Zellers will be returning to Newmarket with a pop-up at Upper Canada Mall within Hudson’s Bay Co. set to open by Aug. 11.
Along with Newmarket, 20 other Zellers pop-ups are expected to open across five provinces in less than a month.
The pop-ups will vary from store to store, ranging from 1,000 to 2,800 square feet depending on location. Zellers stores within Hudson’s Bay range from 8,000 to 10,000 square feet.
The company said the relaunched Zellers will offer “a digital−first shopping journey that taps into the nostalgia of the brand.”
The pop-ups serve as strategic market tests to determine future Zellers store locations, according to a news release.
“Pop-ups are a key ingredient in our expansion strategy, allowing us to explore and test in new markets, gather valuable customer insights, and fine-tune our offering before establishing larger format store locations,” said Sophia Hwang-Judiesch, president of Hudson’s Bay. “Our customers are very much part of our growth process, and together we will shape the future of Zellers, building a shopping experience that truly connects with communities across Canada.”
Hudson’s Bay, Zellers' parent company, closed nearly all original Zellers stores in 2013, the final two were closed in 2020. Newmarket had its own Zellers stores at 1111 Davis Dr., which was converted to a Walmart in 2012, and at Upper Canada Mall on Yonge Street, which became a Target in 2013 until it also closed.
However, in 2022 Hudson’s Bay announced it would revive Zellers a decade after closing the discount chain.
The goal of the pop-ups will be to showcase a curated assortment of quality, value and design-led Zellers merchandise, to deliver a “bite-sized taste of Zellers,” according to Hwang-Judiesch.
Hudson’s Bay is using the pop-up model because they believe it can provide a unique opportunity for Canadians to actively demonstrate where they would like to see the next Zellers store open.
The new Zellers locations within Hudson’s Bay will offer home decor items, toys, baby gear, clothes and pet accessories.
Other new Zellers pop-up locations in Hudson’s Bay stores in Ontario include Georgian Mall (Barrie), Mapleview Centre (Burlington), Oshawa Centre (Oshawa), Pickering Town Centre (Pickering), Place d’Orléans (Ottawa), Devonshire Mall (Windsor), and Fairview Park (Kitchener).
