Canadian Tire Corporation is set to acquire one of Canada’s most iconic brand portfolios, marking a historic moment in Canadian retail. As the Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC) winds down its operations under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA), Canadian Tire has emerged as the successful bidder in a court-supervised auction for HBC’s vast intellectual property (IP) holdings. The $30,001,670 deal, now subject to court approval, includes not just the name “Hudson’s Bay,” but an expansive trove of historical, cultural, and commercial assets that have defined Canadian department store retail for over three centuries.
The court filings, made public on May 27 reveal that the transaction encompasses far more than just the well-known stripes and the Hudson’s Bay name. Canadian Tire will acquire hundreds of trademarks, including some of the country’s oldest logos, nostalgic catchphrases, and references to discontinued businesses and banners.
Among the most historically significant items is the original name of the retailer, “The Governor and Company of Adventurers of England Trading into Hudson’s Bay,” as well as its heraldic coat of arms—a symbol adorned with four beavers, two elks, a fox, and the Latin motto pro pelle cutem (“a pelt for a skin”). This emblem has symbolized the company’s fur trading origins for centuries and is now included in the asset transfer. The deal does not include the Zellers discount brand that Hudson’s Bay relaunched in 2023 to much fanfare.
From “Bay Days” to Defunct Banners: A Deep Archive of Canadian Retail History
The deal gives Canadian Tire ownership of the “Bay Days” trademark—one of Hudson’s Bay’s best-known sales events—as well as household brand names such as Distinctly Home and Hudson North. Also included are IP assets tied to now-defunct banners and businesses like Home Outfitters, The Room (HBC’s luxury division), and event facility Arcadian Court in Toronto.
Canadian Tire will also gain ownership of private labels like Nordic Fleece, Beaumark Appliances, and Black Brown 1826—brands that have appeared on merchandise in Hudson’s Bay stores in recent decades. The sheer breadth of the IP portfolio underscores the deal’s significance: it is not merely a trademark sale but the transfer of an entire legacy.
Iconic Slogans and Holiday Trademarks Change Hands
The trademarks acquired also include beloved slogans and phrases from HBC and its subsidiaries. Canadian Tire will obtain rights to:
- Zellers’ famous jingle “Lowest price is the law”
- “Shopping is good”
- “More than you came for”
- “Everything under the sun”
- “Bring it home”
In addition, several holiday-themed trademarks—including “Official Store of Christmas,” “Christmas Street,” and “The Official Christmas Book of Gift Ideas”—are part of the transfer. These were commonly used in HBC’s promotional materials, especially during the peak department store window display era.
Hudson’s Bay’s former photo studio business is reflected in trademarks such as “Canada’s Cutest Baby,” “The Official Photographer of Growing Up,” and “The Official Photographer of Winning Smiles.” Other marks reference businesses like 1st Auto, Bay Optical, Bay Flowers, and Pharmamart—retail lines that the Bay has exited over time.
Digital Real Estate: Domains and Social Media Accounts Included
The deal includes a broad set of digital assets. Canadian Tire will gain control of key domains such as hbc.com, hbc.io, and thebay.com, along with lesser-known addresses like everyday.ca, mom.ca, and stuff4school.com.
Other domains relate to Kleinfeld, the upscale bridal boutique Hudson’s Bay once operated, and Galeria Kaufhof, the German department store chain previously owned by HBC. Even defensive URLs like thebay.sucks and hbc.sucks are included—evidence of HBC’s strategy to protect its brand from online reputational threats.
One especially notable domain is redmittens.ca, referencing the popular Olympic-themed winter accessories that became a national symbol during the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games.
Pendleton Licensing Rights Part of Deal Structure
A key component of the IP package involves HBC’s longstanding relationship with Pendleton Woolen Mills, the Oregon-based blanket and apparel manufacturer. In 2009, the two parties settled a dispute over trademark usage with an agreement granting Pendleton a perpetual, royalty-free, non-exclusive, worldwide license to use HBC’s Multistripe Design Mark and Bar and Point Design Mark.
Canadian Tire will assume this agreement as part of the sale. While Pendleton’s consent isn’t technically required for the transfer, HBC is seeking a court order to ensure the license assignment is recognized and legally protected during the transition.
Why Canadian Tire Won the Bid for Hudson’s Bay’s Legacy
The $30 million offer from Canadian Tire was chosen over 16 other bids, 13 of which specifically targeted HBC’s IP portfolio. Some of the competing bids were described as “indistinguishable,” prompting advisors to request clarifications and modifications to improve them. Ultimately, Canadian Tire’s proposal was deemed the most favourable in terms of speed, value, certainty, and strategic alignment.
In an affidavit, HBC’s new Chief Financial Officer Michael Culhane stated: “The Canadian Tire bid will allow for the company’s iconic marks and intellectual property to be utilized by another of Canada’s iconic retailers, ensuring that an important part of the company’s legacy will continue into the future.”
Court Hearing and Sale Approval Set for June 3
A hearing to approve the Asset Purchase Agreement is scheduled for June 3, 2025, in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice (Commercial List). As part of that motion, HBC is also seeking to seal a confidential appendix detailing the sales process, citing the commercially sensitive nature of some competing bids.
If approved, Canadian Tire is expected to close the deal by July 15, 2025. In the meantime, Hudson’s Bay has provided temporary transitional rights to signage and digital usage through the summer.
What Happens Next: Leases, Artifacts, and Liquidation
The sale of intellectual property is just one piece of Hudson’s Bay’s broader wind-down strategy. On June 1, 2025, all 80 Bay stores and 13 Saks locations will close, resulting in more than 8,300 layoffs. An additional 899 workers from distribution centres will be laid off by June 15. Only 118 employees will remain to assist with the CCAA process.
Separately, HBC has also reached a deal with B.C.-based mall landlord Ruby Liu Commercial Investment Corp. to acquire 28 store leases, subject to landlord and court approval. Other lease and asset sales are still under review.
The company is also exploring the auction of 4,400 artifacts and art pieces, including the royal charter that originally established the Hudson’s Bay Company in 1670. Prospective buyers, including museums, Indigenous communities, and public institutions, are being invited to sign NDAs to review a virtual catalog as the company finalizes auction procedures.
A New Chapter for an Old Legacy
With this transaction, Canadian Tire is not simply acquiring trademarks—it is becoming the custodian of a national retail legacy. Whether Canadian Tire chooses to revive any of these brands, reimagine them for modern consumers, or preserve them for heritage purposes, the significance of the acquisition is undeniable.
As Hudson’s Bay prepares to exit the Canadian retail stage after 355 years, Canadian Tire will carry forward a collection of names, designs, and memories that helped define the Canadian shopping experience for generations.
Thats extremely interesting that they got the rights to Home Outfitters, and the Zellers jingle but not the Zellers name as part of the deal. Is there thought that someone else got the Zellers name? If not, why would the Zellers name not be included? Did CT not want it?
Very disappointed they did not pick u the Zellers name, can you shed some light on this when possible? Sounds like a huge oversight or missed opportunity or someone else snatched it up first?
How didn’t the Zellers name/ brand get picked up? Canadians love Hudson’s Bay but Zellers after all these years is still beloved and talked about. It’s a brand Canadian tire could turn into something amazing. Please find out what is happening with the Zellers brand? Maybe someone else is buying it? So much potential for the Zellers brand and it’s very versatile
Oh wow i would have thought the Zellers name would have been included in the deal. The Lowest Price is the Law slogan was picked up but not the brand name? Is someone else buying the Zellers brand from HBC? or is it not included in the deal because of the trademark lawsuit HBC had with a Quebec based individual back in 2021? Home Outfitters is dead never caught on, but Zellers oh my how people still miss that store and how i want a place to shop that isn’t Walmart but is similar to Canadian Tire but less automotive/tool focused….. Zellers would have been perfect for CT to pick up and maybe have the option someday to test out stand alone Zellers stores. Can tell you the new generation isn’t working on cars or even buying big tools as much as the last, so CT will have to rethink Canadian Tire in a decade or so