https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-bay-and-other-retailers-in-peril Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Sun, 26 Apr 2026 06:13:16 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-bay-and-other-retailers-in-peril/page/2#post-2382952 Sun, 23 Mar 2025 22:14:26 +0000 Carol 2382952@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>It is sad. I don't want to think about this strange new phase of retail with less/no storefronts. It is true I do most shopping online, but it is still fun to browse around brightly lit racks of seasonal clothes.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-bay-and-other-retailers-in-peril/page/2#post-2382949 Sun, 23 Mar 2025 21:20:16 +0000 Angie 2382949@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p><b>Carla</b>, soooooo with you! Personally, nothing beats an awesome department store in my book. I LOVE the shopping experience. I'll take department store shopping a million times over boutique shopping.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-bay-and-other-retailers-in-peril/page/2#post-2382803 Fri, 21 Mar 2025 21:10:11 +0000 Carla 2382803@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I’m with you&nbsp;<b>Angie</b>! &nbsp;Only in a department store can you shop across brands to put a unique outfit together. &nbsp;<div><br /></div><div>More memories about the Bay flagship store in TO: this time of year one of the floors used to be a froth of prom dresses. &nbsp;It was like walking through a fairy tale! &nbsp;</div> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-bay-and-other-retailers-in-peril/page/2#post-2382791 Fri, 21 Mar 2025 19:01:25 +0000 Dee 2382791@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I just saw that too <b>Irina</b>, it appears 3 stores here in Montreal, including the main one downtown are to be spared from closure at this time. Fingers crossed.<br /> Sadly, my local one will not remain open and they had just done a beautiful renovation on it about 5 years ago. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-bay-and-other-retailers-in-peril/page/2#post-2382790 Fri, 21 Mar 2025 18:44:40 +0000 Irina 2382790@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Well, according to the latest new, The Bay will keep 6 stores open for now. One of them is a flagship in downtown Toronto, this is the closest store to me.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-bay-and-other-retailers-in-peril/page/2#post-2382706 Thu, 20 Mar 2025 21:58:10 +0000 Dee 2382706@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p><b>Ket</b>,<b>Suz</b>,&nbsp;<b>Runcarla</b>, <b>Karen</b><b>23</b>- Thanks for chiming in, lots of nostalgia as we look back on how retail once was.<br /><b>Angie</b>- I’ll sob right along side you, yet, somehow I feel that the Japanese department stores may not suffer the same fate.<br /><b>Jenni</b> <b>NZ</b>- The shoe department was always a favourite of mine too. You’re right, these department stores do carry many of the same brands that you’ll &nbsp;find in the attached malls, its a limited stock but they often had some pretty darn good sales on these brand items.<br /><b>Brooklyn</b>- Yes, there was a certain glamour to these grand department stores, but now, we just have so much more shopping options and they haven’t been able to keep up with the pace of change. There is however, one department store here called Simons that is expanding its presence throughout Canada.They have excellent houses brands and are mostly focused only on fashion and house linens. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-bay-and-other-retailers-in-peril/page/2#post-2382694 Thu, 20 Mar 2025 20:46:45 +0000 Brooklyn 2382694@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>There is an Australian movie called Ladies in Black about women working at a department store in Sydney in the 1950s. One of the interesting things about it is seeing how much interest and glamour attached to department store shopping in those days. The staff would open the doors and the customers came pouring in. </p> <p>It’s a shame but I think those days are over. Department stores need to rethink their sales model. I think it’s do-able because there are places that still attract crowds. Zara and Uniqlo come to mind. In furniture and homewares, IKEA comes to mind. I also think shoe sections still do well - people like to try on shoes. It is tricky though because I think, in terms of brands, the market is quite fickle.</p> <p>I’m sorry about your store Dee. I hope they convert the building into housing, since everybody needs it. Or it might become a mixed development. It’s amazing what they can do with beautiful old buildings. It might end up being better than ever. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-bay-and-other-retailers-in-peril/page/2#post-2382678 Thu, 20 Mar 2025 19:12:54 +0000 Jenni NZ 2382678@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I was thinking about this yesterday evening as I walked through and looked at one of our very few large department stores. I had a medical appointment on the other side of our city finishing around 5 pm which is a terrible time for traffic, so I had planned to go to the large mall nearby (which I hardly ever go to) for an hour or so. It was late night.<br /> This store is David Jones, which the Aussies will know. It’s our only David Jones in NZ, there was one other which closed. It’s one of Australia’s 2 big department store chains I believe. It was quite enjoyable looking at the shoe section for me! But with the clothing, a few extra brands, but many of the brands I walked out the door of the department store and there were the stores of all those brands in the main mall. It seemed a weird duplication. I noticed that there were not many shoppers in David Jones. I did quite like the mixture of things, like I enjoyed looking at Waterford crystal and also Portmerion, a china brand from England that I love and own some of already. But I bought nothing! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-bay-and-other-retailers-in-peril/page/2#post-2382672 Thu, 20 Mar 2025 17:16:48 +0000 Angie 2382672@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>*SOBBING*</p> <p>:(</p> <p>I LOVE department stores. My favourite places to shop are Japanese departments stores.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-bay-and-other-retailers-in-peril/page/2#post-2382662 Thu, 20 Mar 2025 15:26:24 +0000 Suz 2382662@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Yes, isn't that walk through history amazing, <b>Dee?</b> I really enjoyed it. I loved working in one of those big department stores. It was special. Simpson's still had its packaging department right on site there back then -- narrow hallways behind the sales desks took you into a warren where people literarlly wrapped stuff up in brown paper and string.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-bay-and-other-retailers-in-peril/page/2#post-2382653 Thu, 20 Mar 2025 13:04:18 +0000 Dee 2382653@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p><b>Suz</b>- Thank you for finding the link, what a marvelous article on this topic, and this was the opinion of these big department stores way back in 2003 too, when the Gap, Victoria Secret etc.. were now taking precedence over retailing as the new kids on the block. How times have changed once again. </p> <p>Loved the conclusion that you've included because that's exactly how I feel about these grand department stores. It always felt like a special event going there. I was rather excited and hopeful entering these big stores even if it was only just to browse. With the advent of technology, all that has changed now. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-bay-and-other-retailers-in-peril/page/2#post-2382640 Thu, 20 Mar 2025 04:01:16 +0000 Suz 2382640@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Dee, I found it -- It's Adam Gopnick, not Anthony Lane.&nbsp;</p> <p><a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2003/09/22/under-one-roof?_sp=01ee903d-2a72-44a6-b3c0-8cd12320c426.1742443183033">https://www.newyorker.com/maga.....cd12320c42</a></p> <p>This is his conclusion, in part:&nbsp;</p> <p>The urge of the great department stores was to hide acquisition as sociability, to disguise acquisitiveness as membership, so that one entered them not as one entered a store—with one eye on the beseeching salesgirl, one hand on the knob of the door, just looking—but as one entered a library or a club: striding in with pleasure. The department store was the cathedral of that material aspiration, and its diminishment leaves us with one less place to go and hope in. ♦</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-bay-and-other-retailers-in-peril/page/2#post-2382613 Wed, 19 Mar 2025 21:27:11 +0000 karen23 2382613@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p><div>It's sad.&nbsp; Some of our department stores had windows like that, especially in the bigger cities.&nbsp; People would go out of their way to look.</div><div>I miss Sears and Lord &amp; Taylor, for totally different reasons.&nbsp; (I have a perfectly good Kenmore vacuum cleaner and eventually my stash of vacuum cleaner bags will run out.)</div><div>Macy's here acts like they have just about given up on us.&nbsp; They don't seem to want to show us anything new.&nbsp; And how can they have a lingerie department and not staff it?</div><div>The local Nordstrom's is hard for me to figure out.&nbsp; Despite the fact that women here run big, they carry almost nothing bigger than a misses 12, and a lot of brands I see on their web site are not sold here.&nbsp; The store looks nice, but there aren't a lot of people in it.&nbsp; Women have been driving down to Chicago to shop.</div><div>Joann's...&nbsp; I will miss them too.</div> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-bay-and-other-retailers-in-peril/page/2#post-2382612 Wed, 19 Mar 2025 21:26:37 +0000 Carla 2382612@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>&nbsp;When I worked in downtown Toronto, a week didn’t go by when I walked through the flagship Bay during a lunch hour outing from work. &nbsp;Their shoe department was the absolute best! &nbsp;I got most of my lingerie and bed linens there as well. &nbsp;</p> <div><br /></div><div>Whenever DH and I did a mall crawl at the Oshawa Mall or Yorkdale, we always visited the Bay. &nbsp;The last time we were there DH bought footwear, corduroys, and a belt, and picked up some kitchen items. &nbsp;They were the one store I used for online shopping during Covid, and had a good return policy. &nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>My lavender coat (Finds below) was ordered through the Bay. </p> <p>Never shopped at Forever 21, but I read they are in trouble too.</p> </div></p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-bay-and-other-retailers-in-peril#post-2382598 Wed, 19 Mar 2025 19:52:25 +0000 Dee 2382598@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thanks all for sharing, it looks like the end of an era for many of these beloved retailers. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-bay-and-other-retailers-in-peril#post-2382589 Wed, 19 Mar 2025 18:02:06 +0000 Ket 2382589@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Not quite the same, however a small farm town we adore lost their JC Penny store 5-6 years ago. The store had just celebrated their 100th anniversary to boot when the closure was announced by corporate. We were visiting town that day when they had their closing sale. I bought a lovely bra, gorgeous pleated wide leg Tencel pants, and a pair of yoga leggings. Still sad they closed.&nbsp; </p> <p></p> <p>Very sad to hear about Hudson Bay Co. It's heartbreaking seeing so many historic brick and mortar stores close. &lt;3&nbsp;</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-bay-and-other-retailers-in-peril#post-2382588 Wed, 19 Mar 2025 17:58:52 +0000 Ket 2382588@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Roberta, we had a Miller &amp; Paine department store in our town. It was gone before I was old enough to know about it. It was similar to a Marshall Field's. Many older local townspeople spoke about its closure. So many ladies loved the lunch cafeteria they offered. So much so, that a local restaurant chain in my home state purchased the recipe for their cinnamon rolls! They still sell them.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-bay-and-other-retailers-in-peril#post-2382587 Wed, 19 Mar 2025 17:54:41 +0000 Ket 2382587@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p><b>Janet</b>, it is so sad Joann Fabrics is gone! They officially closed their website to online orders as of March 5th. Stores are all 50% or more off--maybe until everything is liquidated...I think?? I'm not sure. They filed bankruptcy a second time sometime last year and were acquired by a new firm. There was a very engaging, thoughtful Reddit discussion about why Joann couldn't pull through. I can't remember all the points, but it was interesting to read. The demise is hard on everyone who sews apparel and cosplay costumes. There are a lot of quilt shops but very few brick-and-mortar apparel fabric shops. (And even fewer affordable B&amp;M apparel fabric shops.) It's a huge bummer for me. Despite living near a large metro area, Joann was the only apparel fabric store in the area. I don't mind ordering online but it's not the same as being able to touch and feel the fabrics.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-bay-and-other-retailers-in-peril#post-2382578 Wed, 19 Mar 2025 17:23:46 +0000 slim cat 2382578@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>&nbsp;The Bon Marche was original store in downtown Seattle before Macy's bought it, renamed it and eventually destroyed it closing that beautiful location. I used to shop there in 90s and had a great time showing it to my mom when she was visiting us ( we enjoyed shopping there together &nbsp;and even got matching tops ). The collections were superior to Macy's - at least from what I remember. Sigh.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-bay-and-other-retailers-in-peril#post-2382568 Wed, 19 Mar 2025 16:48:10 +0000 cat2 2382568@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Dee; I agree and it’s real sad because they have great old buildings, restaurants, and the staff could be really helpful. I am personally indebted to a bra fitter, a person who found me a bathing suit brand I never would have tried, the great teams at Bobbi Brown makeup counters, a personal shopper who helped with gifts when I was swamped, etc. I got to Chicago once without my luggage and the Marshall Field sales person got in early to pull things for me so I could suit up for a presentation. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-bay-and-other-retailers-in-peril#post-2382559 Wed, 19 Mar 2025 13:55:18 +0000 Dee 2382559@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p><b>Janet</b>- So sorry to hear of the loss of your friend, and yes, it seems the retail malls as we’ve come to known them might be morphing into something quite different from what they were in the past.&nbsp;<br /><b>Cat2</b>- I fear the loss of these big downtown flagship stores and what it may mean to the overall downtown core. Covid and WFH seems to have been the final nail in the coffin for many of these traditional retailers. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-bay-and-other-retailers-in-peril#post-2382556 Wed, 19 Mar 2025 13:23:48 +0000 cat2 2382556@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I think the combination of online shopping and WFH really changed consumption patterns. We have some thriving suburban malls but the two City downtowns have really struggled. We did our usual trip out to see holiday lights and there was hardly anyone on the street. I think the suburban malls have added more non-shopping amenities to drive traffic: more food, a small grocery, exercise facilities, etc. It’s harder to do that in the city, where those things are available everywhere. The city has been adding street fairs and other live events, and some employers have been encouraging RTO, so it’s been getting a bit less grim. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-bay-and-other-retailers-in-peril#post-2382554 Wed, 19 Mar 2025 12:55:21 +0000 Janet 2382554@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>At our nearby mall, there is a bunch of construction happening where Nordstrom used to be. Dick’s Sporting Goods “House of Sport” and Dave &amp; Buster’s is moving in. JC Penney is closing. The same mall lost Sears many years ago, Lord &amp; Taylor about 8 years ago, and Nordstrom during the pandemic. I read that the Forever 21 on the mall is closing too, and it’s a big store. After L&amp;T moved out, sadly that space was the evacuation ground when the Capitol Gazette shooting happened (their offices were across the street, in the building where my dentist will soon relocate, and since I lost a friend in that shooting, it will be a little tough to go there). Eventually it was refashioned into a Container Store and adjacent spaces became a public library branch and a local SPCA adoption center and store. </p> <p>Now all that’s left of department stores will be Macy’s. And that Macy’s is lame — overstuffed with merchandise that is either too juvenile and cheap or too conservative. The mall was so vibrant 15 years ago. No longer. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-bay-and-other-retailers-in-peril#post-2382553 Wed, 19 Mar 2025 12:45:16 +0000 Janet 2382553@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>So sad. I believe this situation is similar to that of Joann Fabrics in the States, which has been slowly destroyed ever since being absorbed by a private equity firm years ago? Do any of our Canadian friends here have more insight? </p> <p>Retail is really changing, and not for the good. I’ve stopped all our Amazon purchases and subscriptions (dog food, health and beauty supplies, etc) and am sourcing things as locally and as directly as I can. Nordstrom and Athleta are still getting some business from me, but that’s about it these days, unless it’s a small local boutique (I fear they are not thriving these days either). </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-bay-and-other-retailers-in-peril#post-2382551 Wed, 19 Mar 2025 11:27:12 +0000 Dee 2382551@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p><b>Jaileen</b>- Yep, Macy’s also seems to be on a downward trend as well. <br /> <b>Irina</b>- Those downtown Christmas window displays were incredible and will truly be missed.<br /> <b>Joy</b>- Yes,  Nordstrom closed up here in Canada several years ago. <br /> <b>Jenni NZ-</b> Rather sad to hear that these old heritage departments stores are struggling almost everywhere. <br /> <b>Suz </b>- hopefully you can link that article.<b><br /> Bijou</b>- I too, love seeing and feeling the quality of all the merchandise in person, that’s one of the major drawbacks with online shopping.</p> <p>I also feel there's a sense of community when you're out shopping in person too. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-bay-and-other-retailers-in-peril#post-2382550 Wed, 19 Mar 2025 08:21:02 +0000 Bijou 2382550@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>This is definitely an issue for Australian retailers. Increasingly I am buying from local shops that I don't want to see go out of business and am a very rare online purchaser. It's so disheartening to see favourite brands and stores disappear. I appreciate the benefit of being able to see the quality (or lack thereof), fabrication, and fit of an item before I purchase it and like that these stores are providing jobs to their staff. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-bay-and-other-retailers-in-peril#post-2382546 Wed, 19 Mar 2025 07:08:17 +0000 Jenni NZ 2382546@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I checked Wikipedia. US interests bought it out in 2008, so it is quite a long time. Over 16 years.<br /> Our heritage department store in Auckland, which has been going since maybe the 1880s, is majorly downsizing and I think stopping its Christmas windows as well. It’s in a beautiful heritage building and I took BJ1111 there when I met her in 2019 </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-bay-and-other-retailers-in-peril#post-2382545 Wed, 19 Mar 2025 04:51:44 +0000 Suz 2382545@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I <b>loved</b> the Christmas windows. Years ago I worked at the old Simpson's (before it was bought out by Sears and then The Bay) and they had the best windows! But they and Eaton's used to be in competition -- you could see the holiday windows at both stores. Those were the days!</p> <p><b>Dee,</b> that's so cool you visited the S&amp;R.&nbsp;</p> <p>I keep looking for a very old article by Anthony Lane in the New Yorker about the demise of the big flagship department stores on 5th Avenue in Manhattan - way back in the 90s or early 2000s! If I find it, I will link to it. It was a terrific piece. I think it was him and not Adam Gopnick but I might be mistaken.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-bay-and-other-retailers-in-peril#post-2382543 Wed, 19 Mar 2025 01:27:13 +0000 Anonymous 2382543@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Malls are also leaving. &nbsp; First the SAs ordering for you,. &nbsp;I can do that myself, thank you. &nbsp;Then they disappear from the mall. &nbsp;So sad. &nbsp;The Nordstroms are often the first to leave. &nbsp; &nbsp;I Oder my hose now through Amazon.</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-bay-and-other-retailers-in-peril#post-2382541 Wed, 19 Mar 2025 00:41:47 +0000 Irina 2382541@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>What I will miss is The Bay’s tradition of Christmas window displays in the downtown store on Queen Street. Every year they put elaborate, often mechanical displays in the windows. Those were wonderful! One year, many years ago, they had real cats in the special enclosure in one of the windows. All were adopted in a week.&nbsp; </p>