchen curtains came from Brandon --had to make two trips, did not get enough the first time Our closest Costco is in Regina Canada==because it is closer that Fargo. Don't know if they do this now or not, when we were in Sask. years ago and stopped at farmer's markets selling veggies, fruit and homemade stuff, with everything we bought, there was a 3X5 card with all the ingredients listed. The people said this was a requirement. We picked up so much at garage sales including a beautiful set of drinking glasses made in Regina with beautiful scenes. The couple had just gotten married and claimed they got so much stuff they decided to sell what they did not want. All my husband said was he was so happy we had the car instead of the truck.LOL.!!!This was around 2003