Target!

It's finally happened. Target is coming to Canada!

I know as a proud Canadian, I should be observing a moment of silence and mourning the loss of a great national institution, but my sister and I both worked for the Hudson's Bay Company, and I don't think either of us would consider it a particularly great employer. On top of that, two (TWO!) of my siblings were unfairly accused of shoplifting by overzealous security guards there as children. So frankly, Zellers can kiss my enormous butt. And I'm crossing my fingers that JC Penney wants to come in and take down the Bay too.

I've been collecting HBC rewards points since 1987. Back then, they were called Club Z points. I have never used them. I just kept racking them up, dreaming that one day I'd be able to buy myself a lawnmower or something. Well, once the news hit yesterday, I figured I'd better beat the rush, so I hustled over to the website to cash in my 483,000 points. It turns out that 23 years of dutifully handing over my points card has culminated in (drumroll, please...) a $50 gift card. Nothing to sneeze at. A bit of an anti-climax though, I have to admit.

But no matter. Soon, I'll be sifting through Target clearance racks and enjoying way better dollar bins than Zellers was ever able to come up with! I'm looking forward to enjoying amazing deals on shoes, bags and jewellery! Which is not to suggest that I need any of it, of course. Besides, if all the other American takeovers of the last two decades are any indication, I probably shouldn't get my hopes up. Going to Wal Mart usually makes me want to blow my own head off, and an attempted online purchase at Bath and Body Works last week ended in disaster when they tried to charge me $20 shipping for a half-dozen pump soaps. I guess when it comes down to it, you can put a new face on and spruce things up all you like, but you really need that American population and ravenous appetite for consumption, or it just won't be the same.

Still, I'm betting it won't stop us from looking.


Comments

Debra She Who Seeks said…
Actually, the loss of HBC/Zellers as a great Canadian national institution occurred a few years ago when they were sold to an American owner. So really, Target is just one American company buying out another American company.

I stopped shopping at The Bay years ago when I figured out that they regularly jacked their prices up by 25% and then pretended to hold a 25% off sale. I believe they were convicted and fined for it back in the 90s but do leopards really change their spots? Or HBC its stripes?
January 14, 2011 at 8:57 AM
Sandy aka Doris the Great said…
While I'm excited about the prospect of being able to buy the same stuff as I see some of my American blogger buddies toting, my attitude changed somewhat after reading todays post by Suburban Princess. She makes some very valid points about the cost of the goods in Canada and the customer service given. Check her out at http://thelifeofasuburbanprincess.blogspot.com/
January 14, 2011 at 11:20 AM
Unknown said…
Zellers seems to have been in a downward descent here for the last little while. I used to like Zellers, but the last couple of times that I have gone, their stock and selection have been miserable, and the stores always seem dirty. I am excited to check out Target! (I would be sad if Zellers was still Canadian, but seeing as how it is already American, I can enjoy the change, guilt-free!)
January 14, 2011 at 12:32 PM
Linda said…
Enjoy it- it's always nice to have another choice. Living in Maine it takes a while for stores to get to us as well. We do have a Target nearby now.
January 14, 2011 at 2:15 PM
Suburban Princess said…
Someone commented that Target has HIGH CS standards so we will see if they bring them here. I am tired of hearing Cdn employees telling me they are on a break, not in their dept, etc etc
January 14, 2011 at 3:11 PM
Melanie said…
i make the trek to the states for Target every six months or so - however i did notice that when Zellers was bought by an amerrican company they did start to carry some of the same product lines... but i must admit a happy shopping buzz at the thought of the big red carts zooming through the aisles looking for a great deal by some haute couture (sp) designer who has the latest something or other that i must have !!! LOL seriusly though i am one of those canadian girls who just loves the bulls eye dollar bins - bring on the dollar zone!
BTW - also heard the dollar tree is coming, which is awesome too
January 14, 2011 at 4:46 PM
Stephanie Faris said…
I love Target. We don't get to ours as often. It's further away than Wal-Mart...but I would prefer Target any day over Wal-Mart.
January 14, 2011 at 6:28 PM
Junk Girl said…
You will LOVE Target! I could just move in and live in their towel and bedding department and their Archer Farms brand goodies are to die for!

-Andrea
January 14, 2011 at 7:38 PM
Glenda said…
I love target, but I have quite a little drive to get to one. Don't visit often, in fact seldom; but I do love them.....Enjoy!
January 15, 2011 at 1:23 AM
Tamara Dawn said…
Oooh I don't know what I would do without Target. When I moved from Colorado to Wisconsin I had to give up my Super Target. Here they have just a regualr Target. I'm thankful to have a Target at all, but Super Target really was Super! Thanks for your comment at my place. I had a case of the blues ugh. Here's to looking forward to February! lol
January 15, 2011 at 10:29 AM
Laural Out Loud said…
Target is at the top of my Awesome Store Trifecta list (the others being Trader Joe's and IKEA). It is so awesome. I can get clothes on discount cheaper than at Goodwill, and they're good quality! I hope if you get Target, they do it up the same way it is here, because if they do you will be incredibly happy!
January 16, 2011 at 7:57 PM
Dimple said…
I haven't been in a Target store for probably 20 years. I was shopping for school supplies and picked up what I thought was a bargain priced item only to find, later, that a similar but higher priced one had been stocked under the bargain sign. It was not a small display, either. I was incensed at what seemed to be deceptive marketing; I don't know if I will ever shop there again.
January 17, 2011 at 4:13 AM
Nezzy (Cow Patty Surprise) said…
I've been readin' about Target comin' to Canada for ya'll and had no idea that they didn't carry all the same merchandise. If it's any consolation... Walmart (Wally~World) is not my favorite place but it is the only place in Tiny Town.

I hope Target and it's employees surpass your expectations.

God bless and have a most marvelous week! :o)
January 17, 2011 at 9:36 AM
Sandra said…
It won't stop me! I don't find Target all that great for deals though so I wasn't too terribly excited about the news. But Zellers....bah...the lighting is so bad in that place, my complexion looks green! Shut the place down already if you can't afford better lighting!
January 19, 2011 at 5:56 AM
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