Shoppers would like to see this store reopen in Ontario: poll

As online shopping grows in popularity, many stores and entire chains have closed in Canada.

One of the biggest closures in the last year was Canada’s oldest department store, The Bay. Most of the large department store spaces now sit empty in shopping malls across the country.

But before that, Canada lost Zellers and Sears. Smaller clothing stores such as Frank and Oak and FatFace also announced closures of their brick-and-mortar stores.

While many Canadians have turned to online shopping, some would love to see the return of these stores.

INsauga.com asked readers: What store do you wish would come back to Ontario? The poll garnered a huge number of responses, over 10,000, signalling a sense of nostalgia for shopping days long in the past.

A large majority, 34.55 per cent (3,699 votes) chose Zellers as the store they would most like to see back in business.

Ontario shoppers may get their wish—a “newly reimagined” Zellers is slated to open on the main floor of the former Hudson’s Bay at Edmonton’s Londonderry Mall.

Coming in a close second in the poll, with 3,652 votes (34.11 per cent), is Sears. The final Sears stores closed early in 2018, and at this point, it seems unlikely the chain will reopen.

The Bay came in third in the poll with 2,392 votes (22.34 per cent).

Bed, Bath and Beyond was next with 705 votes (6.59 per cent). The home goods chain closed all 54 stores across Canada in early 2023.

Last on the list was Nordstrom with 258 votes (2.41 per cent). Nordstrom, which entered the Canadian market in 2014, closed in 2023.

Lead photo: Tim Mossholder