ICONIC CANADIAN COMPANIES - Part 1

Some maybe new, some maybe old, some my no longer exist, (and if that is the case, I probably won't have my own pic of it, lol), but one thing is for sure - they are Iconic Canadian companies.  Companies which, if mentioned, can be related to as "Canadian" by not only Canadians but others.

Some maybe once Candian and then bought out by Americans or whomever, but it will still be remembered as Canadian.




CANADIAN TIRE STORES

Canadian Tire Corporation, Limited is one of Canada's 60 largest publicly traded companies. The firm operates an inter-related network of businesses engaged in retailing hardgoods, apparel and petroleum as well as financial and automotive services, employing more than 68,000 people across Canada.

The retailer is known for its Canadian Tire "money" which is a pioneering loyalty program first introduced in 1958. It is also known for its innovative advertising achieved through cross-merchandising.

CT at Christmas time...

CANADIAN TIRE GAS STATIONS

Speaking of Canadian Tire money,  if you're a real Canadian, chances are very high you'll have some Canadian Tire money kickin' around in your purse or wallet, in the car, or at home.  Just look what I found digging through my purse, lol:

SHOPPERS DRUG MART

Shoppers Drug Mart Corporation is Canada's largest pharmacy chain with more than 1,241 stores operating under the names Shoppers Drug Mart in nine provinces and two territories and Pharmaprix in Quebec as well as in Hawkesbury, Ontario.
Founded by Murray Koffler, the Koffler family still retains ownership of the Super-Pharm pharmacy which is in Israel, Poland, and China, and uses the same logo as Shoppers Drug Mart and some of the same private-label brands, such as Life Brand and Quo.

BULK BARN

Bulk Barn Foods Limited is Canada's largest bulk food retailer, with 170 stores across Canada.  The company was founded in 1982 by Carl V. Ofield, with its first store opening and headquartered in Richmond Hill, Ontario.

Bulk Barn carries a wide variety of bulk food items sold mainly in bulk bins. Their stores carry over 4,000 products including soup, nuts, trail mixes, candy, and decorating supplies, candy-making ingredients and supplies, dried fruits, vitamins, health, organic and gluten free products, pet foods.
Initially the stores were located in major shopping malls, but now the company has expanded and locations can be found mainly in big box developments, high traffic strip plazas and stand-alone locations. The most common size of a stand-alone Bulk Barn is around 5000 square feet.
A popular product at Bulk Barn is chocolate candy making supplies. Bulk Barn sells candy making molds, chocolate squeeze bottles, boxes, foil wrap, lollipop sticks, and chocolate wafers. Pet food and bird seed are usually available. Dog and cat treats are for sale, as well as pet food for most types of pet. Bird seed can be bought for wild and domestic birds. Baking can be found for most types of cake and pastry. Mixes for scones, muffins, gluten free products, cookies, and cakes can be purchased.






MARK'S WORK WEARHOUSE

Mark's Work Wearhouse, sometimes branded as Mark's, is a Canadian clothing retailer. First opened in Calgary, Alberta in 1977 by Mark Blumes, a former retail executive with the Hudson's Bay Company, it has been owned since 2001 by Canadian Tire. It was originally called Mark's Men's Work Wearhouse, but rebranded as Mark's Work Wearhouse when they started carrying women's clothing in the 1990s.

In Quebec, stores had carried the name "La Ouerâsse," a meaningless French-sounding version of the word "wearhouse," but they were rebranded as L'Équipeur ("Outfitter") in 1990. As of 2007, 39 stores operate under the banner L'Équipeur. They were the official retailer of the Montreal Alouettes football team from 2005-2010.

The company traditionally sold work clothes for labour-oriented jobs, but expanded its selection in the 1990s to include business casual clothing for both men and women, and sportswear as well. In the last few years, the company has expanded its offerings with a series of children's clothing, primarily available in Alberta and British Columbia.

Brands

The chain has a number of exclusive brands, including Denver Hayes, WindRiver (casual), BluePine, Dakota (work/casual wear&work boots; formerly Mark's), WorkPro (work boots) and the new ladies collection, Ispiri. They still carry Levi's, Lee's, Carhartt, Point Zero, J. B. Goodhue, Sorel, Dickies and many other popular brands. The few franchise stores carry different brands such as Columbia.







FRESHCO

FreshCo. is a Canadian chain of discount food stores owned by Sobeys Inc..
The first eight FreshCo stores launched on May 12, 2010 in Brampton and Mississauga, Ontario. By October, 2011, there were 64 FreshCo stores across Ontario.
Many of the stores were renovated and converted from Price Chopper stores.
Prior to the launch of FreshCo, discount grocery chains were built upon the premise that customers who were willing to put up with a store with limited selection, low grade fixtures, stark decor, and in many cases sub-standard quality of products, would be able to save money compared with Traditional grocery stores. The goal of FreshCo was to introduce Canadians to an alternative discount shopping experience that removed some of those "concessions". They called the concept "discount done right".






Source: MFS-Snapshots