Photo: Castanet

Shoppers hunt for bargains at the Hudson's Bay store in Aberdeen Mall on Monday, March 24, the first day of liquidation for Canada's oldest company, which is ceasing operations in Kamloops after more than 200 years.

UPDATE: 10:18 a.m.

The union representing more than two dozen workers at the Kamloops Hudson’s Bay store says employees have not heard a peep from Canada’s oldest company about plans to wind down operations.

“We’re just assuming that it will,” Jordan Lawrence, USW Local 1-417 financial secretary, told Castanet Kamloops.

Hudson’s Bay Company was given court approval last week to begin liquidating all but six of its 80 department stores — a move Lawrence described as “absolutely devastating.” All the stores that will remain open are in Ontario and Quebec.

That information has come out through news reports and the court process. Lawrence said employees have been told “absolutely nothing” by the company, aside from a notice last week informing all staff about Friday’s court date in Ontario.

“Not one word,” he said.

“We’ve heard nothing about plans, nothing about the plan to keep the six stores back east open, nothing about what's going to happen at the Kamloops store if there’s a liquidation, when there’s a liquidation, if the store will close, when the store will close — nothing."

'It's hard on them'

Lawrence said the lack of communication is not due to a lack of trying on his part. He said he’s reached out to the company multiple times in recent weeks and heard nothing back.

“Like I said, radio silence — no contact with us whatsoever,” he said.

From his perspective, Lawrence said he would like to make sure HBC’s unionized Kamloops workers get everything they’re entitled to — severance, benefits and pensions.

He said the uncertainty is taking its toll on the workers.

“It’s hard on them, it’s hard on morale,” he said. “Morale wasn’t great anyway, but now when you’re faced with closing the store, your job is now down the drain, and a lot of these people have worked there for a very long time.”

The Aberdeen Mall store was closed for half of last year due to a strike. Lawrence said workers were told when it ended that the store was not in danger of closing.

“These people stayed on board after the strike because we were told, ‘There's no plan to close the store, we are wanting to continue and we want you back to work.'” he said.

“So these people came back to work thinking their job was safe, and now a year later it’s going to be gone."

End of a long era

The liquidation slated for Hudson's Bay is the product of creditor protection proceedings the retailer began earlier this month, when it said lower consumer spending, reduced downtown traffic and trade tensions between Canada and the U.S. had it facing significant financial difficulties.

Hudson's Bay originally thought it would need to shutter all of its stores but, when sales soared so much after it publicized its early liquidation plans, it made enough cash to spare six locations.

The six survivors include the flagship on Yonge Street in Toronto, as well as a location in the city's Yorkdale mall and another farther north in Hillcrest Mall in Richmond Hill, Ont. The remaining three span downtown Montreal, the Carrefour Laval mall and Pointe-Claire, Que.

Lawyers have warned more stores could be saved from the list — or added to it, depending on how the company's hunt for a solution to stabilize the business goes.

Hudson’s Bay Company dates back to 1630, making it the oldest company in Canada. HBC has been operating in Kamloops since 1821, when it merged with the rival North West Company and assumed control of a fort at the foot of Mount Paul.

— with files from The Canadian Press

ORIGINAL STORY: 9:06 a.m.

Shoppers were scoping out deals at the Hudson’s Bay store in Aberdeen Mall on Monday, the first day of liquidation for Canada’s oldest company, which has roots in Kamloops going back more than 200 years.

Hudson’s Bay Company was given court approval last week to begin liquidating all but six of its 80 department stores, as well as 16 specialty stores — a move described as “absolutely devastating” by the Kamloops store’s union representative. All the stores that will remain open are in Ontario and Quebec.

At the Kamloops store, many items appeared to be on sale for 30 to 50 per cent off on Monday afternoon while dozens of shoppers milled about.

There were no obvious indicators the store is closing, but signs posted near the elevator warned shoppers about an impending April 6 deadline, after which gift cards and returns will no longer be accepted.

The company plans to wrap up retail operations in the closing stores by June 15, vacating by June 30.

The Aberdeen Mall Hudson’s Bay store has 30 unionized staff. Across Canada, more than 9,300 workers are employed at 80 Hudson’s Bay stores, three Saks Fifth Avenue stores and 13 Saks off 5th stores.

HBC has been operating in Kamloops since 1821, when it merged with the rival North West Company and assumed control of a fort at the foot of Mount Paul.