Zellers returning to Ontario mall 14 years after closing

Canadian discount department store Zellers is reviving its long-standing presence at Shoppers World in Brampton, Ontario, as the retailer prepares to return to the mall after closing its doors there 14 years ago.

Zellers is set to return to the Brampton mall, according to a site plan shared on property owner RioCan's website, with a Zellers retail space shown on the layout marked "coming soon."

Avid Shoppers World-goers will remember the Zellers that first opened in the mall in 1998, replacing the big-box department store Kmart, and operated there for the next 14 years, serving the local community's needs for discounted apparel and home goods.

Image via RioCan. 

The longstanding store eventually closed in 2012, after Hudson's Bay Company decided to wind down operations of Zellers locations across Canada, making way for an ill-fated Target expansion into the country and its takeover of former Zellers real estate throughout the province.

Although the multi-million-dollar deal was signed and sealed, Target never opened in the former Zellers location at Shoppers World, and even the Target stores that did open elsewhere in Ontario didn't last long.

But now, Zellers is preparing for its much-anticipated comeback, taking over a large strip in a central location of the mall. It will replace the now-closed Ardenes, right across from guest services.

This move is part of the retailer's recent expansion project to bring Zellers back to the Canadian market, with only three other stores currently open in the country, with one active location in Toronto.

The announcement has already sparked online buzz, with Zellers fans taking to social media to express excitement about its return to Shoppers World. "Finally! Zellers has come back," someone wrote in a Reddit post, while another user said, "Zellers is coming back to the mall, wild." 

Beyond the excitement, the size of the upcoming store has many noting that it's been downsized from its original Shoppers World location. "It's crazy that the entire lower left side from this drawing used to be Zellers, and now it's relegated to a small part of the inner mall," a Redditor points out. 

While many may feel it is disappointing that Zellers now occupies less square footage than when it first joined the mall's directory of businesses in 1998, shoppers should note that Zellers now operates under a new store-concept strategy.

Les Ailes de la Mode Inc., Zellers' owner, calls its latest lineup of openings "Zellers 3.0," with stores purposely smaller than their original locations from the '90s.

With no opening date confirmed, shoppers will need to watch for more information and details on this news.

Shoppers World is located at 499 Main St. S. in Brampton, Ont.