It was a sombre occasion at Regina’s Cornwall Centre Sunday – as shoppers paid their final respects to the Bay before it closed its doors for good.
North America’s oldest corporation, the Hudson’s Bay Company filed for creditor protection in March and chose to liquidate all but six of its 80 locations across Canada shortly after.
Many residents who spoke to CTV News talked about the Bay as an important part of the city’s history.
“It’s been here since I was young. My family always wanted to go and shop in there so it’s kind of sad,” Katie Rolfe remarked.
Another shopper, Mathieu Gauvin, shared his disappointment due to company’s rich Canadian history.
“We learned about the history of the Hudson’s Bay company in school. I still teach it in my classes,” he explained.
Wendy Wiest told CTV News formerly worked at the original Hudson’s Bay location in Regina before the store relocated downtown.
“It’s weird. It’s been here since I moved to Regina. It’s been the staple of the mall and now that it’s gone, it’s going to feel a little empty,” she explained.
“For 355 years this store would be open on May 2, it’s less than a month away,” Wiest noted. “To have a Canadian company [close] it’s sad, It’s the circle of life, but it is a sad day.”
