BANFF – Hudson’s Bay is permanently closing its historic Banff store after decades as a mainstay on Banff Avenue.
Tiffany Bourre, a spokesperson for Hudson’s Bay, said that after careful consideration, the company made the decision to close the Banff location in August 2023.
“While these decisions are difficult they are the right ones for our business, reflecting market changes and our vision for the future,” she said in an email statement.
“We are committed to treating every associate with respect and fairness through this process, and transfer opportunities will be explored where feasible.”
There seems to be conflicting dates on when The Bay, as it is colloquially known, opened in Banff. The Crag & Canyon has the opening date as 1935 in a location called Caribou Corner at 202 Banff Avenue, before moving to its current location at 125 Banff Avenue in 1947.
In 1979, The Bay expanded the store to include space that was formerly occupied by Adrienne’s restaurant.
With its point blankets and multi-striped products that have become a well-recognized symbol of the company and Canada, The Bay in Banff has been a place for residents and visitors to buy men’s and women’s apparel, bathroom and kitchenware, cosmetics, souvenirs and more.
Mayor Corrie DiManno said Hudson’s Bay has been a long-standing presence on Banff Avenue.
“There’s lots of nostalgia with The Bay, whether folks were new to town and going there to buy home supplies at one point, or for me personally, my grandma would always take my sister and I in there for nice dresses and we would pick out clothes for her too,” she said.
“For visitors, the Hudson’s Bay is an iconic Canadian brand and part of the experience of walking on Banff Avenue. It’s strange to envision Banff Ave without The Bay.”
Hudson’s Bay owns half the building at 123-125 Banff Avenue, and another company owns the other side.
The Bay did not answer questions on whether it intends to sell its half of the property, nor provide information on exactly when they opened in Banff.
If there were to be a change of use for the 20,000-square-foot, two-storey property of anything other than general retail, development permits would be required.
“I can confirm no building or development permits have been received for the property,” said Dave Michaels, manager of development services for the Town of Banff.
Founded on May 2, 1670, the Hudson’s Bay Company opened its first department store in 1881 in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
The company announced last month that it planned to lay off two per cent of its total workforce, estimated to be about 250 employees, in corporate roles largely within Canada. Hudson's Bay is also closing its store in Londonderry Mall in northeast Edmonton.
