Bay Laurier departs from Quebec

The La Buy store in the Laurier Quebec shopping center will close its doors for good next September, the parent company has confirmed, as it launches a major liquidation sale.

The retail trade in the Quebec region is losing another major player.

“After careful consideration, Hudson’s Bay has made the decision to close its Place Laurier branch. [sic]September 11, 2022. Hudson’s Bay Galeries de la Capitale and thebay.com site will continue to serve the community with a seamless experience,” said Tiffany Bourré, spokeswoman.

According to her, the closure was announced in 2021, but seems to have flown under the radar to the general surprise of customers who heard the news on the spot over the past few days.

Before the pandemic, Hudson’s Bay was exploring the possibility of closing several stores across the country. In the case of Laurier Quebec, Ms. Borre confirms that the announcement was made “internally” without any public distribution.

Unlike the Galeries de la Capitale store, which was remodeled from A to Z, the Laurier Québec store hasn’t undergone much remodeling in recent years. The store opened in the early 1980s during the expansion of the shopping center. The store occupies two floors with a total area of ​​150,000 square feet. This means that only one La Buy store will remain in the Quebec region. The Place Fleur de Lys store closed in 2017.

“Although these decisions are difficult, they are good for our business. They reflect customer preferences and our vision for the future,” said Mr.^me Filled in email.

“We are committed to treating each associate with respect and fairness throughout this process. All eligible associates will receive packages Appropriate termination and transfer opportunities will be explored where possible.

In this background, the closing sale was held on July 2.

Employees met at the site, mostly women, preferred not to comment on the situation.

“Even though I don’t always buy, it frustrates me. Me, I like big box stores,” said Jeanette Savage, a loyal customer.

For Carole LaRochelle, common even in this place, it’s a loss.

“It’s surprising to me. I know what they’re going through, but this morning [hier], I was very surprised to hear that, in spite of everything. It was a department store and I found it useful because it was close to my house. I love coming here. I found things. Times are changing a lot and they are not done changing,” Ms. LaRochelle added.

according to which News magazine Ivanhoe Cambridge, owner of Laurier Quebec, was reported last year to be studying the possibility of acquiring a mixed-use real estate development of 1,000 to 1,500 units for the shopping center. At that time, we were talking about a project worth about $100 million, which had been carried out for several years.

“As a real estate investor, we are always looking for projects that can have a positive impact on our properties and surrounding communities. As for Laurier Quebec, feasibility studies are still ongoing for various densification scenarios for this high-potential sector,” said Gabrielle Meloche, Senior Public Affairs Advisor at Ivanhoe Cambridge.