Your company has just acquired an aged shopping centre in a secondary market and it’s now your responsibility to bring it back to life. Or maybe your landlord client has thoughts of expanding its long-forgotten, miles-away plaza because of recent residential growth in the area.
The country is scattered with these small commercial plazas and as the population continues to grow outwards into these outlying markets, particularly since remote work, corporate downsizing and the rising costs of city-living, more commercial developers are exploring these distant opportunities. And as it was in the 1950s and 1960s when the suburban boom saw millions move to these new developments just beyond the borders of the major cities, it was the department stores, the mass merchandisers that played an important role in the success and sustainability of these suburban markets across the country.
Though most of those department stores are gone today, and in spite of the growth of online retailing, there still are smaller mass merchandisers, like Hart Stores, Giant Tiger and even the dollar stores are playing an important role in the success and sustainability of secondary markets across Canada.
These chains provide a broad assortment of merchandise, including apparel, housewares, groceries, seasonal products, and everyday essentials, allowing consumers to meet multiple shopping needs in a single visit. This convenience is particularly valuable in the smaller communities where retail options may be more limited than in major urban centres.From a commercial real estate perspective, these everyday-essentials-stores often serve as key traffic generators within neighbourhood and community shopping centres. In addition, their often value-oriented pricing and broad customer appeal attract frequent visits from local residents, helping to increase foot traffic and support surrounding tenants. This can improve occupancy levels, strengthen tenant mix, and enhance the overall performance of a retail property.
For consumers, these junior department stores such as Hart, Giant Tiger, Rossy, Red Apple, Magi-Prix, etc. offer competitive pricing and accessible locations, helping residents save both time and travel costs. Their presence can also reduce retail leakage by encouraging shoppers to spend within their local market rather than travelling to larger regional centres.
As secondary markets continue to grow, these ‘New Anchors’ contribute to economic activity, community convenience, and the long-term viability of local shopping centres. If you find yourself in need of an anchor for your far away plaza, here are a few of those chains that focus on those smaller market opportunities.
The following is information on some of those junior anchors. Sometimes all it takes is a call.
Hart Stores
Hart Stores is a Canadian value-oriented retailer that has been serving communities since 1960. Founded by Harry Hart in the Montreal suburb of Rosemère, the company has grown into a network of over 130 stores offering affordable fashion, home furnishings, housewares, furniture, toys, electronics, and everyday essentials. With a strong presence in smaller and secondary markets across Eastern Canada, from Kapuskasing in Northern Ontario to Prince Edward Island, the stores range in size from 15,000 to 55,000 square feet.
Hart Stores Inc., 900 Place Paul-Kane, Laval, Quebec H7C 2T2 (450/661-4155 www.hartstores.com)
Giant Tiger
Giant Tiger is a Canadian-owned discount retailer that has served communities across Canada since 1961. Headquartered in Ottawa, the company operates more than 260 stores and employs approximately 10,000 team members. Giant Tiger is known for offering affordable family fashion, groceries, home essentials, and seasonal merchandise while focusing on value, convenience, and community engagement. Its unique locally owned franchise model helps stores remain closely connected to the communities they serve, supporting local initiatives while delivering everyday low prices and a customer-focused shopping experience. The stores are generally in the 16,000 to 20,000 square foot range though exception can be much larger.
Giant Tiger, 2480 Walkley Road, Ottawa, Ontario K1G 6A9 (613/526-2416 www.gianttiger.com)
Red Apple Stores
Mississauga-based Red Apple Stores and its the Bargain! Shop brand is a general merchandise retailer operating more than 150 stores in small communities across the country. The company focuses on providing customers with value, convenience, and friendly service through a broad assortment of products, including food, fashion, home goods, footwear, toys, seasonal merchandise, and everyday essentials. With a commitment to serving small-town Canada, Red Apple Stores emphasizes big brands, competitive prices, and strong community connections while delivering a welcoming shopping experience. The stores are in a wide range of freestanding and strip plaza locations.
Red Apple Stores ULC, 6877 Goreway Dr., Suite 3, Mississauga, Ontario L4V 1L9 (800/984-8031 www.redapplestores.com)
Rossy
With a history that dates back from a general store in the early 1900s in Montreal, Rossy stores is a family-owned discount retail chain that has been serving communities since 1963 when Michael Rossy introduced the chain as it has become known. Headquartered in Montreal, the company operates approximately 85 stores across Eastern Canada, including Quebec, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador. The stores are generally in a 15,000 to 20,000 square foot range. Built on a tradition of value, customer service, and community involvement, Rossy offers a broad assortment of affordable merchandise, including apparel, housewares, furniture, seasonal products, food, health and beauty items, electronics, and everyday essentials. With a strong presence in smaller and secondary markets, Rossy has established itself as a convenient one-stop shopping destination, delivering quality products at family-friendly prices while maintaining its commitment to serving local communities.
Rossy, 450 blvd. Lebeau, Saint-Laurent, Quebec H4N 1R7 (514/335-6255 www.rossy.ca)
Magi-Prix
Introduced in the late 1990s in Verdun in Montreal by Hamid Sleiman, Magi-Prix is a discount variety retail chain operating primarily in Quebec. The brand is known for its broad assortment of low-priced everyday goods, including household items, personal care products, seasonal merchandise, toys, gifts and general convenience products. Stores, including those under the L’Entrepot en Folie and Dollar Extra Plus banners, are typically located in neighbourhood plazas and secondary retail centres, serving as value-oriented alternatives to larger department stores. The chain emphasizes affordable pricing and a constantly changing inventory, allowing customers to find new and budget-friendly products on each visit. Magi-Prix locations, such as those in Laval and other Quebec communities, are independently operated under a franchise-style model, contributing to its flexible regional expansion. Overall, Magi-Prix positions itself as a convenient one-stop shop for practical, inexpensive merchandise for local shoppers. The stores are in the 15,000 to 20,000 square foot range.
Magi-Prix Inc., 1880 Chemin Sainte Claire, Terrebonne, Quebec J7M 2E9 (450/838-0008 www.magiprix.com)
Fields Stores
Fields Stores Ltd is a Canadian discount retail chain serving small and rural communities, primarily in Western Canada. The company operates a network of over 65 department-style stores offering a broad assortment of everyday merchandise, including clothing, footwear, home goods, seasonal items, toys, and basic groceries. Fields focuses on providing affordable pricing and convenient local access in markets that may be underserved by larger national retailers. Introduced in the early 1950s, the brand has a long history in Canada, having been acquired by in the Hudson’s Bay Co in the late 1970s, in 2012 about 55 Fields stores in Western Canada were acquired by FHC Holdings Ltd. and continues to position itself as a value-oriented general merchandise retailer supporting community-based shopping needs across British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Northern Ontario regions. CEO is Jason McDougall.
FHC Enterprises/Fields Stores, 19099 25 Ave, Suite 103, Surrey, British Columbia V3Z 3V2 (604/549-9280 www.fields.ca)
The North West Company
Based in Winnipeg in Manitoba, The North West Company Inc. is one of Canada’s leading retailers serving rural, remote, and underserved communities across Northern Canada and Alaska. The company operates a diverse network of stores under banners including Northern, NorthMart, Quickstop, Cost-U-Less, and Alaska Commercial Company. The company specializes in providing food, general merchandise, financial services, and essential everyday products to communities that are often difficult to reach. Its expertise in logistics, local market adaptation, and community engagement has enabled it to build a strong and enduring presence in many remote regions. The North West Company also operates stores in the South Pacific, and the Caribbean.
The North West Company Inc., 77 Main St., Winnipeg, Manitoba R3C 1A3 (204/943-0881 www.northwest.ca)