The Hudson’s Bay Company is the great grandfather of retailers. Founded in 1670, it is the oldest company in North America. HBC’s first department store opened in Winnipeg in 1881. The chain now comprises 90 department stores mostly across Canada. In 1960, they purchased Morgan’s, a prominent Montreal department store established in 1845. This was their flagship store built in 1891. Most loyal shoppers call the red sandstone building La Baie (The Bay). The formal name for the high-end store at Phillips Square is La Baie d’Hudson.
