Results: The Last Two Zellers (Yes, Zellers) Stores To Finally Close

In Canada, many of us fondly remember Zellers, a comparable chain to Walmart, which opened in Canada in 1931 and was acquired by Hudson's Bay Company in 1978. At one point, there were 350 Zellers stores across Canada. In 2011, HBC announced that it would sell the lease agreements for up to 220 Zellers stores to the US. chain Target for $1.825 billion. The remaining Zellers one by one were closed, until only two stores remained -- one in Ottawa and one in Etobicoke (Toronto). At the end of this month, both of these stores will be closing for good -- so for many in Canada, the real end of an era. Did you ever shop at a Zellers store?

Two people who hold a special place in their hearts, and will definitely miss Zellers are former employees Richard and Maria Hall, who not only met and married while working at Zellers, they also have a huge collection of Zellers memorabilia. Richard worked for the company for 35 years, including time in the marketing department. Over the years he collected dozens of items and photos, including a toy semi-trailer, flyers and even a vintage scale. The couple said if it had not been for Zellers, they would never have met, and will miss the store in Etobicoke, in which they both still shop. Do you know anyone who met the significant other on the job?

If you are Canadian, you may have also shopped at the BiWay stores, which shuttered the last of its 250 locations in 2001 after more than 20 years. Then this news may put a smile on your face -- BiWay is set to make its grand comeback this August with a massive new store in Toronto. The 15,000-square-foot concept location will operate under a dollar store-like model, but where everything is $10 (or less.). Are you glad that BiWay is coming back, and do you hope they will open more locations across Canada?

As a Canadian, which of these retail stores (all of which are gone) do you miss?