From buffalo robes to brand-name clothes: How ads from The Bay changed over the decades

Calgary Herald

28-04-2025

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1950s: With the Second World War in the rear view mirror, the world's population boomed and so did many countries' economic growth. Cultural and technological advancements abounded as society embraced all things modern. People began to travel more for leisure and The Bay was in tune with the trend.
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1960s: The 1960s brought with it a myriad of changes in how North Americans lived. Men's hair got longer, women's skirts got shorter and stereos got bigger — as big as a couch! The Hudson's Bay Company began using the brand 'The Bay.' Here are some local Bay ads from the decade.
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1970s: This was the decade that saw the birth of video games, an environmental movement, disco, punk music and Star Wars. Advertising played to people's emotions, as opposed to being a direct pitch, but newspaper ads were still seen as the dominant vehicle for relaying detailed information to consumers. This was also the decade when sales of colour TVs took off and within the first few years of the 1970s, colour TVs were outselling black and white models.
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1980s: By the time the 1980s hit, advertising had dramatically changed. Big hair ruled. Everyone watched MTV. Michael Jackson moonwalked and the Internet was born. Ads were seductive, almost naughty. Consumerism was surging during this decade of 'excess, exuberance and experimentation,' says the global consumer brand New Netro Net. 'The focus was on creating memorable experiences that would stick in the minds of consumers.'
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1990s: Enter grunge, cargo pants, cycling shorts and hair scrunchies. Shopping trends and habits were changing fast, and things weren't looking rosy for department stores. Simpsons department store closed in 1991; Woodward's closed in 1993; and, Eaton's shut down in 1999. The Bay, however, retained a loyal customer base for decades, with one favourite shopping/sales promotion for many being Bay Days. Sales in every department on almost everything kept customers coming back again and again.
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2000s: The Bay worked to grow its customer base, selling everything from all-inclusive trips in travel departments to duct cleaning and carpet cleaning services. While the mass of offerings in a one-stop department store appealed to older consumers, young shoppers often looked for boutique-style experiences. The Bay also worked to remind people of the elegance it brought to the department store experience, often through its heritage buildings. The downtown Calgary Bay, for example, opened in 1913. Changes in shopping preferences and the explosion of online shopping, however, ultimately led to the end of this 355-year-old company.
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2025: Hudson's Bay Co. — Canada's oldest company — announced it would be closing earlier this year. At first, The Bay said it would keep six stories open in Ontario and Montreal (as the below articles notes.) But since then, The Bay has decided to shutter all its stores. When will The Bay close? A liquidation sale is ongoing and expected to end by the middle of April.
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