Court Docs Offer Peek at Trove of Hudson's Bay Trademarks Canadian Tire Would Now Own
The Hudson's Bay trademarks Canadian Tire hopes to acquire span well beyond the retailer's name, coat of arms and iconic stripes, new court documents show.
If the companies get court approval for the $30 million deal they recently brokered, filings made late Monday show Canadian Tire will own some of the country's oldest logos, its most memorable catchphrases and nods to parts of the Bay business that are now long gone.
Included in the 350-page trove of trademarks are rights to the retailer's original name: the Governor and Company of Adventurers of England Trading into Hudson's Bay.
When the it operated under that name, it was given a coat of arms made up of four beavers, two elks and a fox along with the motto 'pro pelle cutem,' a Latin phrase meaning roughly, 'a pelt for a skin.'
As part of the proposed sale, Canadian Tire will get the rights to the coat along with some more modern vestiges of the 355-year-old brand.
For example, the trove includes the rights to 'Bay Days'—the name of the retailer's most famous sales period—along with trademarks for its household goods brands Distinctly Home and its apparel brand Hudson North.
Related Stories
5/6/2025
5/5/2025
Also in the mix are trademarks for now defunct household goods retailer Home Outfitters, the Bay's famed luxury business The Room, its Toronto event facility Arcadian Court and private labels Nordic Fleece, Beaumark Appliances and Black Brown 1826.
Then, there are the taglines.
Canadian Tire will own the Zellers 'Lowest price is the law' slogan, as well as 'Shopping is good,' 'More than you came for,' 'Everything under the sun' and 'Bring it home.'
There are also many trademarks like 'Official store of Christmas,' 'Christmas street' and 'the official Christmas book of gift ideas,' which were likely used to markets its holiday window displays and catalogues.
Hearkening back to its days running department store photo studios are rights to phrases like 'Canada's cutest baby,' 'the official photographer of growing up' and 'the official photographer of winning smiles.'
Rounding out the group are trademarks like '1st Auto,' 'Bay Optical,' 'Bay Flowers,' and 'Pharmamart,' which alludes to other lines of business that the Bay has largely decamped.
Court filings say Hudson's Bay will ask a court to approve the sale of such trademarks on June 3 as part of the main transaction.
It is also expected to ask for a document describing why it chose Canadian Tire over 16 other bidders to be sealed because it contains commercially sensitive information.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hamilton Spectator
9 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Redesigning the Bay's old stores come with challenges and opportunities
TORONTO - When Hudson's Bay began liquidating all of its stores and hunting for a potential new owner, Ruby Liu was determined not to let Canada's oldest company disappear. The B.C. mall owner made an offer for the company in hopes of restoring it to its former glory, but when Canadian Tire was chosen (court approval pending) to buy its name and trademark stripes, Liu's plan was foiled. Yet she didn't give up. Instead, she brokered a deal to take over up to 28 of the leases held by Hudson's Bay and its sister Saks businesses in Alberta, B.C. and Ontario and transform them into 'a new modern department store.' But making the jump from vision to reality won't be easy, even with her persistence and the billions of dollars reportedly at her fingertips. 'There is a lot of research, a lot of planning, a lot of capital, a lot of logistical challenges, inventory, branding and people that need to be figured out,' said Jenna Jacobson, the Eaton Chair in Retailing at Toronto Metropolitan University. Because Hudson's Bay sold off its real estate years ago, Liu's first task once the liquidation sales end Sunday will be convincing the landlords who own the massive spaces to get on board with her plan or it's unlikely a court will rubber stamp it. Several landlords have told The Canadian Press they are awaiting more details before they decide what to do about Liu, who declined to comment for this story. Don Gregor, an executive vice-president at Aurora Realty Consultants not involved with the deal, suspects their approval will be hard to win. He reasons that landlords like to be in control and usually don't want to have tenants selected for them, especially tenants who will pick up 'trophy leases' with the kind of deep concessions only a business as storied as the Bay could extract. Many of those leases date back to the very inception of the malls or properties they cover and would have rent charges Gregor believes were 'well-below market.' He also figures they had clauses restricting what other tenants could move in and what else could be built on the site. '(Landlords) would have loved if HBC had gone bankrupt and hadn't just fallen apart totally and they just get the space back because all the restrictions that anchor tenant held in that old lease would have gone away,' he said. 'Now, there's going to be a negotiation, like a dance between the two parties, where they have a little bit of give and take.' Liu will come to the table with plenty of business experience. She is said to have made billions through real estate developments in China before she headed to Canada. Once here, her Central Walk business bought British Columbia malls Tsawwassen Mills, Mayfair Shopping Centre and Woodgrove Centre, as well as Arbutus Ridge Golf Course. The shopping centres feature plenty of Canadian mall staples along with rarities like Bass Pro Shops, L.L. Bean and even café kiosks powered by robot baristas. Gregor thinks Liu operates 'very good malls' but will need a 'wonder team of lawyers' to advance a deal as significant and complex as the Bay one. One thing she'll have going for her is that landlords don't like to leave big pieces of their properties in limbo, said J.C. Williams Group retail strategist Lisa Hutcheson. 'In some ways, she makes it easier for them to not have to be worrying about how they're going to fill that large square footage,' she said. If they approve of Liu, they will also have someone to shoulder repairs the Bay neglected to do, Hutcheson said. A handful of its stores temporarily closed last summer because of air conditioning troubles and even more have been plagued with broken escalators for years. Gregor estimates it would cost half a million dollars to repair the HVAC system at just one of the Bay's biggest locations. Elevator fixes or replacements could take a year, he said. And that's on top of the $100 to $150 per square foot he thinks will have to be spent — at minimum — to shape the spaces. 'These stores are several hundred thousand square feet, and that takes a lot to reposition,' Hutcheson agreed. She pointed out La Maison Simons is spending about 18 months transforming some former Nordstrom locations in Toronto. 'And that's with a fully baked concept that they're going off of,' she said. Liu will have to generate a new concept that can go head-to-head with long-established department stores like Simons and Holt Renfrew and the plethora of options online. That will likely mean brokering relationships with suppliers Hutcheson believes will be 'a little bit nervous' because they are still reeling from millions in losses that came from the fall of the Bay. It will also mean hiring a large workforce that will devote themselves to an untested brand and then sell it to customers. Liu has promised to give suppliers and vendors who worked with Hudson's Bay priority when selecting partners for her new venture. She has also said she will prioritize hiring from the Bay's workforce, which stood at 9,364 staff before its demise. 'But between now and when I expect (Liu's) doors will open, will be a gap, and many of them will find jobs,' Hutcheson said. Despite the battery of challenges Liu will have to overcome, Jacobson said the efforts could be worth it for both her and her customers. If Liu uses the opportunity to mirror the overseas department store model with new brands, supermarkets, restaurants, salons, entertainment and other digital experiences, Jacobson thinks Liu will 'usher in a new form of retail' the Canadian market sorely needs. 'If you look at the Chinese department stores, they often act like more of a destination in and of themselves than what we typically see in a Canadian or North American market,' Jacobson said. 'It's a destination where people could spend a significant amount of time ... which is going to be needed in order to have a successful model moving forward.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 1, 2025.
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Yahoo
Redesigning the Bay's old stores come with challenges and opportunities
TORONTO — When Hudson's Bay began liquidating all of its stores and hunting for a potential new owner, Ruby Liu was determined not to let Canada's oldest company disappear. The B.C. mall owner made an offer for the company in hopes of restoring it to its former glory, but when Canadian Tire was chosen (court approval pending) to buy its name and trademark stripes, Liu's plan was foiled. Yet she didn't give up. Instead, she brokered a deal to take over up to 28 of the leases held by Hudson's Bay and its sister Saks businesses in Alberta, B.C. and Ontario and transform them into "a new modern department store." But making the jump from vision to reality won't be easy, even with her persistence and the billions of dollars reportedly at her fingertips. "There is a lot of research, a lot of planning, a lot of capital, a lot of logistical challenges, inventory, branding and people that need to be figured out," said Jenna Jacobson, the Eaton Chair in Retailing at Toronto Metropolitan University. Because Hudson's Bay sold off its real estate years ago, Liu's first task once the liquidation sales end Sunday will be convincing the landlords who own the massive spaces to get on board with her plan or it's unlikely a court will rubber stamp it. Several landlords have told The Canadian Press they are awaiting more details before they decide what to do about Liu, who declined to comment for this story. Don Gregor, an executive vice-president at Aurora Realty Consultants not involved with the deal, suspects their approval will be hard to win. He reasons that landlords like to be in control and usually don't want to have tenants selected for them, especially tenants who will pick up "trophy leases" with the kind of deep concessions only a business as storied as the Bay could extract. Many of those leases date back to the very inception of the malls or properties they cover and would have rent charges Gregor believes were "well-below market." He also figures they had clauses restricting what other tenants could move in and what else could be built on the site. "(Landlords) would have loved if HBC had gone bankrupt and hadn't just fallen apart totally and they just get the space back because all the restrictions that anchor tenant held in that old lease would have gone away," he said. "Now, there's going to be a negotiation, like a dance between the two parties, where they have a little bit of give and take." Liu will come to the table with plenty of business experience. She is said to have made billions through real estate developments in China before she headed to Canada. Once here, her Central Walk business bought British Columbia malls Tsawwassen Mills, Mayfair Shopping Centre and Woodgrove Centre, as well as Arbutus Ridge Golf Course. The shopping centres feature plenty of Canadian mall staples along with rarities like Bass Pro Shops, L.L. Bean and even café kiosks powered by robot baristas. Gregor thinks Liu operates "very good malls" but will need a "wonder team of lawyers" to advance a deal as significant and complex as the Bay one. One thing she'll have going for her is that landlords don't like to leave big pieces of their properties in limbo, said J.C. Williams Group retail strategist Lisa Hutcheson. "In some ways, she makes it easier for them to not have to be worrying about how they're going to fill that large square footage," she said. If they approve of Liu, they will also have someone to shoulder repairs the Bay neglected to do, Hutcheson said. A handful of its stores temporarily closed last summer because of air conditioning troubles and even more have been plagued with broken escalators for years. Gregor estimates it would cost half a million dollars to repair the HVAC system at just one of the Bay's biggest locations. Elevator fixes or replacements could take a year, he said. And that's on top of the $100 to $150 per square foot he thinks will have to be spent — at minimum — to shape the spaces. "These stores are several hundred thousand square feet, and that takes a lot to reposition," Hutcheson agreed. She pointed out La Maison Simons is spending about 18 months transforming some former Nordstrom locations in Toronto. "And that's with a fully baked concept that they're going off of," she said. Liu will have to generate a new concept that can go head-to-head with long-established department stores like Simons and Holt Renfrew and the plethora of options online. That will likely mean brokering relationships with suppliers Hutcheson believes will be "a little bit nervous" because they are still reeling from millions in losses that came from the fall of the Bay. It will also mean hiring a large workforce that will devote themselves to an untested brand and then sell it to customers. Liu has promised to give suppliers and vendors who worked with Hudson's Bay priority when selecting partners for her new venture. She has also said she will prioritize hiring from the Bay's workforce, which stood at 9,364 staff before its demise. "But between now and when I expect (Liu's) doors will open, will be a gap, and many of them will find jobs," Hutcheson said. Despite the battery of challenges Liu will have to overcome, Jacobson said the efforts could be worth it for both her and her customers. If Liu uses the opportunity to mirror the overseas department store model with new brands, supermarkets, restaurants, salons, entertainment and other digital experiences, Jacobson thinks Liu will "usher in a new form of retail" the Canadian market sorely needs. "If you look at the Chinese department stores, they often act like more of a destination in and of themselves than what we typically see in a Canadian or North American market," Jacobson said. "It's a destination where people could spend a significant amount of time ... which is going to be needed in order to have a successful model moving forward." This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 1, 2025. Tara Deschamps, The Canadian Press
Miami Herald
a day ago
- Miami Herald
Beloved Mexican restaurant closing despite Guy Fieri, fan support
Even a visit from Guy Fieri and an incredibly loyal customer base can't protect some restaurants from the realities of the food business. When you don't own the building your business operates in, you lack a clear level of control. Most restaurants sign longer leases. In many cases, five years, with an option for a second five years at a negotiated price increase. Related: Popular sports bar restaurant chain shuts down multiple locations In those circumstances, a restaurant has some level of cost certainty. Rent is often the largest expense (although labor costs can sometimes be), and having it locked down for a decade make it easier to make decisions. When leases end, however, many restaurants find their landlords wanting increases that make their business model no longer viable. Most eateries can raise prices 5-10% every few years, but any more than that and they scare their customers away. Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter If a landlord wants a 20% increase (or even more) that can force an otherwise successful business to have to close. Sometimes, the restaurant might find a nearby location, but moving is expensive, and losing your lease usually means the end for most restaurants. That's essentially what happened for a popular Phoenix taco restaurant despite support from Guy Fieri on "Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives," and an outpouring of customer love. Every city seemingly has dozens of Mexican restaurants and many have unique takes on the taqueria. Some of these offer takes from less-known regions of Mexico while others bring global traditions to the taco. CRUjiente calls itself "a rebirth of Latin cuisine. A modern taqueria with an inventive interpretation of Mexican street tacos," according to its Facebook page. It shares a much deeper explanation of its mission on its website. "Founded in tradition and intermixed with imagination, CRUjiente Tacos is a modern neighborhood taqueria in a lively intimate dining and bar space that interprets the evolution of tacos with redefined renditions of the classic Mexican street taco," it shared. More Food & Dining: Iconic Warren Buffett candy store suddenly closing after 30 yearsWalmart's Sam's Club makes a Costco-style food court changePopular Trader Joe's wine brand has bad news, making harsh choice The eatery offers a classic menu that also bring in items like Korean Fried Chicken. That was one of the inspired menu items that brought Fieri to visit to feature the restaurant on "DIners, Drive-ins, and Dives" Innovation, however, does not pay the bills. In fact, even being popular, and having a large fan base are sometimes not enough. When CRUjiente co-founder Rich Hinojosa shared in April that the restaurant had to close, something magical happened. Fans of the eatery rallied and formed long lines to get one last taste of the food Hinojosa made as executive chef. That support allowed the restaurant to negotiate a short extension with its landlord. In the long-term, however, the math did not make sense. Hinojosa said rising rent costs are forcing the restaurant to close when their lease expires at the end of April. He told Arizona's Family his landlord wanted to raise his rent more than 30% starting in May, along with yearly increases after that. That was more than the business could bear and Hinojosa was wistful and appreciative about it in his statement to the online magazine. "You get to be part of people's lives for a couple hours at a time. For a lot of our regulars, it was a couple of hours, a couple times a week every month, which was really nice," he shared. Despite the fan support, there will be no miracle for CRUjiente as the landlord has not opted to revise the lease terms or offer another extension. The restaurant will officially close after dinner service on May 31. Related: Popular pizza maker closed after Chapter 11 bankruptcy moves forward "Hopefully, this is not the end of our story," the restaurant shared on social media, but Hinojosa made it clear that he has no miracle ready for his staff and customers "I don't have anything in my back pocket. I wish I did," he told Phoenix New Times. "Somehow, I hope, I pray, we'd love to continue. I never felt like CRUjiente had run its course." . The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
