inspiring canadians to live better.

healthing leaf

inspiring canadians to live better.

healthing leaf
beyond blood sugar: the hidden connections of type 2 diabetes

'like a funeral': inside hudson's bay downtown calgary store, days before it closes for good

by devika desai
published may 28, 2025
last updated may 29, 2025
read time 3 minute read
join the conversation
read time 3 minute read
join the conversation
the remaining few days of calgary's hudson's bay store before it closes
in its remaining few days, the downtown calgary hudson’s bay company store was down to selling the last remaining items, including shelves and fixtures on wednesday, may 28, 2025. gavin young/postmedia
a lunchtime stroll into the first floor of the hudson’s bay company store on stephen avenue proved a grim sight.
yellow posters covered the glass panes of the entrance, with big red and black font advertising product sales of up to 80 per cent off. some of the posters declare: “store closing.”
inside the store, empty tables, racks and glass counters remain, with customers crowded around the few strays still laden with clothes for sale — the last to go before the store closes for good on sunday.
“it seems like a funeral,” don, a customer, said wednesday.
the company began liquidating all of its stores in canada after receiving approval for creditor protection in march and as of monday, announced that it would be laying off about 90 per cent of its workforce by sunday.
the hbc operated stores in market mall, southcentre mall, chinook centre, sunridge mall and the downtown core.
as of wednesday, the southcentre mall location has closed, with the other locations following shortly.
a bronze plaque noting the company’s beginnings in 1670 marks an entrance to the downtown calgary hudson’s bay company store on wednesday, may 28, 2025. the company is in its final few days.
a bronze plaque noting the company’s beginnings in 1670 marks an entrance to the downtown calgary hudson’s bay company store on wednesday, may 28, 2025. the company is in its final few days. gavin young/postmedia
don and karen, a senior couple who live in chestermere, said they used to visit the stephen avenue store at least once every other week.
“the last time i was here, i bought pillows, towels, clothing, makeup,” said karen.
story continues below
“there wasn’t any one thing i came here for,” she continued. “it was everything.”
in its remaining few days, the downtown calgary hudson’s bay company store was down to selling the last remaining items, including shelves and fixtures on wednesday, may 28, 2025.
in its remaining few days, the downtown calgary hudson’s bay company store was down to selling the last remaining items, including shelves and fixtures on wednesday, may 28, 2025. gavin young/postmedia
kyle paradis said the store was his go-to for higher-quality clothing at cheaper prices.
“i don’t know what shops (to go to now),” he said. “trying to figure out where to go now.”
as he spoke, he quickly flipped through the sweaters on a rack on the second floor of the store, checking the labels for sizes. “it’s a lot of extra large sizes, they’re too big,” he lamented.
“the bay is such a piece of history,” he said. “it’s over 150 years and now it’s closing. i guess it’s a sign that times are changing.”
in its remaining few days, the downtown calgary hudson’s bay company store was down to selling the last remaining items, including shelves and fixtures on wednesday, may 28, 2025.
in its remaining few days, the downtown calgary hudson’s bay company store was down to selling the last remaining items, including shelves and fixtures on wednesday, may 28, 2025. gavin young/postmedia
to walk through the floors of the store is to walk through a relic of the store’s glory days. on one end of the second floor, life still persisted as customers walked about, inspecting kitchenware placed on counters and standing in line at the entrance to the fitting rooms to try on a sweater or two.
a walk to the other side presented a ghostly sight, with nothing but metal racks pushed to the side and tables heaped on each other. a crowd of undressed mannequins huddled in a corner at the far end, faces still turned down as if they were still propped up on a platform.
“i’m just feeling really sad right now,” sandra quiroga said. “it was my first option (for shopping).”
in its remaining few days, the downtown calgary hudson’s bay company store was down to selling the last remaining items, including shelves, fixtures and even mannequins on wednesday, may 28, 2025.
in its remaining few days, the downtown calgary hudson’s bay company store was down to selling the last remaining items, including shelves, fixtures and even mannequins on wednesday, may 28, 2025. gavin young/postmedia
story continues below
the store’s rich history dates back to aug. 28, 1913, a grand opening marked by a parade that included a military band, and attended by approximately 12,000 onlookers.
in its glory days, the downtown bay location boasted 40 departments, including a post office, telegraph station, men’s smoking lounge, a nursery equipped with sand pits, library and even a medical clinic.
“we’ve been here since 1972,” don said, of him and his wife. “and we’ve spent a lot of time here.”
in its remaining few days, the downtown calgary hudson’s bay company store was down to selling the last remaining items, including shelves and fixtures on wednesday, may 28, 2025.
in its remaining few days, the downtown calgary hudson’s bay company store was down to selling the last remaining items, including shelves and fixtures on wednesday, may 28, 2025. gavin young/postmedia
with the store gone as of next week, karen said it may mean more visits to the smaller stores and businesses in calgary.
“that’s what i was thinking the other day, what stores am i going to venture into now? where am i going to buy my pillows? there’s a store up the hill but the selection is smaller,” she said.
on the first floor, a group of women swarmed one of the few open shopping counters, filled with high-end perfumes. a few shoppers strolled casually around the counters, on their lunchtime breaks, while others hurriedly fished through the remaining winter coats hanging on racks in the middle of the room, spraying on perfume left out on the counter and examining what jewelry is left in the glass cases.
quiroga said she has been able to visit the store a couple of times since the liquidation sale was first announced. “when i came by the first time, i was able to find some things,” she said. “but now so much has gone.”
sale signs fill the doors of the downtown calgary hudson’s bay company store on wednesday, may 28, 2025. the company is in its final few days.
sale signs fill the doors of the downtown calgary hudson’s bay company store on wednesday, may 28, 2025. the company is in its final few days. gavin young/postmedia
in its remaining few days, the downtown calgary hudson’s bay company store was down to selling the last remaining items, including shelves and fixtures on wednesday, may 28, 2025.
in its remaining few days, the downtown calgary hudson’s bay company store was down to selling the last remaining items, including shelves and fixtures on wednesday, may 28, 2025. gavin young/postmedia
in its remaining few days, the downtown calgary hudson’s bay company store was down to selling the last remaining items, including shelves and fixtures on wednesday, may 28, 2025.
in its remaining few days, the downtown calgary hudson’s bay company store was down to selling the last remaining items, including shelves and fixtures on wednesday, may 28, 2025. gavin young/postmedia
in its remaining few days, the downtown calgary hudson’s bay company store was down to selling the last remaining items, including shelves and fixtures on wednesday, may 28, 2025.
in its remaining few days, the downtown calgary hudson’s bay company store was down to selling the last remaining items, including shelves and fixtures on wednesday, may 28, 2025. gavin young/postmedia
in its remaining few days, the downtown calgary hudson’s bay company store was down to selling the last remaining items, including shelves and fixtures on wednesday, may 28, 2025.
in its remaining few days, the downtown calgary hudson’s bay company store was down to selling the last remaining items, including shelves and fixtures on wednesday, may 28, 2025. gavin young/postmedia
in its remaining few days, the downtown calgary hudson’s bay company store was down to selling the last remaining items, including shelves and fixtures on wednesday, may 28, 2025.
in its remaining few days, the downtown calgary hudson’s bay company store was down to selling the last remaining items, including shelves and fixtures on wednesday, may 28, 2025. gavin young/postmedia
in its remaining few days, the downtown calgary hudson’s bay company store was down to selling the last remaining items, including shelves, fixtures and even mannequins on wednesday, may 28, 2025.
in its remaining few days, the downtown calgary hudson’s bay company store was down to selling the last remaining items, including shelves, fixtures and even mannequins on wednesday, may 28, 2025. gavin young/postmedia
in its remaining few days, the downtown calgary hudson’s bay company store was down to selling the last remaining items, including shelves, fixtures and even mannequins on wednesday, may 28, 2025.
in its remaining few days, the downtown calgary hudson’s bay company store was down to selling the last remaining items, including shelves, fixtures and even mannequins on wednesday, may 28, 2025. gavin young/postmedia
in its remaining few days, the downtown calgary hudson’s bay company store was down to selling the last remaining items, including shelves, fixtures and the last remaining furniture on wednesday, may 28, 2025.
in its remaining few days, the downtown calgary hudson’s bay company store was down to selling the last remaining items, including shelves, fixtures and the last remaining furniture on wednesday, may 28, 2025. gavin young/postmedia
in its remaining few days, the downtown calgary hudson’s bay company store was down to selling the last remaining items, including shelves, fixtures and even mannequins on wednesday, may 28, 2025.
in its remaining few days, the downtown calgary hudson’s bay company store was down to selling the last remaining items, including shelves, fixtures and even mannequins on wednesday, may 28, 2025. gavin young/postmedia
in its remaining few days, the downtown calgary hudson’s bay company store was down to selling the last remaining items, including shelves and fixtures on wednesday, may 28, 2025.
in its remaining few days, the downtown calgary hudson’s bay company store was down to selling the last remaining items, including shelves and fixtures on wednesday, may 28, 2025. gavin young/postmedia
devika desai
devika desai

devika joined the calgary herald in 2024, covering anything under the sun, from health and policy to local news. previously, she has written for the national post, the financial post and the regina leader-post. a toronto newbie to calgary, she spends her free time exploring the city and welcomes any tips on stories and new haunts to check out.

read more about the author

comments

postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site. we ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. we have enabled email notifications—you will now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, there is an update to a comment thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. visit our community guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings.