I don’t believe Canada ever had a gilded age of retail trade, but we have a pretty decent history of getting things done and doing business with each other and globally. Our country is especially fascinating in that regard since there are so few of us hanging around in this really large landscape we call our country.
Being spread out so widely and not inclined to gather in masses until required to do so, the 41 million of us, tend to use our spaces sparingly and with good intentions. After all most of our land base is environmentally sensitive, it requires a loving touch.
So, to get to the point, I had to release a genuine sigh of sadness when I learned that the Hudson’s Bay, the first company of note in Canada, were closing their operations. The corporation’s brain trust had been unable to extricate the company from a pile of debt that was only getting deeper and no turn-around was expected. There had been talk of keeping two or three of the company’s major retail outlets open, but that also became a non-starter.
Now this is not an advertisement or commercial, but I was somewhat pleased to learn that another well-known Canadian brand, Canadian Tire rose to a partial rescue and has purchased the rights to maintain and deploy those iconic brand looks that the Bay so lovingly embraced for a couple of centuries. Who in Canada is not familiar with the famous Hudson’s Bay blanket? So that’s one example that might still find a home on retail shelves.
But the closing of the Bay got me into a remembrance mode and a little nostalgic since it appears as if today’s retail outreach is pretty well in the hands of a company named Amazon which usually has no significant prominence in any Canadian city, town, village or RM. They deliver packages in trucks and vans and otherwise prefer not to engage in local events or sponsorships or recognition other than online presence and presents to be delivered.
So, how many of you remember commercial outlets named Woolworths? Woolco? Do you recall stores with the marquee names like Eatons? Simpsons? We had them in our large and small cities and a few good-sized towns and they featured easy access and local employees.
How about K-Mart? I believe I heard there are still one or two of those outlets still alive but in Eastern Canada.
We once had a Peavy Mart in my home city and in Regina and thereabouts. Not now. Done.
I also recall some more of the previous age of retail when stores were stores. Who can recall visiting a SAAN store in their local community? I remember in my original home town we had an interesting Robinsons Store that dealt with a variety of things along with our three general stores and, of course, the local co-op and OK Economy that mainly featured groceries.
There is no room now for more or revivals. Or is there?
Some of us are fortunate enough to live in a community where the local retail outlets are employing people with personalities who eagerly embrace the community and are willing to get involved.
WalMart plays a smart game. They limit local exposure on the social side, but are eager to expand their local presence commercially and some consumers don’t seem to mind that shopping scenario.
So we are basically stuck in that Amazon world. The well-known company noted for quick deliveries of various items without requiring a corporate personality so-to-speak. They are not there to be likable in local communities, but merely a conduit between consumer and supplier. In other words, do you want this thing you’re looking at on your screen, or not? If you do, connect, order and you’ll get it in one or two days, delivered by an unknown person driving an unknown vehicle that wasn’t purchased in your town. Payment made online, you need not leave your house. Both of these corporations by the way have successfully thwarted unionization efforts.
The orders get filled in huge warehouses using rapid-fire motions by people and robots and the robots don’t require bathroom breaks, so they are slowly replacing the people in those warehouse aisles. Those who do have hearts and pulse rates are paid relatively well I hear, around $23 per hour, but the pace is unforgiving from what we’ve learned.
Shopping has taken on a new look and those of us of a certain age, are not quite ready to accept this new retail world order of nameless, faceless connections when seeking something to wear, eat or consume in some fashion.
Believe me, I am not a good shopper, but I also hate to see broken down empty buildings that once housed active businesses that kept our towns active and interesting with personalities at the cash registers and on sales floors. It can still work if the mindset is directed toward a passion for the community and its consumers with a little personality thrown in to make a shopping experience retain a little bit of fun sprinkled into the mix, instead of a faceless duty robot. But then, I’m sure there are many consumers who will defend the case being made for the robotic population. After all, as noted earlier, they don’t have to go to the bathroom, or even sleep. How good is that eh?
