Ayre and Sons
Encyclopedia
Ayre and Sons Ltd. was a now-defunct department store
chain that once existed in Newfoundland and Labrador
, Canada
. The chain was formed in 1859 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
by Charles Robert Ayre. Ayre opened his flagship store on Water Street
in St. John's in 1859. Following the Confederation of Newfoundland and Labrador in 1949, Ayre's opened some more stores across the province in the 1960s, with locations in Mount Pearl, Carbonear
, Corner Brook
, and Wabush
. A location in the Avalon Mall
in St. John's also opened when the mall opened in 1967. However, the company had began to encounter financial problems in the 1980s, and in 1991, Ayre and Sons went bankrupt.
in 1963, with six locations in the St. John's area (five in St. John's plus one in Mount Pearl), as well as supermarkets in Carbonear and Corner Brook. As a result, Ayre's Supermarkets later adopted the Dominion brand. Following the sale of Dominion to A&P Canada
(sold to Metro Inc. in 2005 – at the time of the merger, the Dominion brand in Ontario
had only existed at stores in the Toronto
area), the Dominion
stores in Newfoundland and Labrador were resold to local owners in 1987 and subsequently merged with two smaller local chains. The newly-amalgamated parent company was named Amalco Foods, but the combined chain's brand name remained "Dominion". The amalgamated chain was acquired by Loblaw Companies Limited in 1995.
Department store
A department store is a retail establishment which satisfies a wide range of the consumer's personal and residential durable goods product needs; and at the same time offering the consumer a choice of multiple merchandise lines, at variable price points, in all product categories...
chain that once existed in Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The chain was formed in 1859 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
St. John's is the capital and largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador, and is the oldest English-founded city in North America. It is located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. With a population of 192,326 as of July 1, 2010, the St...
by Charles Robert Ayre. Ayre opened his flagship store on Water Street
Water Street
-Canada:*Water Street, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada*Water Street, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada*Water Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada-United States:*Water Street, Boston, Massachusetts*Water Street, Eau Claire, Wisconsin...
in St. John's in 1859. Following the Confederation of Newfoundland and Labrador in 1949, Ayre's opened some more stores across the province in the 1960s, with locations in Mount Pearl, Carbonear
Carbonear, Newfoundland and Labrador
Carbonear is a town on the Avalon Peninsula in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. As of 2006, there are 4,723 people living in Carbonear, down from 4,759 in 2001.-History:...
, Corner Brook
Corner Brook, Newfoundland and Labrador
Corner Brook is a city located on the west coast of the island of Newfoundland in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada....
, and Wabush
Wabush, Newfoundland and Labrador
Wabush is a small town in the western tip of Labrador, known for transportation and iron ore operations for over three decades ....
. A location in the Avalon Mall
Avalon Mall
The Avalon Mall is a Canadian shopping mall located in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. With over , two floors, there are over 140 stores, making it the largest shopping mall in Newfoundland and Labrador. The mall opened in 1967 and is owned by Crombie REIT.-History:The mall was built in...
in St. John's also opened when the mall opened in 1967. However, the company had began to encounter financial problems in the 1980s, and in 1991, Ayre and Sons went bankrupt.
Ayre's Supermarkets
Ayre's also began to open supermarkets in the 1960s, under the name Ayre's Supermarkets. The chain was sold to Dominion Stores Ltd.Dominion Stores (Ontario)
Dominion Stores was once a national chain of supermarkets in Canada, which was still known as the Dominion of Canada at the time of the company's founding. The chain was founded in 1919 in Ontario and was later acquired by Conrad Black's Argus Corporation...
in 1963, with six locations in the St. John's area (five in St. John's plus one in Mount Pearl), as well as supermarkets in Carbonear and Corner Brook. As a result, Ayre's Supermarkets later adopted the Dominion brand. Following the sale of Dominion to A&P Canada
A&P Canada
A&P Canada was a Canadian supermarket company from 1927 to 2009.In 1927, A&P opened its first stores in Canada. By 1929, A&P was present in 200 communities in Ontario and Quebec....
(sold to Metro Inc. in 2005 – at the time of the merger, the Dominion brand in Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
had only existed at stores in the Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
area), the Dominion
Dominion Stores (Newfoundland and Labrador)
Dominion is the primary brand name of the major-market supermarkets of Loblaw Companies Limited in Newfoundland. The Dominion brand name is used under licence from Metro Inc., which discontinued its use of that banner in the rest of Canada in late 2008 and has no other affiliation with the...
stores in Newfoundland and Labrador were resold to local owners in 1987 and subsequently merged with two smaller local chains. The newly-amalgamated parent company was named Amalco Foods, but the combined chain's brand name remained "Dominion". The amalgamated chain was acquired by Loblaw Companies Limited in 1995.
Locations
- St. John'sSt. John's, Newfoundland and LabradorSt. John's is the capital and largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador, and is the oldest English-founded city in North America. It is located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. With a population of 192,326 as of July 1, 2010, the St...
- Water StreetWater Street-Canada:*Water Street, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada*Water Street, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada*Water Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada-United States:*Water Street, Boston, Massachusetts*Water Street, Eau Claire, Wisconsin...
- The original flagship store of Ayre and Sons, opened in 1859. - Avalon MallAvalon MallThe Avalon Mall is a Canadian shopping mall located in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. With over , two floors, there are over 140 stores, making it the largest shopping mall in Newfoundland and Labrador. The mall opened in 1967 and is owned by Crombie REIT.-History:The mall was built in...
- Ayre's Department Store. Opened 1967. Converted to expansion of mall interior following a major renovation program in 1993, with The GapGap (clothing retailer)The Gap, Inc. is an American clothing and accessories retailer based in San Francisco, California, and founded in 1969 by Donald G. Fisher and Doris F. Fisher. The company has five primary brands: the namesake Gap banner, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Piperlime and Athleta. As of September 2008,...
and ScotiabankScotiabankThe Bank of Nova Scotia , commonly known as Scotiabank , is the third largest bank in Canada by deposits and market capitalization. It serves some 18.6 million customers in more than 50 countries around the world and offers a broad range of products and services including personal, commercial,...
among its tenants. - Churchill SquareChurchill Square (St. John's)Churchill Square is a shopping area in St. John's, Newfoundland, located on Elizabeth Avenue near Memorial University of Newfoundland. "The Square", as it is often referred to as, contains two parallel rows of shops on each side of a parking lot...
- Ayre's Supermarket. Became a Dominion store until 2007, where Loblaw rebranded the store a SaveEasySaveEasySaveEasy is a chain of small retail grocery store franchises in the Atlantic Provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island, owned by Loblaw Companies Limited...
. - Summerville - Ayre's Supermarket. Located in a mini-mall on Elizabeth Avenue at Paton Street. The Dominion store was closed in 1994, and the plaza was demolished in 1998 to make way for a condominium complex.
- Parade Street - Ayre's Supermarket - became a Dominion store until December 21, 1992, when it was destroyed by a major fire, which also claimed several other buildings and businesses. The St. John's Central Fire Station now stands on the site.
- Hamilton Avenue - Ayre's Supermarket - became a Dominion store until 1995 - now closed
- Torbay Road Mall - Ayre's Supermarket - became a Dominion store until 1993, at which point it moved to a then-larger store on Newfoundland Drive (closed in 2007) - was IGAIGA (supermarkets)IGA is a brand of grocery stores active in more than 30 countries. Contrasting with the chain store business model, IGA operates as a franchise through stores that are owned separately from the brand. Many of these stores operate in small town markets and belong to families that manage them...
from 1996 to 1999 - now Shoppers Drug MartShoppers Drug MartShoppers Drug Mart Corporation is Canada's largest pharmacy chain with more than 1,241 stores operating under the names Shoppers Drug Mart in nine provinces and two territories and Pharmaprix in Quebec as well as in Hawkesbury, Ontario....
- Water Street
- Mount Pearl - Centennial Square (Commonwealth Avenue) - Ayre's Supermarket. The store later became a Dominion store until 1993, at which time it was closed and relocated to the Pearlgate Mall, being branded a "Dominion Marketplace" until it was taken over by Loblaw. In 1997, Coleman's Supermarket (a local chain of supermarkets based in Corner Brook) opened in the former store; this is their first location in the St. John's area.
- CarbonearCarbonear, Newfoundland and LabradorCarbonear is a town on the Avalon Peninsula in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. As of 2006, there are 4,723 people living in Carbonear, down from 4,759 in 2001.-History:...
- Corner BrookCorner Brook, Newfoundland and LabradorCorner Brook is a city located on the west coast of the island of Newfoundland in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada....
- Corner Brook PlazaCorner Brook PlazaThe Corner Brook Plaza is a shopping mall in Corner Brook, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Anchor stores include Zellers , Sears and SportChek...
- Ayre's Supermarket - became a Dominion store until 2002, when it moved to a larger store at the "big box" development at Murphy Square. - WabushWabush, Newfoundland and LabradorWabush is a small town in the western tip of Labrador, known for transportation and iron ore operations for over three decades ....