The End of Eaton's : Retail Evolution October 1999

Summary: The changing retail marketplace, the inevitable passage of time, and what many see as the natural decline of an institution unable to change with the times are just some of the issues that this story represents. It is not, however, simply a business story, since for 129 years Eaton’s represented a quintessentially Canadian institution and part of the national identity. For some, the disappearance of an icon with direct connections to personal and family traditions is to some extent a loss of a collective sense of self. To younger Canadians, it may simply be the way of the world. Whatever one’s reaction, the demise of this “family business” signals social and economic changes that affect how Canadians shop and how marketers redefine the nature of retailing.