The Hart retail organization took root in Eastern Canada in 1960, founded by company executive chairman Mr. Harry Hart. A single store was established in the then rural Québec community of Rosemère, just north of the Montréal metropolis. By systematically recognizing market opportunities, Mr. Hart gradually built a modest chain of junior department stores catering to the everyday needs of the grass-roots consumer.

   The chain now consisted of 32 stores operating under the Hart, Géant des Aubaines and Bargain Giant banners in mostly rural Québec. By now, the chain had made inroads into the Atlantic Canada market. 1995 proved to be a pivotal year, as the Hart organization acquired 32 prime locations from the bankrupt Wise/People’s store chain. Hart literally doubled in size over a two month period, expanding to 64 stores and therefore becoming a major player in the Eastern Canada retail market, now operating in Québec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland/Labrador.

   The Hart chain, which was up to this time was a wholly owned subsidiary of Hartco Enterprises, became a completely independent, publicly owned incorporated company with shares traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange.

   Hart expansion plans took a great leap forward with continued growth within its traditional Québec market and now with a bold expansion into the hotly contested Northern and Southern Ontario markets. A total of 14 new locations opened their doors during this period including new locations in the densely populated communities of Whitby, Hanmer Valley and Sudbury, Ontario plus new locations in St-Nicéphore, LaSalle, Cowansville, Laval, Shawinigan, Charlesbourg, Les Saules, Beauport and Trois-Rivières, Québec plus Kirkland Lake and Espanola, Ontario.

   With 73 stores currently operating and more locations slated for 2007, Hart’s current head office and distribution facility located in east-end Montréal was maximized to its limit and could not efficiently continue to support the needs of its existing locations. A new facility was needed, one that was purposely designed to serve a growing number of stores and would house buying and administrative offices, plus a larger warehousing and distribution facility to support its future expansion strategies. In 2005, a 14 acre site was purchased in Laval, Québec and construction commenced on a 220,000 square foot complex. This new building became fully operational in May 2006, designed to support up to 160 stores. The majority of the available space was devoted to a 195,000 square foot distribution centre featuring many automated order-processing functions, 15 receiving/shipping docks and 2 drive-in bays for container shipments, with the balance of the space for executive, merchandising, marketing and administrative offices with sufficient space set aside to accommodate future expansion.

   Expansion plans continued to focus on the lucrative Ontario market with new locations opened in Arnprior, Parry Sound, Kapuskasing, Port Colborne, North Bay, Simcoe, Sault Ste. Marie and Hamilton, Ontario. New stores were also opened in La Sarre, Amos, Ville-Marie, Sherbrooke and Les Iles-de-la-Madeleine, Québec. Two new locations were also added in St. John’s and Clarenville, Newfoundland and one in Caraquet, New Brunswick.

   Hart celebrates its 50th Anniversary with a total of 92 stores operating in Ontario, Québec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland/Labrador; a milestone that all associates in the stores and Head Office are rightfully proud. Stores range in size from 20,000 to 45,000 square feet and offer an impressive variety of fashion and basic apparel lines plus footwear for every family member and age bracket plus a wide selection of home furnishings, housewares, giftware, toys, bed & bath and accent furniture items. Throughout the product mix, value-oriented pricing along with a strong promotional program, excellent customer service and strategic locations assure remarkable customer loyalty in a competitive retail environment.