I swung by the one in Victoria when I was last there but I don’t think I got anything.

I wish the Bay would capitalize on the luxury aspects a department store can offer — quality brands and better service than, say a Walmart or your run-of-the-mill mall store. I can only think of a few occasions when I’ve gotten as poor service at a Ricki’s or a Reitman’s or something along those lines!

@Cynara: basically I was blackmailing you into commenting.

I totally agree with you about the Bay being appealing in its consummate weirdness. I wonder, though, what the Polo Park Bay is like these days? Is it nicer? Or no? I never get down to Polo.

As you know, I have a deep affection for the Winnipeg Bay. Usually I am dismayed–or, let’s be honest CREEPED OUT–when people personify corporations (see every movie by Michael Moore, The Corporation) and what that says about the state of our society vis-a-vis human rights– but the Bay really feels like a character to me. It’s more than a monument to massive consumption. It’s got heart and history that show in its patrons and artifacts. It’s a struggling protagonist in the downtown landscape.

There’s something comforting about how it persists and hangs onto its roots. I feel about it how I feel about my grandparents place. I love that it retains original tile and mannequins and structures that marry the new–and sometimes old–merchandise with its history.

There were days in my undergrad where going to have a hot lunch at the paddlewheel with the septuagenarians was the highlight of my week. Especially after my grandma passed away. Visiting the bay and having a smiling purple-haired lady heap potatoes on my plate made me feel loved and taken care of.

I know that it’s unrealistic for the Bay to persist as is–businesses need to encourage consuming and the Bay, as you point out makes it difficult– and yet I want it to stay the same. I love it, lumps and all.

When I was growing up in a smaller city, these department stores were essential places for getting things like socks, underwear, kitchenwares, toys and games, etc. For a long time a store like the Bay was the only place you could get a decent selection (in terms of brands & styles) of almost anything. Those days are gone – you can get underwear La Senza, kitchen appliances at Costco, toys and games at Toys R Us… and almost everything at Walmart.

Nowadays, although I love the idea of department stores, the only things I can think of that I go out of my way to shop for at a department store are hosiery and bedding (and the latter is becoming less and less efficient). I also have a deep suspicion that the Bay’s gift registry is the only thing keeping them afloat for the most part. You see people in there picking up gifts who would never shop there otherwise.

The Bay in general is something I think a lot about. (And Eaton’s, too.) I do try to make a conscious effort to shop there because I like the idea of a 1-stop department store and don’t want Canada to lose this institution.

I hear that things are changing a bit with their new CEO. I only hope this means they’ll start staffing the stores with enough people to really give the level of customer service that people will remember and come back for. Staff used to know something about items in the department they worked in — now many stores have “central cash”. I can’t count the number of times I’ve gone into a fitting room with an armful of clothes and been astonished at all the discarded clothes and hangers all over the place – and been so turned off of the situation that I’ve not bothered to try on anything at all.

The Bay will have to re-earn customer loyalty, because right now, as you speculate, I bet a lot of their customers shop there out of necessity and convenience, and not out of desire. It’s not too late to turn it around, but it won’t be easy, and it needs to be done carefully. We don’t want another eaton’s aubergine flop on our hands.

Great post!