Home Outfitters adds two units

CALGARY, ALBERTA — The Hudson's Bay Company last week opened its 18th and 19th Home Outfitters "bed, bath and kitchen superstores" here and in Mascouche, Quebec.

More importantly, the new stores represent just two of the 40 to 50 total stores Home Outfitters is planning to roll out by the end of 2003, said Tammy Smitham, manager of media relations and public affairs, told HTT.

"Our goal is to open stores throughout Canada," Smitham said. "Certainly, we have interest in British Colombia, for example."

The Calgary store marks Home Outfitters second store here, and the Mascouche store is Quebec's fourth — all which operate under the "Déco Découverte" French name. Home Outfitters also has a presence in two other Canadian provinces — 11 stores in Southern Ontario and one in Manitoba.

Morrison said that within Home Outfitters' more than 40,000 square feet of total space, the store offers a variety of home textiles products from a variety of brands — Royal Velvet, Croscill, Wamsutta, Sealy, Umbra, Dan River, KitchenAid, Black & Decker and Oneida, as well as products sold under the Home Outfitters private label brand. About 40 percent to 60 percent of Home Outfitters' selection is home textiles product — bedding, bath products, small rugs and mats, decorative pillows, throws, kitchen textiles and table linens. Said Bill Morrison, general manager: "Customers will be impressed with the selection and convenience when shopping for home decor at guaranteed unbeatable prices."

Home Outfitters is a division of its 330-year-old parent company, Hudson's Bay Company, based in Toronto. Hudson's Bay also owns and operates The Bay and Zellers.