那些彩色条纹，还会继续在我们身边

加拿大最老牌的零售品牌 Hudson’s Bay，在今年 3 月 7 日正式向安省高等法院申请了债权人保护，也就是我们常说的“破产重组”。这家公司目前背负着接近 10 亿加元的债务，涉及大约 1900 个债权人，包括房东、供应商、金融机构等等，可以说是到了山穷水尽的地步，不得不启动《公司债权人安排法》下的重组程序。

前几个周末我特意去了他们在多伦多市中心的旗舰店，整个商店都在清仓，很多东西甚至打到了三折。店里人山人海，但走在里面，心里却涌上一种淡淡的惆怅，真的像是一个时代的结束。

但是前天忽然看到新闻说加拿大另一个著名的零售店Canadian Tire 这周宣布将以 3000 万加元买下 Hudson’s Bay 的知识产权。那么这个IP的“打包”里面包括大家熟悉的多彩条纹图案、盾徽、Gluckstein 和 Distinctly Home 家居品牌、Hudson North 服装线，还有最值钱的，就是Hudson’s Bay 这个品牌名字。

三千万加元虽然不算是个小数字，但是能够获得Bay这些最值钱的财产，真的可以说是捡了一个大便宜货。这个也就是说，以后我们可能会在 Canadian Tire 自家旗下的 1700 家门店，比如 SportChek、Mark’s 和 Party City，继续看到这些带有Bay品牌特征的产品，那些经典的彩条毛毯、咖啡杯、围巾等会继续在Canadian Tire的货架上保留下去。

那么为什么 Canadian Tire 会出手接盘？CEO Greg Hicks 给出了一个让人心头一暖的说法：“有些东西就该留在加拿大。” 他说这笔交易既是“战略性”的，也是“爱国”行为。Hudson’s Bay 的 CEO 也说这些品牌能够留在同样一个历史悠久的加拿大公司手里，算是找到了最理想的归宿。

我个人觉得这件事真的挺值得点赞的。

首先，Hudson’s Bay 曾经出过很多实用又有设计感的产品，比如冬季服装、经典家居系列、条纹毛毯等，基本是每个加拿大人生活里都出现过的“标配”。现在这些品牌将会在 Canadian Tire 的体系下继续保留，以后你去 Canadian Tire 买雪铲或换车胎的时候，顺手买条 Bay 的围巾也不是没可能！

其次，Canadian Tire 的门店覆盖面比 Hudson’s Bay 大很多，遍布全国，不仅限于大城市。也就是说，即便你不住在多伦多或温哥华，也可能在家门口重新看到这些熟悉的 Bay 品牌。

另外，在一个越来越多本土品牌被国际巨头收购的时代，Canadian Tire 挺身而出，收下 Hudson’s Bay 品牌，像是一次“民族品牌护航”的举动。也许这并不能扭转零售寒冬的趋势，但至少它让大家看到了一点希望，加拿大人还有能力把属于加拿大的东西留在这片土地上。这几天我刷社交媒体时看到很多加拿大网友都在留言感谢 Canadian Tire，真的好评如潮。

Hudson’s Bay 是加拿大最老的公司，很多人小时候就是在 Bay 买的第一套冬衣、婚礼注册礼单、节日橱窗回忆，它不只是一家百货公司，更是加拿大人生活的一部分。现在这个品牌没被卖给国外投资人，也没有消失在历史里，而是继续活在加拿大人自己手中，对很多人来说是种“情怀被保护”的安慰。

因为Canadian Tire的大力挽救，Hudson’s Bay的这次谢幕并不是真正的“告别”，而是“重生”。虽然门店即将关闭，但品牌的核心元素在 Canadian Tire 的运营下将会继续存在。这对于许多加拿大人来说，这不仅是商业上的转变，更是对国家文化遗产的一种延续，是一次“加拿大人救加拿大品牌”的自救行动。它让经典得以延续，让文化没有断裂。

Those Iconic Stripes Are Staying With Us

On March 7, Hudson’s Bay, Canada’s oldest retail brand, officially filed for creditor protection with the Ontario Superior Court, essentially beginning the bankruptcy restructuring. The company is currently carrying nearly $1 billion in debt and owes money to around 1,900 creditors, including landlords, suppliers, and financial institutions. In short, it had run out of options and was forced to begin formal restructuring under the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act.

A few weekends ago, I made a point to visit their flagship store in downtown Toronto. The entire store cleared out its inventory; many items were marked down to 70% off. It was packed with people, but as I walked through the aisles, I couldn’t help but feel a quiet sadness. It truly felt like the end of an era.

Then just a few days ago, I saw this news: Canadian Tire, another iconic Canadian retailer, announced it would acquire Hudson’s Bay’s intellectual property for $30 million.

This IP “bundle” includes the beloved multicoloured stripes, the classic coat of arms, well-known home brands like Gluckstein and Distinctly Home, the Hudson North apparel line, and of course, the most valuable asset of all, the Hudson’s Bay name itself.

$30 million isn’t a small amount, but to be honest, for everything they’re getting, it feels like a steal. It also means we may soon see these iconic Bay-branded products, blankets, mugs, scarves, maybe even striped pet leashes, on the shelves of Canadian Tire’s 1,700 stores, including Mark’s, SportChek, and Party City.

Why did Canadian Tire step in to do this? CEO Greg Hicks offered a beautifully simple explanation: “Some things are just meant to stay Canadian.” He described the deal as both “strategic” and “patriotic.” Hudson’s Bay’s CEO echoed that sentiment, saying it was comforting to see the brand find a new home in another heritage Canadian company, one that understands its legacy.

Personally, I really appreciate this move.

For one, Hudson’s Bay created a lot of practical, well-designed products over the years, from winter gear to home décor and, of course, the iconic striped blankets. These were staples in many Canadian households. With the brand now under Canadian Tire’s umbrella, these items will continue to be available, perhaps even at better prices. One day, you might walk into Canadian Tire to buy a snow shovel and walk out with a classic Bay scarf too.

Second, Canadian Tire has more stores than Hudson’s Bay, especially outside major cities. So even if you don’t live in downtown Toronto or Vancouver, chances are you’ll still be able to find a piece of Bay heritage at your local Canadian Tire.

And maybe most importantly, in an age when so many Canadian brands are being purchased by foreign investors, Canadian Tire stepping up to preserve a homegrown icon feels like a rare and refreshing act of brand patriotism. No, this may not reverse the tough times retail is facing, but it does give us a little hope that Canadians still have the power to keep our cultural and commercial heritage alive. Over the past few days, I’ve seen tons of messages on social media from people thanking Canadian Tire. The public sentiments are overwhelmingly positive.

Hudson’s Bay isn’t just Canada’s oldest company. For many of us, it’s where we bought our first winter coat, registered for wedding gifts, or gazed at those magical holiday window displays as kids. It’s more than just a department store, it’s a part of Canadian life. And now, it hasn’t been sold off to foreign investors or faded into history. Instead, it’s staying right here, in Canadian hands. That, for many people, feels like a comforting kind of closure, or rather, continuation.

Thanks to Canadian Tire’s great decision, Hudson’s Bay’s farewell isn’t really a goodbye. It’s a rebirth. The physical stores may be shutting down, but the brand’s spirit lives on. For many Canadians, this isn’t just a business story. It’s a story of cultural preservation, a story about one Canadian company stepping up to keep a beloved legacy alive.

And in doing so, helping us hold onto a small but meaningful piece of who Canadians are.