Latest news with #Zellers
Boston Globe
30-06-2025
- Sport
- Boston Globe
Will Zellers's goal-scoring touch is a welcome sight in Bruins' deepening prospect pool
'I was pretty surprised that I was getting traded at a young age,' Zellers said Monday at Boston's development camp. 'But to get traded to a place like this — an Original Six team — is pretty special. I was very excited. I will always forever be grateful for Colorado and what they did for me. … But for Boston to believe in me at this age, it's pretty special.' Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Most of the haul secured via Advertisement Welcome to town, — Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) The 5-foot-11-inch winger may not be the most imposing presence on the ice. The same can't be said for the screaming salvos of vulcanized rubber that he uncorked at Warrior Ice Arena. 'You can tell right away that he's just fitting right into the group,' Advertisement As the Bruins look to build up the next wave of young talent to support the likes of David Pastrnak up front, Zellers's stock has soared in recent months given his knack for finding the back of the net. The Maple Grove, Minn., earned USHL Player of the Year honors after scoring 44 goals and 71 points across 52 games with the Green Bay Gamblers — his first full season in the league. Related : Possessing both a sharp wrist shot and a willingness to drive into Grade-A ice for greasy scoring bids, his scoring touch is a welcome addition for a franchise looking to inject more skill into its depth chart. Zellers said he models his game after another player who grew up in Minnesota, Jake Guentzel . At 5-11 and 179 pounds, Guentzel's blistering shot and offensive instincts have helped him score 30-plus goals five times. It remains to be seen if Zellers can replicate that type of production in the NHL ranks, but the winger, who will attend North Dakota in the fall, isn't looking too far ahead as he tries to build off his breakout USHL season. 'They were just talking to me, telling me not to look too much into it — that I'm still a great player,' Zellers said of Boston's message to him after the trade. 'Kind of wanted to make sure that I wasn't questioning myself and my worth and what's wrong with me. So they were just very reassuring about it and just told me to keep playing how it's playing throughout the year. They're really happy with my game.' Advertisement Vashek Blanar looked to take big strides as the Bruins opened development camp. Ken McGagh for The Boston Globe Once an unknown, Blanar stands out early Vashek Blanar couldn't help but scroll through his phone on Saturday afternoon. On the day he found out that 'I've seen a lot on Twitter and YouTube — like, 'Who's this guy?' 'If you Google his name, he doesn't exist.' It's been pretty fun to see that," Blanar said. Despite Blanar's intriguing skillset as a 6-4 defenseman with poised offensive instincts, the Colorado native, who moved back to his parents' native Czechia when he was 4 years old, wasn't exactly viewed as a hot commodity. Related : Blanar was omitted from several draft rankings after the raw prospect spent last season skating in the Swedish junior leagues. The returns Monday were encouraging. The big-bodied blue liner moved the puck cleanly during drills while also wiring a few shots home from the point. Another year in Sweden awaits, but Blanar is excited to join the same organization as Pastrnak, his favorite player. 'I followed him a lot,' Blanar said of Pastrnak, who himself spent two years in Sweden before turning pro. 'It's always been a dream of mine to play in Boston. No. 7 overall draft pick James Hagens joined the other prospective Bruins at development camp. Ken McGagh for The Boston Globe Loose pucks Count Zellers among those who are Oskar Jellvik did not make the trek from Sweden as he recovers from an upper-body injury. 'He's tracking fine,' McQuaid said … Dean Letourneau , Advertisement Conor Ryan can be reached at
Winnipeg Free Press
18-06-2025
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
B.C. mall owner says she wanted to run stores more than she wanted Bay trademarks
Ruby Liu may have lost out on owning Hudson's Bay's name and all its trademarks, but she's not bitter because she's got designs on her own retail empire. The B.C. real estate maven is seeking court approval for her $6 million purchase of three leases for former Bay locations in malls she owns in the province. 'I wanted to buy the trademarks, but I also like operating actual retail stores more than having the trademarks,' she told The Canadian Press in an interview in Mandarin. 'Owning the Bay's trademark for me is just like being a manufacturer.' Liu's remarks come after a court approved the sale of the Bay name and its trademarks to Canadian Tire Corp. Ltd. for $30 million at the start of the month. The decision gave the retailer, which also owns SportChek, Party City, Mark's and Pro Hockey Life, a vast trove of intellectual property belonging to Canada's oldest company. It includes rights to the Distinctly Home brand, its Hudson North apparel line and trademarks like 'Bay Days' and the Zellers catchphrase 'the lowest price is the law.' Liu, a Chinese entrepreneur who owns three B.C. malls, had made an offer for the trademarks in hopes of using them to revive the Bay. She faced competition from a dozen other people or companies bidding on the Bay's intellectual property, court documents have said. Other than Canadian Tire and Liu, only Toronto investment manager Urbana Corp. has publicly disclosed it was a bidder. 'When I competed with Canadian Tire, I had to pay more than $30 million and Canadian Tire is very rich,' Liu said of the bidding process, where she said she kept having to increase her offer price. Eventually, she realized she might have to spend $50 million to win the trademarks, so, she said, 'I gave up the bidding.' Hudson's Bay lawyers have said the retailer picked Canadian Tire because its bid was 'the highest and best offer resulting from a competitive process.' Financial advisers who helped on that deal said some of the offers received were indistinguishable, so they sought and obtained modifications to improve them where possible. Liu had better luck when she went up against 11 other parties vying for 39 leases belonging to the Bay and its sister Saks banners. The Bay chose her proposal to take over up to 28 in Alberta, B.C. and Ontario. Anyone who made an offer for leases had to deposit 10 per cent of their estimated purchase price. Court documents show Liu made a deposit of $9.4 million on top of the $6 million for the three leases in her own malls, which would equate to a purchase price of $100 million. The transaction still needs court and landlord approval to move forward. Liu met with landlords in early June. Some have sent letters to Hudson's Bay seeking more information on her plans and outlining 'concerns,' court documents show. The records don't specify what the concerns are but say the Bay is 'hopeful that all matters can be resolved consensually.' In the meantime, it will ask a court on Monday to allow Liu to buy three leases at B.C. malls her Central Walk company owns — Tsawwassen Mills, Mayfair Shopping Centre and Woodgrove Centre. Her plan is to use the spaces and any others she is able to secure to develop a modernized department store she'll name Ruby Liu and market with a scarlet jewel as its logo. Liu said it will sell products like clothing, jewelry and makeup but also have elements for entertainment, kids, seniors, fitness and cosplay — the practice of dressing up as fictional characters. The idea is not to 'just stick to the old ways.' 'I want to innovate,' she said. 'I want to combine the elements of eating, drinking, and having fun with my retail business.' Monday Mornings The latest local business news and a lookahead to the coming week. It's unclear whether the leases she wants to take over allow for such activities or whether landlords would even permit them. If they agree to her plan, she'll first have to revamp the sites she is taking over. Many have broken escalators and are in need of repairs to indoor infrastructure as well as roofs and the outdoor facades. Liu estimates she will spend $30 million to get the spaces at the Mayfair Shopping Centre and Woodgrove Center in tip-top shape, but said it's a necessary expense to executive on her vision. 'I want to change,' she said. 'I don't want my three stores to repeat what the Bay was doing.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 18, 2025.
CTV News
13-06-2025
- General
- CTV News
How a local diner became home to one of the largest teapot collections
It all started with a blue, happy-faced teapot. No one could have ever predicted that one silly purchase from Zellers in the early 90s would grow into a 700-piece collection sitting in a special restaurant up north. Back then, Bell technicians would stop by Westside Fish and Chips in Huntsville, Ont. for toast and coffee in the mornings, shared Debbie the owner of Westside Fish and Chips. All except John Bedore… John was a tea drinker. He liked his water boiled and appreciated that Westside served Tetley tea. One day, on a whim, Debbie said she served John his tea in the cheerful blue teapot that she had purchased. Blue tea pot Westside Fish and Chips in Huntsville, Ont. is home to over 700 unique teapots. This blue teapot purchased from Zellers in the 90s kicked off the start of the large collection. (Supplied) 'Back in the day we had a Zellers and they put all these teapots on sale, some had happy faces, some looked like they were drunk, many different choices, they were just cute. So, I bought the blue happy faced teapot and gave John his tea in it,' shared Debbie. What started as a joke turned into a request. 'Can I have my tea in the happy teapot too?' The blue teapot's little legs made it wobbly and not practical so more were bought. Each with a different expression. When the story reached Debbie's mother who lived in Florida during the winter months, that's when the collection began. That spring, she returned with a pig-shaped teapot, a piano, a woodstove and a typewriter. The collection began to grow not for display, but for use. People didn't just come for tea anymore they came for the unique pots the restaurant offered. Westside Fish and Chips Westside Fish and Chips in Huntsville, Ontario is home to roughly 700 unique teapots. (Supplied) 'We have what's called a '24 plus one' teapot, it's huge. My mom made my dad drive 800 kilomertres out of his way to buy it. As she saw it in the window of a store that was closed at the time in a town they were passing through. Then, she found out that it was 500 dollars for the teapot, yikes! She felt bad for making my dad drive all that way so she bought it,' Debbie told CTV News. While the collection grew, so did the memories. 'My mom brought from 2 to 5 (teapots) home every year and shopped for them up here in the summer. My sister Sharon and I went thrifting every few weeks and found many of them,' she said. Debbie reminisced on a time a handblown glass teapot donated by world-traveling customers shattered during a mop mishap. Or another time a teapot shaped like a toilet, hand-carried back from England for fear it would break in checked luggage. Or a couple who donated over 80 animal-shaped teapots to the store. The walls, shelves, and eventually the entire restaurant filled with character. A collection of over 50 painted ceiling tiles created mostly by Debbie's dad during Florida winters added another layer to the already whimsical space. Westside Fish and Chips Westside Fish and Chips in Huntsville, Ontario is home to roughly 700 unique teapots. (Supplied) Over time, the teapots became part of the community. Regulars brought their grandkids in to see the ones they remembered from their own childhoods. Some customers, worried the restaurant might close and began buying teapots two or three teapots at a time. Now, there are still over 500 teapots, including a full lineup of Christmas-themed ones that come out only during the season. While Westside hasn't closed, there's a bittersweet note in the air. If someone buys the land and tears it down for condos as so often happens it could mark the end of an era. 'I figured I would let go what does go now, and spread the rest around in the empty spaces as we aren't closed, I'm just preparing for the possibility,' she said. Westside Fish and Chips Westside Fish and Chips in Huntsville, Ontario is home to roughly 700 unique teapots. (Supplied) Debbie hopes that one person will keep Westside alive, continue the tradition, and maybe even add to the unique collection. 'I'm really hoping and praying that someone loves our restaurant and buys the land and buildings and continues the restaurant. If they like the teapot idea and want to carry it on, they can keep what's left and start adding with their own teapot collection and their own stories behind them,' she said. While the collection is great the history behind this tradition is even greater. 'It was a shared experience between my mom, my sister and I and the customers. I may have bought the first teapot and told the story that started it everyone still calls Teapot Collection, that's my mom. She talked about Westside to EVERYONE, everywhere,' Debbie concluded.
Hamilton Spectator
03-06-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Hudson's Bay back in court to seek approval for Canadian Tire deal
TORONTO - Hudson's Bay returned to court Tuesday morning to seek approval for a $30-million deal it signed with Canadian Tire Corp. Ltd. If the deal gets the OK from Ontario's Superior Court, Canadian Tire will be able to buy the rights to Hudson's Bay's intellectual property, which includes its name, its coat of arms and its iconic stripes. Court documents have also shown the deal includes the Bay's Distinctly Home brand, its Hudson North apparel line, trademarks like 'Bay Days' and the Zellers catchphrase 'lowest price is the law' as well as a contract with Pendleton Woolen Mills, an Oregon-based blanket and clothing maker. 'The Canadian Tire transaction represents the highest and best process offer resulting from a competitive process,' Hudson's Bay lawyer Ashley Taylor said Tuesday, when asking Judge Peter Osborne to approve the deal. The move to get approval for the Canadian Tire deal comes months after Canada's oldest company filed for creditor protection and days after it closed all 96 of the stores it ran under its Bay and Saks banners on Sunday. Osborne called the weekend closures 'a milestone, albeit an unhappy one' that amounts to 'the end of an era.' Hudson's Bay has said the sale and closures were necessary because the 355-year-old company was not able to attract an investor to keep some semblance of the current business alive. Canadian Tire wound up being the winner of the Bay's trademarks after the company and its advisers invited 407 people and firms to bid on the intellectual property and other assets. Adam Zalev, co-founder of Bay financial adviser Reflect Advisors, said in court documents that 17 bids were received. Thirteen were for intellectual property, but Canadian Tire's was 'superior to all other bids considered,' he said. Taylor asked for a document describing why Hudson's Bay chose Canadian Tire to be sealed because it contains commercially sensitive information, including the amounts offered by the next highest bidders. He said Hudson's Bay will eventually return to court to get approval for B.C. mall owner Ruby Liu to take over up to 28 Bay leases to develop a new department store. That deal needs the support of landlords. He also teased that two other deals concerning some of the other properties the Bay used will be announced soon. Taylor's remarks opened a hearing that is also supposed to deal with a request from RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust, which has a joint venture with the Bay. The venture has leases for 12 properties the department store used, but RioCan wants to put the partnership into receivership to protect its stakeholders and maximize the value it can recover. Receivership is a process allowing a third-party to take control of a company's assets, oversee their liquidation and repay creditors. The court will also be asked to recognize the Bay as the former employer of all the department store's workers who have been terminated. The declaration will allow the Bay's 9,364 staff, including more than 8,300 who have already lost their jobs, to recoup money they may be owed from the retailer under the Wage Earner Protection Program Act. People who qualify under the federal program can earn up to $8,844.22 this year. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 3, 2025. Companies in this story: (TSX:CTC.A, TSX:REI-UN)
Toronto Sun
03-06-2025
- Business
- Toronto Sun
Hudson's Bay back in court to seek approval for Canadian Tire deal
Published Jun 03, 2025 • 2 minute read Store closing signage at the Hudson's Bay Company flagship store at Queen and Yonge Sts. in Toronto on May 28, 2025. HBC is closing all stores on June 1. Photo by CYNTHIA MCLEOD / TORONTO SUN TORONTO — Hudson's Bay returned to court Tuesday morning to seek approval for a $30-million deal it signed with Canadian Tire Corp. Ltd. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account If the deal gets the OK from Ontario's Superior Court, Canadian Tire will be able to buy the rights to Hudson's Bay's intellectual property, which includes its name, its coat of arms and its iconic stripes. Court documents have also shown the deal includes the Bay's Distinctly Home brand, its Hudson North apparel line, trademarks like 'Bay Days' and the Zellers catchphrase 'lowest price is the law' as well as a contract with Pendleton Woolen Mills, an Oregon-based blanket and clothing maker. 'The Canadian Tire transaction represents the highest and best process offer resulting from a competitive process,' Hudson's Bay lawyer Ashley Taylor said Tuesday, when asking Judge Peter Osborne to approve the deal. The move to get approval for the Canadian Tire deal comes months after Canada's oldest company filed for creditor protection and days after it closed all 96 of the stores it ran under its Bay and Saks banners on Sunday. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Osborne called the weekend closures 'a milestone, albeit an unhappy one' that amounts to 'the end of an era.' Hudson's Bay has said the sale and closures were necessary because the 355-year-old company was not able to attract an investor to keep some semblance of the current business alive. Canadian Tire wound up being the winner of the Bay's trademarks after the company and its advisers invited 407 people and firms to bid on the intellectual property and other assets. Adam Zalev, co-founder of Bay financial adviser Reflect Advisors, said in court documents that 17 bids were received. Thirteen were for intellectual property, but Canadian Tire's was 'superior to all other bids considered,' he said. Taylor asked for a document describing why Hudson's Bay chose Canadian Tire to be sealed because it contains commercially sensitive information, including the amounts offered by the next highest bidders. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. He said Hudson's Bay will eventually return to court to get approval for B.C. mall owner Ruby Liu to take over up to 28 Bay leases to develop a new department store. That deal needs the support of landlords. He also teased that two other deals concerning some of the other properties the Bay used will be announced soon. Taylor's remarks opened a hearing that is also supposed to deal with a request from RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust, which has a joint venture with the Bay. The venture has leases for 12 properties the department store used, but RioCan wants to put the partnership into receivership to protect its stakeholders and maximize the value it can recover. Receivership is a process allowing a third-party to take control of a company's assets, oversee their liquidation and repay creditors. Read More The court will also be asked to recognize the Bay as the former employer of all the department store's workers who have been terminated. The declaration will allow the Bay's 9,364 staff, including more than 8,300 who have already lost their jobs, to recoup money they may be owed from the retailer under the Wage Earner Protection Program Act. People who qualify under the federal program can earn up to $8,844.22 this year. Columnists Canada Sunshine Girls Olympics Technology
