Traditional Muzzleloading Association

The Center of Camp => People of the Times => Topic started by: sse on July 29, 2013, 05:29:19 PM

Title: HBC You've Come a Long way
Post by: sse on July 29, 2013, 05:29:19 PM

"Hudson’s Bay Co. buys Saks for $2.4 billion"

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/jul/29/hudsons-bay-co-buys-saks-24-billion/

Title: Re: HBC You've Come a Long way
Post by: Uncle Russ on July 29, 2013, 10:00:41 PM

Jim, a few years ago my wife and I went shopping for a few days over in Vancouver Canada, of course we had to go to the Butchart Gardens, billed as one of the most beautiful Botanical Gardens in the entire world!
The gardens were beautiful, but......they couldn't hold a light to the Hudson Bay Company Store, which, as it turned out, was just a short walk from the gardens.

Not only is this one HUGE monster of a store, but it carries everything from gold pans to bed pans, from Air Conditioning units to wood fired stoves, and full "furs / skins" from everything you can imagine.
In Canada it was / is very popular to decorate the home with these very expensive "hides with fur on", as they are sometimes referred to.

Huge, beautiful oil paintings depicting the Fur Trade era, from East to West, and even their trade with China  and the Far East simply covered the walls of the store.
This was, and still is, the most impressive store I have ever been in,  in my entire life!

But you're absolutely right!  HBC has come a loooong way.

Here is a picture of the store at night.....all six floors.
The building is built of polished granite blocks, and was remodeled sometime in the late 1940's. And, as beautiful as the building is, it's nothing like what's inside.......

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v143/RussB256/Happy%20Birthday/HBCatnight_zpscb19db83.jpg) (http://http)

And here is what we as Buckskinners think about.......HBC at Ft. Vancouver
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v143/RussB256/fortvancouver_zpsdde5fb50.jpg) (http://http)

Come a long way may? I reckon so..........


Uncle Russ...

Title: Re: HBC You've Come a Long way
Post by: sse on July 30, 2013, 09:12:16 AM

Hey, great comments and pics, Russ...I think the retailer is now known in Canada as 'The Bay'.  I've been to that park in Vancouver, too, most beautiful.  There's something about the weather that makes the foliage and flower growth truly flourish.  Just talked to someone who just got back from, Victoria, a place I've also visited...same thing as far as the beauty.

Anyway, I wonder if you can still get a blanket off the shelf at The Bay...