The Gap is closing its flagship store in Toronto

Gap's flagship store in Canada has been located at the corner of Bay and Bloor for more than 30 years, but now the location is permanently closing. 

According to a store employee who asked to remain anonymous, the company informed the flagship location's 80+ workers in a message Tuesday that it will be shutting down for good. 

Currently, all retail stores in Toronto are closed for in-person shopping as a result of provincial regulations related to COVID-19, but the company told employees that the Gap location at 60 Bloor St. West, which opened in November of 1999, will not be reopening once the lockdown is lifted. 

This news came as a surprise to employees who've worked at the location for years.

"This was a shock to all employees that the company had decided to give up on its flagship location despite being the number one performer in driving sales in the GTA," the employee told blogTO. "This is heartbreaking news as all employees were like family."

In an email, a spokesperson for Gap Canada told blogTO that the company is closing  a number of stores across the Gap Inc. fleet as part of a company strategy to adapt to the increased demand for online shopping, and this includes the Bloor Street store. 

The spokesperson said the store will officially be shutting down for good in January 2021.

"We remain committed to making appropriate and timely decisions on stores that don't fit our vision for the future of Gap Inc.," they said. "We are confident these closures will help strengthen the health of our company moving forward."