It looks like Zellers is taking over abandoned Hudson's Bay at another Ontario mall

Zellers' return to the Canadian market is generating a lot of buzz, with new signs pointing to another impending opening at an Ontario mall.

A recent renovation and rebranding project at Cambridge Centre has unveiled a red paint job on the exterior of the mall's former Hudson's Bay location, leaving shoppers guessing over what could soon take over the 131,500-square-foot vacant storefront.

While the cherry-red paint job had many people thinking Target could make a much-anticipated comeback to the mall, online job postings are now signalling the return of Zellers.

Although now-closed job listings on platforms like Indeed and SimplyHired for Zellers do not explicitly list the Cambridge Centre location, the postings, combined with the storefront's renewed look, have shoppers connecting the dots.

The postings refer to the opening as part of the brand's "relaunch phase," which began in 2025 under new ownership by Les Ailes de la Mode Inc. The company calls this second inning for the Canadian brand's standalone stores "Zellers 3.0," reimagined as more compact, smaller-box retailers than the storefronts were in the '90s.

Avid Cambridge Centre shoppers will know that Zellers first opened its doors at the mall in 1996 following a major expansion project. The location ultimately closed in 2013 as Target prepared for its inaugural launch in the Canadian retail market. Target had a brief stint in the country before folding its Canadian portfolio in 2015.

While the former Zellers real estate at Cambridge Centre was split into smaller units to accommodate stores like SportChek and Marshalls, the brand made a brief comeback as a pop-up location inside Hudson's Bay in 2023.

Now, Hudson's Bay's closure in 2025 has created an opportunity for Zellers to reopen as a standalone location.

The new location will be the fifth store in the country, with one in Edmonton and two already open in Ontario. A site plan of Shopper's World in Brampton shared last week shows another impending Zellers opening, too. 

Social media buzz confirms shoppers are excited to welcome the brand back to the mall. "Zellers coming back is a big nostalgia hit for a lot of people around here," someone commented on an Instagram reel. "The best news ever!" another user said.

Since no official opening date has been announced, you'll just have to keep an eye on the news for more information on when Zellers will welcome you back to browse its lineup of discounted apparel and home goods.

Cambridge Centre is located at 355 Hespeler Rd., Cambridge, Ont.