Zellers is back. First locations open today, including 3 GTA stores

Zellers is officially back.

The first Zellers concept stores are opening Thursday in Ontario and Alberta, with each new location inside a select Hudson’s Bay location. (Full list below)

Hudson’s Bay Co.(HBC), the parent company of Zellers, has said the new stores will “tap into the nostalgia of the brand Canadians know and love, while introducing a refreshed identity and a unique and exciting product assortment for families at everyday value.”

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The return of the discount retailer comes as inflation pushes consumers toward cheaper shopping options.

Nine of the 12 stores opening on Thursday are in Ontario, including at Erin Mills Town Centre, Scarborough Town Centre, and Burlington Mall in the GTA. There will eventually be 25 locations in seven provinces across the country.

The company says the new stores are up to 10,000 square feet, but sizes vary depending on the location.

Gillian Alleyne stopped into the Zellers at the Hudson’s Bay at Scarborough Town Centre in Toronto during her lunch hour on Thursday.

“I work close to here and I came in to see the prices and the quality of the products,” she said in an interview. “It looks a little more like a high-end Zellers compared to what I remember. It’s appealing to the eye.”

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Although she went to Zellers to browse, Alleyne said the products looked “enticing” and made her want to open her wallet.

“It makes me want to spend a little more money than I expected,“ she said.

The products and displays look like a blend between Ikea and Walmart, Alleyne said.

“It looks nice but the prices are still reasonable,” she said. “Bath mats are about $10. It’s really affordable.”

Zellers locations opening on March 23:

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Ontario

Alberta

The Zellers Diner on Wheels is scheduled to visit different stores in the coming days to mark the opening. The food truck will be at the Scarborough Town Centre location on Thursday, Erin Mills in Mississauga on Saturday, and at the Burlington Mall on Sunday.

The trucks will serve food from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Canadians were asked to vote in a poll to decide what would be included in this nostalgia-inspired food menu. The trucks will be serving up the “Big Z Burger,” “Hot Chicken Sandwich,” “Grilled Cheese,” “Chicken Fingers,” and “Fries and Gravy.”

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Zellers Diner on Wheels schedule:

Thursday, March 23

Friday, March 24

Saturday, March 25

Sunday March 26

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The new online store is also live as of Thursday at Zellers.ca.

The chain’s Zeddy mascot – which arguably elicited some of the greatest sentimentality among some former shoppers – is expected to make a return soon, Hudson’s Bay Co. spokeswoman Tiffany Bourré said.

The mascot was adopted by a charity after Zellers wound down operations, she said.

“Zeddy has been in active service since Zellers closed,” she said. “He’s working hard in the background.”

The store is hoping to bring Zeddy back into stores soon with a charity component, Bourre said.

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No timetable has been provided for when the remaining Canadian locations will open in British Columbia, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Quebec and Saskatchewan. The company has said they expect all locations to open in the spring of 2023.

HBC first announced the comeback last summer after making plans to sell the majority of its remaining Zellers leases in 2011. Most Zellers retailers were closed by 2013, though HBC kept a handful of locations open as liquidation outlets until 2020.

The Zellers department store was founded in 1931 and bought over by HBC in 1978. The store hit its peak of about 350 locations in the late 1990s.

With files from Lucas Casaletto and The Canadian Press

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