Hudson's Bay Co. - 350 years old TODAY

[OKkayak]

I bought a slick little KichenAid three cup food processor from The Bay. It makes an avocado salad dressing that’s better than sex. PM for a link to the recipe. It’s keto friendly.

Hmmm, guess you're just not that good at it then

[occasional thoughts]

Well, it's not "Today" anymore, it's "Tomorrow" and so The Bay starts on it's next 350. Kind of a tough sled with its retail stores all closed due to the Covid-19. Its thebay.com continues on unabated but without price promos anymore since the virus really hit. No more "Additional 25% off" and that sort of thing, which in normal times happened on at least 50% of all weekends ina year.

When I moved to the Okanagan in 1997, I looked forward to one day the HBC store in Orchard Park going to two storeys, lots their stores in smaller markets are two-storey, but I guess now as shopping habits change that that will never happen. Hell, when I moved here there was an Eaton's store in what later became the Sears Furniture store in the mall. Ah, the good ol'
days.

[Coonhound]

Funny you brought up Junior High. Ya man. Grade 7 I was on a trip from Hinton to Ft Macmurray. Started on the Berlin. Onto the Wild Hays. Then it was onto the Athabasca. We travelled nearly 1000 miles in 3 weeks on that trip. Making camp every night. Stayed in a few old forts. I remember Athabasca House well enough.

It is hard to appreciate what the voyageurs did without living that life.

Grade 8 the trip was in Northern Saskatchewan. Ended at LaRonge. Mostly lake paddling. Only went about 500 miles in 3 weeks that time.

Portaging war canoes and gear is a bit of work. Respect to those who came before.

[Coonhound]

The Hudson's Bay Company archives are housed in Winnipeg and they've compiled an interactive map of the posts.


"Hudson’s Bay Company Archives – HBC Fur Trade Post Map"

https://www.gov.mb.ca/chc/archives/hbca ... hbc_c.html

Thank you for posting this

[dirtybiker]

It was also through the donations to Manitoba of the vast historical archives
and artifacts that was the birth of The Canadian Historical Society.

Proud member in standing.

Thanks HBC.

[Nooby]

This one is the same as my pride and joy, I think it's 3 or 4 point blanket (for the mature posters ) . Too bad it's seldom cold enough here to wear it. I vaguely recall the one time I did wear it here, got a from a RCMP officer passing me on the street. That was nice.

I see thebay.com is now offering curbside pickup, so things are picking up

[occasional thoughts]

Beautiful, Nooby. Hang on to it; it'll be a collector's item in the year 2370! Or maybe sooner.

Queen: so ya get the point, eh.

Anyway, I think overall we've done a good job on this thread over the last 24 hours to mark the incredible anniversary of this iconic bit of Canadiana, even if it was strictly speaking English (England) in origin and imperialist in nature.

[Queen K]

The rebel force will be dealing with imperialism shortly.

[Babba_not_Gump]

Thanks for this information. The Hudson's Bay Company played a huge part in the future development of Canada.

As for the company today, I fear for its survival, and not because of the CCP Virus. No, their customer service is non-existent.
A few years ago I walked out of one for the simple reason I could not find an employee to help me. No where in site other than one at the cashier. And this wasn't the first time.
I'll gladly return if they put just one employee out there on the floor.

With apologies to our 1st Nations peoples, North America is pretty young in the grand scheme of human exploration and endeavour. So when a Canadian institution is celebrating its 350th b.d., I think it deserves being noted. Yes, May 2, 1670 saw the birth of the HBC in England but with the purposes of exploring and exploiting what was to become Canada.

Apologies are not necessary.

[occasional thoughts]

Look at Macy's, south of the border, basically the only survivor of the "normal" middle-of-the-road department stores of North America still standing in the U.S.. They have floor employees everywhere and they're bleeding notwithstanding. I can't understand the what, fetish of the younger generation for online shopping. I've succumbed in part, but I now take to order two sizes L and XL of any shirt/sweater/jacket/hoodie I order (and return the wrong one) to ensure I get the proper size.

Decades from now, after "brick and mortar" stores are wiped off the face of the economy, some innovator will discover the power and attractiveness of an entity where the customer can view things in natural light/vision and try items on. It will be called a "store".

[GordonH]

bumped up

Got to wonder if this is the beginning of the end for Hudson Bay company.
https://www.castanet.net/news/Business/ ... oss-Canada

[TedD]

bumped up

Got to wonder if this is the beginning of the end for Hudson Bay company.
https://www.castanet.net/news/Business/ ... oss-Canada

Maybe they need to get their stocks up on Reddit.

[GordonH]

bumped up

Got to wonder if this is the beginning of the end for Hudson Bay company.
https://www.castanet.net/news/Business/ ... oss-Canada

Maybe they need to get their stocks up on Reddit.

It hasn’t been a Canadian owned company for years now.

[OKkayak]

bumped up

Got to wonder if this is the beginning of the end for Hudson Bay company.
https://www.castanet.net/news/Business/ ... oss-Canada

HBC's "beginning of the end" has been prophesied for the last 25 years. Its still one of my go to stores for clothes, always a great variety at decent prices. Lots of sales too.