Latest news with #Hudson'sBayCo.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Have some drinks, try your hand at tinsmithing at this Parks Tacoma happy hour
Ever wanted to try your hand at tinsmithing, leatherworking or soap carving? You'll have three chances this summer as the Fort Nisqually Living History Museum kicks off its 'Homespun Happy Hour' next week. The 21-plus event 'blends the charm of 1850s culture with the fun of a modern happy hour,' according to a Tuesday press release. On June 12, July 24 and Aug. 21, guests will be able to sip locally crafted cider and wine and try crafts like weaving, embroidery and paper marbling. Attendees also will be able to enjoy tarot readings, live music from the Fort Nisqually Music Guild and interact with costumed history interpreters and volunteers. The event runs from 6-9 p.m. on those dates, and tickets are $28 in advance of $34 at the gate. Purchase tickets at or by calling 253-404-3970. Located in Tacoma's Point Defiance Park, the Fort Nisqually Living History Museum features seven historically furnished buildings, in addition to a visitor center and museum store. The site is a restoration of the Hudson's Bay Co. outpost on Puget Sound, the first European settlement on Puget Sound, according to the museum.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
King Charles Canada visit 2025: Here's how royals have paid tribute to Canada in the past— Princess Diana, Kate Middleton, Queen Elizabeth II and more
King Charles is set to make his first royal visit to Canada as the official Head of State. Next Monday (May 26), the King, alongside Queen Camilla, will arrive in Canada for a two-day visit to Ottawa that culminates in the King's speech from the throne to open the 45th Parliament of Canada. Although brief, the highly anticipated visit is an example of the strong bond between Canada and the British Royal Family, and provides an opportunity for royals to show their love for Canada — not only through their public appearances but through their clothing as well. Diplomatic dressing has long been a go-to for royals — specifically women. It's not uncommon for senior members of the Royal Family to plan their tour wardrobes to include tributes and nods to the country they're visiting by wearing the colours of the country's flag or sporting looks from designers native to their host country. When done correctly, royal tour wardrobes are thoughtful (and at times sentimental) with plenty of bright colours, so that royals can easily be spotted by spectators in a large crowd. Ahead, we've scoured the archives of previous royal visits and tours of Canada. Keep reading to see how Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Diana, Catherine, Princess of Wales and more royals have paid homage to Canada over the years. The late monarch's accessories always told a story, especially when she travelled abroad. In 2010, Queen Elizabeth II wore an Enamel Maple Leaf Spray brooch with diamonds and anchored by a pearl during her visit to Canada. The brooch was originally a gift for her grandmother, Queen Mary (then known as Mary Duchess of Cornwall), from the City of Montréal during her first royal visit to Canada in 1901. During her 2010 visit, the Queen celebrated Canada Day in Ottawa in a festive ensemble with then Prime Minister Stephen Harper. The look was similar to a polished Canada-inspired look that she wore during her visit in 1984. In 1951, a then Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh attended a rodeo in Calgary. The Duke was festive in a Stetson while the couple kept warm under a Hudson's Bay Co. blanket. During the tour, the then Princess wore a diamond and platinum Maple Leaf brooch by Asprey & Co.. The piece was gifted to the Queen Mother in 1939 by King George VI ahead of her first royal visit to Canada. Queen Elizabeth inherited the piece upon her mother's death in 2002. It's become a go-to accessory for members of the royal family to wear during official visits to Canada. In 2011, a newly-married Duke and Duchess of Cambridge headed to Canada for their first royal tour abroad. The now Princess of Wales gave a masterclass in diplomatic dressing with her wardrobe that was full of red, white and plenty of maple leaf accessories, including the Queen's brooch and a maple leaf-inspired hat by Sylvia Fletcher for Lock & Co.. Like his grandparents, Prince William and his bride headed to Calgary. The couple enjoyed the Calgary Stampede while dressing in cowboy hats and jeans. In 2016, the then Duke and Duchess of Cambridge returned to Canada, this time with Prince George and Princess Charlotte in tow. Princess Catherine arrived wearing a blue version of her Sylvia Fletcher for Lock & Co.. as well as the Queen's brooch. The eight-day tour included events with then Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The Princess wore a white and red tiered Alexander McQueen dress to visit Canadian Coast Guard crew and first responders in Kitsilano, B.C.. The then Duchess opted for a red draped midi dress by Preen and the diamond maple leaf brooch for a reception at Government House in Victoria. Middleton incorporated red into her tour wardrobe once again, including a red collared Caroline Herrera coat during a visit to Whitehorse. During her visit to the Yukon, the now Princess wore a jacket by Toronto-based outerwear brand, Sentaler. The "Kate Middleton Effect" caused the jacket to sell out within 24 hours of the royal's appearance. In 1983, King Charles (then Prince of Wales) and Princess Diana travelled to Canada for an 18-day royal tour. The visit meant the couple missed Prince Williams first birthday (June 21), but celebrated the Princess's 22nd birthday in Canada on July 1. The tour began in Halifax, with Diana stepping off the plane in a white and red windowpane dress and an ornate red hat by milliner John Boyd. Throughout the tour, the Princess wore several red and white looks that featured elaborate collars and plenty of polka dots. One of the standout looks during the royal tour was a red taffeta gown by Jan van Velden for the tour's farewell banquet in Edmonton. The dress featured a sheer bodice and sparkling red appliqués, and the Princess paired the look with the Spencer Tiara and diamond and pearl drop earrings. The royal tour included some fashion fun as well. The couple donned Klondike period dress while attending a barbecue at Fort Edmonton Park in Alberta. The Princess wore a peach and white taffeta gown by British costume designer John Bright, who won an Oscar in 1985 for his work in A Room With A View. Princess Diana returned to Canada in 1991 for another tour with her former husband, King Charles, as well as her two sons, Princes William and Harry. Diana attended a church service at St. James Cathedral Toronto with her sons wearing a white suit jacket and skirt with red trim. The 1991 tour of Canada included a red houndstooth Moschino jacket as seen in the infamous picture of the Princess running to greet Princes William and Harry on the Britannia in Toronto. In 1991, a 9-year-old Prince William and 7-year-old Prince Harry sported Canadian tuxedos after touring the Canadian frigate HMCS Ottowa with their parents. Although not exactly an intentional homage to Canada, Princess Diana and her sons visited Niagara Falls, Ont. for a trip on the Maid of the Mist, complete with rain ponchos. Queen Camilla (then known as the Duchess of Cornwall) wore Queen Elizabeth's maple leaf brooch during a Remembrance Day memorial in Ottawa. During a 2014 visit to Halifax, the then Duchess of Cornwall wore a cobalt blue coat that featured the Nova Scotia tartan on its lapel, pockets and cuffs. In 1987, the Duchess of York and Prince Andrew arrived in Canada for a 25-day tour across the country. The Duchess arrived for a banquet in Toronto wearing an off the shoulder red and white tuxedo-inspired gown and the York tiara, which was a piece Queen Elizabeth had made for the Duchess for her 1986 wedding.
Calgary Herald
24-04-2025
- Business
- Calgary Herald
Hudson's Bay to start liquidating last six stores, signalling end of historic retailer
Article content Hudson's Bay Co. is planning to begin liquidating six of its stores that it had previously hoped to keep open, signalling the potential end of Canada's oldest department store. Article content HBC started liquidating 90 of its 96 stores last month, but it hoped to attract bids to keep its footprint alive through a 'six-store model.' But the move seems to be negatively impacting the company's ongoing efforts to raise roughly $1 billion it needs to pay back creditors, according to court documents. Article content Article content 'It is unlikely to receive a viable going concern bid based on the proposed Six Store Model,' Adam Zalev, cofounder of Reflect Advisors LLC, HBC's financial adviser, said in the document. 'The exclusion of the six stores from the liquidation sale is negatively impacting (HBC's) realization efforts.' Article content Article content Given the 'low probability of receiving a viable bid,' the company said it wants to start liquidating the remaining stores, which includes its flagship store in downtown Toronto, as well as two others in the Greater Toronto Area and three in the Greater Montreal Area. Article content HBC will still have the ability to stop liquidating these stores or any of its other stores if it receives a viable bid, Zalev said. However, any bid needs to be received by April 30, according to a court order. Article content HBC's latest proposal comes almost a month and a half after it decided to seek protection from its creditors through the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA). The company on March 14 said it would have to liquidate all 96 of its stores unless 'an alternative solution' emerged. Article content Article content After a series of negotiations between its lenders and landlords, HBC received a court order on March 21 that directed it to liquidate all but six of its stores. But HBC's lawyer told the Ontario court on the same day that he wanted 'to be crystal clear' that HBC did not have an agreement on which it could base a restructuring plan. Article content Article content Judge Peter Osborne, who has been hearing the motions at the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in Toronto since March 7, said the more stores 'carved out' from liquidation, the better. Article content It wants to host a separate auction to sell more than 1,700 pieces of art and more than 2,700 artifacts that 'reflect the rich heritage and cultural legacy of the company.' Among them is the Royal Charter, a document that gave the company exclusive trading rights over a portion of Canada in 1670.
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Canadian history to go on the block as Hudson's Bay unwinds its empire
Hudson's Bay Co. wants to appoint a legal representative and create a 'hardship fund' to support its employees, as Canada's oldest department store gradually closes its shops and lays off more workers in the coming weeks as it tries to pay back about $1 billion to its creditors. The company, which employs more than 9,000 people, has sent termination letters to 272 corporate employees and anticipates further reductions, it said in a court document dated April 17. Most employees won't receive severance payments, but workers may get money through the federal Wage Earner Protection Program Act or if HBC manages to recover a 'sufficient' amount of money to pay back its unsecured creditors, the document said. To 'alleviate some of the difficulties associated with the termination of certain benefits,' HBC is in talks with a two lenders to start a hardship fund that can provide financial assistance to its current and former employees, it said. HBC is also seeking court approval to appoint Toronto-based law firm Ursel Phillips Fellows Hopkinson LLP as a legal representative to support the interests of both its current and former employees, which would 'contribute to overall cost savings' and streamlining by 'serving as a single point of contact' between employees, HBC and the court, the company said. Hiring a legal representative for employees during complicated restructurings is a common practice. HBC's proposed law firm has previously represented workers at Nordstrom Canada, Sears Canada Inc. and Air Canada. 'Ursel Phillips Fellows Hopkinson LLP has extensive experience representing large groups of employees and former employees in matters involving employment-based claims,' HBC chief financial officer Jennifer Bewley said in the court document. HBC is also trying to get its proposal to sell its artifacts through a separate auction approved. The company's collection has more than 1,700 pieces of art and more than 2,700 artifacts that 'reflect the rich heritage and cultural legacy of the company,' it said. Among them is the Royal Charter, a document that gave the company exclusive trading rights over a portion of Canada in 1670. A separate auction would make the sale of the art collection more transparent and help ensure that 'all laws and regulations in respect of Canadian heritage and cultural property are adhered to,' Adam Zalev, cofounder of Reflect Advisors LLC, HBC's financial adviser, said in the court document. Several parties, such as government institutions, museums, universities and high-net-worth individuals, have expressed interest in HBC's art collection, he said. Some have also asked that the art collection be made available for public viewing in a museum or other public institution. The auction is expected to take place before June 30. Even so, some historians and analysts are concerned that Canadian organizations may not be able to afford these culturally significant artifacts and that they may end up going abroad. '(The Royal Charter) is an object of national significance, so it would be nice if it could be acquired by a public collection,' Carl Benn, a history professor at Toronto Metropolitan University who previously worked at museums for more than three decades, said. 'Although the cost might be prohibitive.' He said a big issue in Canada is that most public museums and archives don't have enough money to go after the things they should be going after. 'It would be best if (HBC) actually just donated the charter to Library Archives Canada,' he said. 'But I can understand how the legalities and the context of the company going bankrupt are leading it to send something to auction.' Benn said there are laws that prevent the export of such valuable artifacts for a certain period of time in case a foreign buyer purchases it, but he hopes a major Canadian institution can buy it. Retail analyst Bruce Winder said HBC's auction would be a unique event in the retail sector, so it will be 'interesting' to see how it plays out. 'There's going to be some sensitivity around it because these artifacts are going to be seen as very Canadian,' he said. 'There's going to be some public scrutiny about who buys the artifacts and whether they remain in Canada.' April 30 deadline looms: What's next for Hudson's Bay? HBC's restructuring plan opposed by employees, joint-venture partner RioCan Separately, Patrick Shea, a lawyer at Gowling WLG (Canada) LLP and a former member of the Canadian Forces, along with a group of businesspeople and former members of the military, is trying to ensure that Second World War memorials at HBC stores in downtown Calgary and Toronto are protected. 'I am concerned that they may get lost in the shuffle because they have no economic value,' he said of the plaques that combined have the names of about 100 young men who were killed during the war. 'I have written to the Hudson Bay, asking them to preserve the memorials and to ensure that they end up in a proper place.' • Email: nkarim@ Sign in to access your portfolio
CBC
27-03-2025
- Business
- CBC
From meeting Darth Vader to eating at the food court, Waterloo region shoppers remember Hudson's Bay
Social Sharing With Hudson's Bay approaching its last few months, shoppers in Waterloo region reminisced about fond memories of the store, from meeting Darth Vader to eating at the store's Arcadian Court. Earlier this month, Canada's oldest retailer, Hudson's Bay Co., filed for creditor protection and said it intends to restructure the business. All but six stores will be liquidated. All three stores in Waterloo region — those located at Cambridge Centre, Kitchener's Fairview Park Mall and Waterloo's Conestoga Mall — will close. Ian McDonald, a shopper at the Kitchener store, said going to The Bay as a child was "kind of an event" and it's sad to see a Canadian "icon" close. "I'm hopeful they can live on," he said. "We've got a lot of the HBC stripe stuff around the house." Jon Kutt and his wife were shopping around Waterloo's store, looking at home decor items, this week. Kutt says he thinks the Bay's closing is sad considering how much of his childhood he spent there. "My mom used to work at the Bay way back in the 1970s and 80s," he said. "I saw Darth Vader at the Bay in the 70s right after Star Wars came out. David Prowse was at the Fairview Bay." Kutt also remembered eating at the Arcadian Court. "I'd hang out and wait for my mom to finish work. I'd buy all my toys and get my clothes there," Kutt said. "It's a storied franchise," Kutt added. "But it's not what it used to be when it got sold." Kaitlyn Roberts was also in the Waterloo store looking for a deal on clothes and said while losing the Bay is sad, she understands why it is happening. "They have such a large brick and mortar footprint, which is super expensive to maintain," she said. "I think they really fell behind from a user experience standpoint with their online presence and their website and their mobile app." Deal? No deal Barbara Morrison who was at the Kitchener store said she rarely shopped at the Bay in recent years because of its steep prices. "In the last couple of years, the stores have been unkept, almost messy. It didn't feel like it was very well organized to me," she said. What's next for the Bay On Wednesday, Hudson's Bay asked an Ontario court to approve a restructuring agreement that will give the company a few more days to save the six stores that are not among those to be liquidated. The agreement will give the company extra time to find a deal that would help them pay senior secured lenders. Otherwise, the company will have to liquidate the final six stores.
