Woodward's
Encyclopedia
Woodward's was the name of a department store
chain which operated in Alberta
and British Columbia
, Canada for one hundred years, before its sale to the Hudson's Bay Company
(HBC).
and Georgia Street
s in Vancouver
in 1892. On September 12, 1902, Woodward Department Stores Ltd. was incorporated, and a new store was built in Vancouver on the corner of Hastings
and Abbott Streets. In 1926, a store was opened in Edmonton
, and by the late 1940s, the company began to open numerous stores in both provinces. Facing financial difficulties, Woodward's was sold to the Hudson's Bay Company in 1993.
Woodward's was a central feature of the retail scene especially in southwestern British Columbia for much of the twentieth century. The chain was distinctive in that the stores included a large supermarket
(the "Food Floor") as an adjunct or at some locations part of the department store. When Woodward's sold the Food Floor - long known for its quality and its line of unusual specialities - to Safeway
, the flagship food floor became a reduced-size IGA
store until the building closed as Safeway showed no interest in that location. Many older western Canadians remember fondly Woodward's famous "$1.49 Day" sales, held the first Tuesday of every month. These sales were advertised widely on radio and in newspapers, and offered everything from canvas-top running shoes to bath oil for the one price.
Most Woodward's locations were converted to HBC's Bay
or Zellers
stores by the end of 1993. Other major retailers took over several stores, and the remaining locations were either closed or were divided into mall retail space.
Woodward's also operated two stand alone Furniture Fair stores in Burnaby (which became Costco
's first location in Canada in 1985) and Edmonton in the 1970s. There were also discount type stores called Woodwynn (similar to Winners) in BC and Alberta (some within Woodward's Stores), which were originally known as Woodward's Bargain Stores. Several malls, also had separate Woodward's Book Stores. The closure of Woodward's locations in many malls sparked redevelopment and expansion of a number of the centres, such as Chinook Centre in Calgary
. In a number of malls, the presence of separate operations such as the book store and Woodwynn, required these stores to also be replaced. When the West Edmonton Mall
location closed, The Bay - which already had a full store at the opposite end of the mall - simply converted the former Woodward's into a second Bay (one of the only cases where a single mall has had two duplicate anchor tenants); after a few years of this, however, the Woodwards-Bay was closed and converted into a multi-screen movie theatre, an HMV Canada
location, and additional retail space.
On December 8, 2009, the Woodward's Food Floor reopened for the first time since the chain's sale to Safeway. The new Woodward's Food Floor, which is located at the former Woodward's complex (along with a new location of London Drugs
), is now a division of Nester's Market.
grew incrementally (14 additions) until its peak when it filled almost an entire city block bounded by Cordova, Hastings and Abbott Streets in downtown Vancouver. Only the original 1903-08 portion of the building remains after September 30, 2006, the day when most of the building fell in a "roll over" demolition which was witnessed by thousands.
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 which operated in Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
and British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada for one hundred years, before its sale to the Hudson's Bay Company
Hudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company , abbreviated HBC, or "The Bay" is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. A fur trading business for much of its existence, today Hudson's Bay Company owns and operates retail stores throughout Canada...
(HBC).
History
Charles Woodward established the first Woodward store at the corner of MainMain Street (Vancouver)
Main Street is a major north-south thoroughfare bisecting Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It runs from Waterfront Road by Burrard Inlet in the north, to Kent Avenue alongside the north arm of the Fraser River in the south.-Route:...
and Georgia Street
Georgia Street
Georgia Street is an east-west street in the cities of Vancouver and Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. Its section in Downtown Vancouver, designated West Georgia Street, serves as one of the primary streets for the financial and central business districts, and is the major transportation corridor...
s in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
in 1892. On September 12, 1902, Woodward Department Stores Ltd. was incorporated, and a new store was built in Vancouver on the corner of Hastings
Hastings Street (Vancouver)
Hastings Street is one of the most important east-west traffic corridors in the cities of Vancouver and Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada, and used to be a part of the decommissioned Highway 7A...
and Abbott Streets. In 1926, a store was opened in Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
, and by the late 1940s, the company began to open numerous stores in both provinces. Facing financial difficulties, Woodward's was sold to the Hudson's Bay Company in 1993.
Woodward's was a central feature of the retail scene especially in southwestern British Columbia for much of the twentieth century. The chain was distinctive in that the stores included a large supermarket
Supermarket
A supermarket, a form of grocery store, is a self-service store offering a wide variety of food and household merchandise, organized into departments...
(the "Food Floor") as an adjunct or at some locations part of the department store. When Woodward's sold the Food Floor - long known for its quality and its line of unusual specialities - to Safeway
Safeway Inc.
Safeway Inc. , a Fortune 500 company, is North America's second largest supermarket chain after The Kroger Co., with, as of December 2010, 1,694 stores located throughout the western and central United States and western Canada. It also operates some stores in the Mid-Atlantic region of the Eastern...
, the flagship food floor became a reduced-size IGA
IGA
Iga or IGA may stand for:-Given name:* a female given name of Polish origin. The name originates from the female given name Jadwiga and stands for gia,or gina in the USA....
store until the building closed as Safeway showed no interest in that location. Many older western Canadians remember fondly Woodward's famous "$1.49 Day" sales, held the first Tuesday of every month. These sales were advertised widely on radio and in newspapers, and offered everything from canvas-top running shoes to bath oil for the one price.
Most Woodward's locations were converted to HBC's Bay
The Bay
The Bay is a chain of 91 department stores that operate across parts of Canada. It is the main brand of Hudson's Bay Company , North America's oldest company. It has its headquarters in the Simpson Tower in Toronto. In French, the chain is known as la Baie, short for "Compagnie de la Baie d'Hudson"...
or Zellers
Zellers
Zellers Inc. is Canada's second-largest chain of mass merchandise discount stores, with locations in communities across Canada. A subsidiary of the Hudson's Bay Company , it has 273 locations across the country....
stores by the end of 1993. Other major retailers took over several stores, and the remaining locations were either closed or were divided into mall retail space.
Woodward's also operated two stand alone Furniture Fair stores in Burnaby (which became Costco
Costco
Costco Wholesale Corporation is the largest membership warehouse club chain in the United States. it is the third largest retailer in the United States, where it originated, and the ninth largest in the world...
's first location in Canada in 1985) and Edmonton in the 1970s. There were also discount type stores called Woodwynn (similar to Winners) in BC and Alberta (some within Woodward's Stores), which were originally known as Woodward's Bargain Stores. Several malls, also had separate Woodward's Book Stores. The closure of Woodward's locations in many malls sparked redevelopment and expansion of a number of the centres, such as Chinook Centre in Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
. In a number of malls, the presence of separate operations such as the book store and Woodwynn, required these stores to also be replaced. When the West Edmonton Mall
West Edmonton Mall
West Edmonton Mall , located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, is the largest shopping mall in North America and the fifth largest in the world. The mall was founded by the Ghermezian brothers, who emigrated from Iran in 1959. It was the world's largest mall until 2004.West Edmonton Mall covers a gross...
location closed, The Bay - which already had a full store at the opposite end of the mall - simply converted the former Woodward's into a second Bay (one of the only cases where a single mall has had two duplicate anchor tenants); after a few years of this, however, the Woodwards-Bay was closed and converted into a multi-screen movie theatre, an HMV Canada
HMV Group
HMV is a British global entertainment retail chain and is the largest of its kind in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The company also operates in Hong Kong and Singapore. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE Fledgling Index...
location, and additional retail space.
On December 8, 2009, the Woodward's Food Floor reopened for the first time since the chain's sale to Safeway. The new Woodward's Food Floor, which is located at the former Woodward's complex (along with a new location of London Drugs
London Drugs
London Drugs is a chain of Canadian retail stores with headquarters in Richmond, British Columbia. Its primary focus is on pharmaceuticals, electronics, housewares and cosmetics, with a limited selection of grocery items...
), is now a division of Nester's Market.
British Columbia
The flagship Woodward's BuildingWoodward's building
The Woodward's building was a historic building in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The original portion of the building was constructed in 1903 for the Woodward's Department Store when that area of Cordova Street was the heart of Vancouver's retail shopping district. ...
grew incrementally (14 additions) until its peak when it filled almost an entire city block bounded by Cordova, Hastings and Abbott Streets in downtown Vancouver. Only the original 1903-08 portion of the building remains after September 30, 2006, the day when most of the building fell in a "roll over" demolition which was witnessed by thousands.
- Vancouver
- (Downtown, 101 W. Hastings St)—mostly demolished under redevelopment (Upper levels housed Woodward's head office)
- Woodward's Food Floor (Abbott and Cordova Street) operated by Nesters Market reopened on December 8, 2009.
- (Oakridge Centre) 1959 (extensively renovated—1984)—currently The Bay & Zellers (3 floor store - was very large and divided into two mid-size anchors, Food Floor is now a large Safeway store); there was also a stand-alone Food Floor in the Arbutus Village Shopping Centre (1974) which is now a SafewaySafeway Inc.Safeway Inc. , a Fortune 500 company, is North America's second largest supermarket chain after The Kroger Co., with, as of December 2010, 1,694 stores located throughout the western and central United States and western Canada. It also operates some stores in the Mid-Atlantic region of the Eastern...
store.
- West Vancouver (Park Royal Centre)—(Canada's first shopping centre in 1950) is currently The Bay (which moved from location in the South Mall). Food Floor converted to London DrugsLondon DrugsLondon Drugs is a chain of Canadian retail stores with headquarters in Richmond, British Columbia. Its primary focus is on pharmaceuticals, electronics, housewares and cosmetics, with a limited selection of grocery items...
- Burnaby (Metrotown Centre) 1986—currently Zellers & a T&T Supermarket on the lower main floor where the former Food Floor was located, Safeway did not take this location (store was 3 floors)
- Nanaimo (Woodgrove CentreWoodgrove CentreWoodgrove Centre is located on Vancouver Island in the harbour city of Nanaimo, British Columbia. Woodgrove Centre is the market dominant retail destination and focal point of the community. The centre features of retail space and is Vancouver Island’s largest shopping centre attracting 6 million...
) 1981—converted to The Bay. The Bay moved in 2000 to larger former Eaton'sEaton'sThe T. Eaton Co. Limited was once Canada's largest department store retailer. It was founded in 1869 in Toronto by Timothy Eaton, an Irish immigrant. Eaton's grew to become a retail and social institution in Canada, with stores across the country, buying offices across the globe, and a catalogue...
location in mall, original Bay store demolished and a Wal-MartWal-Mart CanadaWal-Mart Canada Corp. is the Canadian unit of Walmart and was founded in 1994 in Mississauga, Ontario with the purchase of the Canadian Woolco stores from Woolworth Canada....
store built on the site - Port Alberni (downtown - 3rd Ave)—currently a Zellers (freestanding store), adjacent former Woodward's Food Floor which Zellers expanded into. (One of the original stores - opened in 1948)
- Victoria (Mayfair Centre) 1963/1974 expanded—currently The Bay. It replaced the original 1950s freestanding Victoria store, which was located downtown on Douglas Street. Food Floor converted to new mall retail space.
- Penticton (Cherry Lane Mall) 1975—currently The Bay. Food Floor converted to mall retail space and a food fair.
- New Westminster (Royal City CentreRoyal City CentreRoyal City Centre is a shopping centre/office complex in New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada. Its formal address is 610 Sixth Street New Westminster, B.C. V3L 3C2...
) replaced the original 1954 freestanding store in 1991 when a new store was built on the adjacent parking area, the original store was then demolished and replaced with a new shopping mall, office and residential buildings. The store was converted to Zellers after HBC takeover in 1993 and then closed in 2006, Dollarama and Labels have located on the lower main floor, the 2nd floor is being converted to office space in 2008. - Richmond (Lansdowne Centre) 1977—converted to Zellers originally, Zellers moved in 2000 to larger, former Eaton'sEaton'sThe T. Eaton Co. Limited was once Canada's largest department store retailer. It was founded in 1869 in Toronto by Timothy Eaton, an Irish immigrant. Eaton's grew to become a retail and social institution in Canada, with stores across the country, buying offices across the globe, and a catalogue...
space in the mall, currently a Future ShopFuture ShopFuture Shop is Canada's largest consumer electronics retailer. Future Shop currently operates a total of 146 stores across all of Canada's provinces as of December 2008....
, Home OutfittersHome OutfittersHome Outfitters is Canada's largest kitchen, bed, and bath superstore, with 69 stores across the country selling bedding, towels, housewares, and other home accessories....
& JYSKJYSKJYSK is a Danish retail chain, selling mattresses, furniture and décor, etc. JYSK is the largest Danish retailer operating internationally, with around 1,720 JYSK-stores in 35 countries, planned to increase to at least 1,800 stores in 2010...
and other retailers. Food Floor converted to Safeway which closed in 2004 now Best BuyBest BuyBest Buy Co., Inc. is an American specialty retailer of consumer electronics in the United States, accounting for 19% of the market. It also operates in Mexico, Canada & China. The company's subsidiaries include Geek Squad, CinemaNow, Magnolia Audio Video, Pacific Sales, and, in Canada operates... - Surrey (Guildford Town CentreGuildford Town CentreGuildford Town Centre is a town centre of Surrey, British Columbia. It is a neighborhood of Surrey and is known for its retail corridors down 104 Avenue and 152 Street, at the intersection of which is found the 200-store Guildford Town Centre Mall . The community is named after Guildford...
) 1966—currently The Bay, Food Floor closed in 1990, converted to mall retail space, mostly Old NavyOld NavyOld Navy is an American clothing brand as well as a chain of stores owned by Gap, Inc., with corporate operations in San Francisco and San Bruno, California. It is one of the first major corporations to house headquarters in the new Mission Bay district of San Francisco.Gap, Inc. was run by... - Prince George (Parkwood Mall) 1966—currently The Bay - the original Parkwood Mall was redeveloped, Food Floor was converted to Safeway then closed and demolished.
- Coquitlam (Coquitlam CentreCoquitlam CentreCoquitlam Centre is a shopping mall in Coquitlam, British Columbia, built in 1979 and expanded in 2001. It is located at the southern edge of the Coquitlam Town Centre area, near Coquitlam Central Station and several other smaller shopping centres...
) 1979—currently Sears as The Bay already had a location in the mall. - Abbotsford (Sevenoaks Centre) 1975—currently The Bay, the former Food Floor is now Extra FoodsExtra FoodsExtra Foods is a Canadian supermarket chain, part of Loblaw Companies Limited. It operates 72 stores in Western Canada. Most Extra Foods stores are smaller than its sister chain, The Real Canadian Superstore, and most locations are in smaller, rural communities...
- Kamloops (Aberdeen Mall) 1981—originally converted to a Zellers store (Zellers has since moved to new larger location nearby), currently a new Sears store (the Aberdeen Mall Woodward's store replaced the original (1963) Kamloops downtown store in 1981, which is now the British Columbia Lottery CorporationBritish Columbia Lottery CorporationThe British Columbia Lottery Corporation is a Crown Corporation of the Province of British Columbia, Canada.It has provided government sanctioned lottery services in British Columbia since 1985...
headquarters building) former Food Floor adjacent is now a Future Shop & Sport Chek.
Alberta
- Calgary
- (Chinook CentreChinook CentreChinook Centre is the largest enclosed shopping centre in Calgary, Alberta containing over 250 stores, a professional building, and a major theatre complex...
) 1960—currently The Bay (was the first Calgary store - 1960) - (Market MallMarket MallMarket Mall is one of the largest malls in Calgary, Alberta . It is located in Varsity, a suburban neighborhood in the City's northwest quadrant on Shaganappi Trail...
) 1970—currently Zellers & additional mall retail space - (Sunridge MallSunridge MallSunridge Mall is a major enclosed shopping mall in Calgary, Alberta containing 807,635 square feet / 75,031.7 m² of retail space. It is the leading shopping centre in the city's northeast quadrant, located at the corner of 36th Street NE and 26th Avenue NE. It is adjacent to the Rundle LRT station...
) 1981—currently Zellers & additional mall retail space
- (Chinook Centre
- Edmonton
- (Southgate CentreSouthgate CentreSouthgate Centre is a shopping centre located in south Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and is the third-largest mall in the city, after West Edmonton Mall and Kingsway Mall. It contains 154 retailers including Sears, The Bay, Safeway, HMV, Coles, Coach, Inc., Bench and Geox and many other small/chain...
) 1970—originally converted to Eaton's in 1993, currently a Sears store (largest in Alberta) there is an attached Safeway store (former Food Floor) - (Edmonton City CentreEdmonton City CentreEdmonton City Centre is a shopping mall in downtown Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, across the street from Churchill Square.-History:In 1974, the City Centre Place shopping mall was completed within the larger Edmonton Centre development; TD Tower was added in 1976. In 1978, Oxford Tower and the...
, Downtown)—originally replaced by The Bay in 1993, recently The Bay has moved into the former Eaton's store when the mall underwent major renovations in 2001, it is now replaced by Winners, World Health Club, Sport ChekSport ChekSport Chek is the largest Canadian retailers of sporting clothing, sports equipment and equipment destroy, with stores across Canada...
, CBCCanadian Broadcasting CorporationThe Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
Edmonton's studios, mall retail & office space. (The original Downtown Edmonton store was rebuilt and opened in 1974 as part of the Edmonton Centre Mall complex). - (Westmount CentreWestmount CentreWestmount Centre is a shopping centre located in west Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It contains 75 stores and services including Safeway, Shoppers Drug Mart and the four-screen Empire Theatres cinema complex. There is also a large food court in the mall. Westmount Centre is currently under...
)—currently Zellers and office space, the adjacent Food Floor (Safeway) was demolished and replaced in 2008 with a Home Depot. (Second Edmonton store - 1955) - (NorthgateNorthgate- Historical structures :* Northgate, Chester, Cheshire, England* Northgate, Essex, England* St Michael at the North Gate, Oxford, England.- Places :In Australia:* Northgate, Queensland* Northgate, South Australia* Northgate Shopping Centre, Tasmania...
) 1965—originally converted to a Kmart store on lower floor, currently a Zellers (the upper floor is being converted to office space in 2008 - was vacant and used for storage since the store closed). - (Mill Woods Town CentreMill Woods Town CentreMill Woods Town Centre is a shopping centre located in south Edmonton, Alberta in the neighbourhood of Mill Woods. It contains 85 retailers including Zellers, Canadian Tire, Safeway and Shoppers Drug Mart. Some surrounding satellite stores are located in and around the mall's exterior properties...
) 1988—originally converted to Eaton's, currently Zellers - (West Edmonton MallWest Edmonton MallWest Edmonton Mall , located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, is the largest shopping mall in North America and the fifth largest in the world. The mall was founded by the Ghermezian brothers, who emigrated from Iran in 1959. It was the world's largest mall until 2004.West Edmonton Mall covers a gross...
) 1985 (Phase 3)—originally converted to The Bay (2nd store in mall), now has been divided into mall retail space (primarily an HMV locationHMV GroupHMV is a British global entertainment retail chain and is the largest of its kind in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The company also operates in Hong Kong and Singapore. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE Fledgling Index...
) and cinemas
- (Southgate Centre
- Lethbridge (Lethbridge CentreLethbridge CentreLethbridge Centre is the oldest mall in downtown Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada. The independently-owned mall consists of a two-storey complex housing various retail stores, professional offices and a 6,000 conference facility. Also attached to the mall is an 11-storey office tower, the city's tallest...
) 1975—currently The Bay - Red Deer (Bower Place Mall) 1981—currently The Bay
See also
- Woodward's buildingWoodward's buildingThe Woodward's building was a historic building in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The original portion of the building was constructed in 1903 for the Woodward's Department Store when that area of Cordova Street was the heart of Vancouver's retail shopping district. ...
- List of Canadian department stores
- Hudson's Bay CompanyHudson's Bay CompanyThe Hudson's Bay Company , abbreviated HBC, or "The Bay" is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. A fur trading business for much of its existence, today Hudson's Bay Company owns and operates retail stores throughout Canada...
- Spencer's (department store)