‘We were like a family’: Inside one former employee’s 37-year journey at the Bay

Marlene Bouk of Fonthill worked at the Bay for 37 years. Here she is seen standing in front of her workplace (Photo by Marlene Bouk)

When Marlene Bouk of Fonthill, Ont., first stepped into Hudson’s Bay, she never imagined she would spend nearly four decades weaving herself into the fabric of the iconic Canadian retailer.

Her journey with the Bay began in 1977 when her son started Grade 1 marking the moment she decided to return to work.

Bouk worked part-time and primarily the evening shift in the ladies’ wear department. She was stationed at the Hudson’s Bay location in Pen Centre mall in St. Catharines, Ont.

“There was always something special going on. It was never boring,” Bouk told CTVNews.ca in a phone interview Thursday.

What made the experience extraordinary was the sense of family that permeated the store. “We were like a family,” she explains, “because we saw each other every day. We always asked how each other’s families were doing.”

Bouk says many friendships were formed from her years at the Bay, and even now, they still get together.

From celebrating marriages to supporting colleagues through personal challenges, the team was deeply connected.

Bouk is one of dozens of readers who reached out to CTVNews.ca to share their special memories of Hudson’s Bay after the company filed for creditor protection in early March and is currently undergoing liquidation at it’s remaining 80 locations across the country with the exception of six stores.

Work hard, play hard

Bouk fondly remembers holiday traditions like Halloween, Valentine’s Day, and even special winter break weeks where they’d set up popcorn machines and giant jellybean counting contests for kids and parents.

“Christmas was always celebrated with a kick off Turkey Dinner in our own restaurant to help us get “in the festive mood!” she wrote in her initial email to CTVNews.ca.

The store’s creativity came alive during their legendary talent shows. Bouk recalls each department would prepare something to present and they would transform the store’s restaurant into a stage for entertainment.

Bouk’s department decided to dress as motorcycle riders. Fully committed to their roles, they even smoked cigars – taking advantage of the era when smoking indoors was permitted.

“We worked hard when we got our work done, but we played hard also,” she laughs.

Their performance was so convincing that their store manager at the time couldn’t recognize his own employees, Bouk recounts.

Her most treasured workplace memento is a silver and gold ring with Hudson’s Bay initials – a symbol of her long-standing commitment to the company. Bouk retired in 2014.

When Hudson’s Bay Co. celebrated 325 years, every employee was given a “beautiful” silver keepsake box, lined with burgundy velvet and with the company’s coat of arms on it, Bouk describes. “I really treasure it,” she says.

As the years passed, Bouk says she witnessed the gradual transformation of her beloved store. “I could almost see things going downhill,” she admits.

She says although recent news of the Hudson’s Bay closures makes her feel sad, the empty shelves, broken escalators, no music and fewer staff became telltale signs of the company’s struggles.

“1670 is when it started. That’s a long time ago. I really hope these six stores make a go. I’m not sure it will, but I’m hoping,” she says.

More than a store

For as long as she can remember, Hudson’s Bay was more than just a store for one devoted shopper – it was part of her family’s history.

Now, 65-year-old Bev Jutras of Saskatoon, Sask., reflects on a lifetime of memories spent within the walls of the Bay.

Her earliest recollections are of her uncle who worked as a Hudson’s Bay employee and delighted in spoiling her and her two sisters with “beautiful, unique,” presents for birthdays and special holidays, Jutras told CTVNews.ca in an email.

Unlike typical childhood presents, these treasures were beyond their years – a bottle of Chanel No. 5, a beautifully beaded evening bag and a ribbon bedecked Moir’s chocolate box for Valentine’s Day, Jutras says.

When she turned 16 in 1975, her love for Hudson’s Bay came full circle as she landed a job at the Regina location’s jewelry counter. “I couldn’t believe that I was lucky enough to work in this beautiful store that sold so many beautiful things,” she recalls.

As she grew older, life led her to Saskatoon, where she pursued university, married and started a family.

Outfitting her growing family with clothes from the Bay became a ritual, and the company’s “great” sales made it an affordable luxury, Jutras say.

Then, in 2011, a new tradition was born. Following the passing of her father, her 86-year-old mother moved to Saskatoon to be closer to her.

The two of them embarked on a decade-long tradition of weekly outings – lunch followed by an afternoon of shopping at the Bay.

“We both felt we were doing our personal best to support our favourite store,” Jutras says.

When her mother passed away in 2022, a stroll past the Clinique counter triggered a wave of emotion.

“I burst into tears, thinking about all the nice times I’d had with my mom,” Jutras says.

Store employees, who had come to recognize the pair over the years, shared kind memories of Jutras’ mother.

The family’s connection to Hudson’s Bay spans generations. When Jutras’ first grandchild was born in 2015 followed by twins the year after, she dressed them in the iconic Hudson’s Bay stripes saying it “always felt so special as it became a multigenerational brand that kept us cozy, from our heads down to our toes.”

Now as news breaks out that the Saskatoon store will be closing, Jutras says it’s sad to hear.

“I’m grateful to have so many fond memories of my mom. The Bay was a big part of those memories. It was my go-to store,” Jutras recollects.

Frances Misquitta of Toronto remembers her time as an employee at the Hudson’s Bay in Yorkdale where she worked from 1989 to 1997. She started part-time while in college and that soon turned into eight years.

She shared photos of memorabilia given to employees.

Tyler Verhaeghe of Edmonton, Alta. recalls visits to the Bay at Southgate mall with his mother and sister in the 1980s and ‘90s. The store’s restaurant was comforting in challenging times for Verhaeghe’s family. He describes the store’s cinnamon buns as the “very best.”

He reminisces about the stained-glass windows that depicted the company’s fur trade history – pictures he pulled from online.

Now as a father, Verhaeghe is scouting sales to dress his own two little boys in Hudson’s Bay stripes. They give him a burst of nostalgia when he watches them play hide and seek at the store.

For Jennie Tschoban, when she lived in Lachine, Que., in the 1960s, she would regularly shop at the Bay alongside other iconic department stores like the Simpson’s and Eaton’s.

When she moved to Gibsons, B.C., two decades later – where she now resides – she continued to make the trip to downtown Vancouver to visit the Bay on Granville Street.

Last Christmas, her son in Orangeville, Ont., sent her a pair of Bay four-striped mitts. “I’ll keep them forever as a memento,” she said.