Canadian Tire scoops up Hudson’s Bay name and stripes for $30 million

In a move that taps into Canadian retail nostalgia, Canadian Tire will take over Hudson’s Bay’s iconic brand and visual identity—including its signature multi-coloured stripes.

The $30 million deal, still subject to court approval, includes intellectual property rights to everything from the Hudson’s Bay coat of arms and logos to the HBC name, “The Bay,” and the Stripes design.

It’s a historic acquisition by another legacy retailer, one that’s expected to finalize this summer.

“This choice feels as strategic as it feels patriotic,” said Canadian Tire CEO Greg Hicks in a statement. “Some things are just meant to stay Canadian.”

The move comes amid the ongoing wind-down of Hudson’s Bay’s retail operations, with 74 of its 80 stores—including both locations in Victoria—slated to close.

The company, which began as a fur trading outfit in 1670, opened its first department store in Winnipeg in 1881 and has since become one of the most iconic names in Canadian commerce.

Now, its branding will live on under the Canadian Tire umbrella.

While the fate of HBC’s physical stores is largely sealed, the brand itself will be given a second life—likely appearing in Canadian Tire’s product lines and possibly even in new lifestyle offerings as part of the retailer’s “True North” strategy.

Canadian Tire has also placed bids for a handful of former Bay lease locations, though details on those offers have not been disclosed.

This acquisition may come as a disappointment to BC-based billionaire Weihong Liu, owner of Mayfair Shopping Centre in Victoria, who had been vying to purchase The Bay’s assets in hopes of keeping the storied brand alive on Canadian soil.

“Knowing that The Bay, this national brand that carries Canada’s history, will collapse, I can’t stand by and watch,” Liu said in an emotional social media video earlier this month. She had been criss-crossing the country with a local real estate agent, touring store locations and mapping out her business plan in hopes of restoring the brand to its former glory.

Though Liu’s rescue bid may not have come to fruition, her efforts highlighted just how much Canadians care about preserving their retail heritage.

Now, with Canadian Tire stepping in, there’s hope that the Hudson’s Bay identity—and those nostalgic stripes—will continue to have a place in the country’s commercial landscape for years to come.