Lets Get M & S in Canada
 

I emailed Marks & Spencers to ask if they have any plans to bring their stores over to Canada (admittedly I did suggest Alberta). They thanked me for the interest and said they would moniotor the situation. So here's a thought, why dont we all email and ask and then they'll have to.

Just think Ladies, perfect fitting bras,:thumbsup: and gents gorgeous ready meals.:wub:

Here is the link if you fanct it.

https://www.marksandspencer.com/gp/c...&mnSBrand=core

Re: Lets Get M & S in Canada
 

They used to have shops in Canada. I remember 12 yrs ago buying goods from the M & S store in Toronto.

Re: Lets Get M & S in Canada
 

Yup. They pulled out of Canada in about 1999 iirc. I need some new sweaters quite soon. I'd better go to Europe.

Re: Lets Get M & S in Canada
 

They came, They saw, They Were Conquered, they left.

Re: Lets Get M & S in Canada
 

I have to admit, I don't use the Brit stores here but if there was an M&S (especially one with a food hall) I would definitely pop in for treats! Gastropub moussaka....mmmm...:D

Re: Lets Get M & S in Canada
 

However S&M is still alive and well in Canada.

Re: Lets Get M & S in Canada
 

If I remember correctly they closed most of their worldwide stores around the same time...they weren't profitable.

Re: Lets Get M & S in Canada
 

I've always prefered this version:

vidi, vici, veni.

I suppose I'll get banned for that.

Re: Lets Get M & S in Canada
 

Accipere quam facere praestat injuriam

Re: Lets Get M & S in Canada
 

My best S&M (if thats what you meant) story is about my wifes girlfriend from 30 years ago, she wanted to try a bit of Bondage, so got her boyfriend in on it, he took her up to his attic, stripped her naked, tied her to the roof beams. . . . . .
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and then went down the pub for 3 hours, she was not a happy bunny. :rofl:

Re: Lets Get M & S in Canada
 

From M&S to S&M in 10 posts. :thumbup:

Oh no, sorry, it was only 6 posts.
x

Re: Lets Get M & S in Canada
 

I think you missed the trifficly clever joke. If not, I don't get yours.

Re: Lets Get M & S in Canada
 

:p:rofl::thumbsup:

No more veni for me. :(:o

My turn to be banned.

Re: Lets Get M & S in Canada
 

Only if you're a masochist.:blink:

Re: Lets Get M & S in Canada
 

Oh ye of little faith.
x

Re: Lets Get M & S in Canada
 

My sympathies Steve.

Re: Lets Get M & S in Canada
 

They say 'tis better to give than to receive. :thumbup:

I'm OK with that.

Re: Lets Get M & S in Canada
 

You're a nice guy Steve.

Re: Lets Get M & S in Canada
 

Moving on from the risque S&M quips, and the Latin show offs (salve nautem), I've discovered that quality stores don't tend to do well here because of the Canadian psyche, which tends to prefer "disposable" to "durable".

For example, trying to find a decent sofa, a la Tetrad, is proving difficult. Our neighbour explained that people would prefer to spend 500 bucks on a sofa that will last 3 years or so and replace it, rather than spend 5 grand on something they can pass on to their kids.

There's a weirdo logic there somewhere.

Trouble is, the 500 buck sofas look soooooo cr*p!

And that's why M&S, Waitrose, John Lewis etc. will never do well here... Canadians don't want quality.

Re: Lets Get M & S in Canada
 

M&S had close to 50 stores in Canada at one point. They never did well because M&S never got its brand properly established and was seen to be catering to oldies and British expats. Most of the western European stores have also now gone.

Re: Lets Get M & S in Canada
 

Twice.

Posting in a language other than English is against forum rules.

Re: Lets Get M & S in Canada
 

Hi,
I covered this topic a few months ago also emailed them and Next same reply but my Mum knows the MDs daughter !!!!!!!!!! will try and get in touch with her and beg and plead worth a go hey !

Re: Lets Get M & S in Canada
 

Some British stores just don't seem to do well in North America. About 8 years ago Next opened a store in the largest mall in New Jersey...a few months later it had closed.

M & S owned Brooks Brothers clothing stores...again they sold the stores a few years ago.

Re: Lets Get M & S in Canada
 

H&M otoh just arrived.

Re: Lets Get M & S in Canada
 

Pret a Mange (? spelling) had problems when they opened in New York.

M&S went through bad time in the UK, I seem to recall they were very close to being taken over at one time. Perhaps that was the same time they were withdrawing from the world market.

Re: Lets Get M & S in Canada
 

Boots was here for a few years and got swallowed up. WHSmith isn't the place it used to be once Chapters and Indigo came along.

Re: Lets Get M & S in Canada
 

:rofl: only if you post the photo's :eek:

Re: Lets Get M & S in Canada
 

I believe they have already tried to make Canada a success back when I arrived in 96. Disappointed they left Toronto, long way to fly back to the UK to get decent undies and socks and their squash and crisps we all miss:thumbdown:

Re: Lets Get M & S in Canada
 

Yes that was my thought too.
M&S went through a really bad faze around that time.
I remember wishing that I had some money to invest in the then very cheap shares. Sadly I didn't.

They have since turned it around big style and are now going great guns.

There was even a M&S in Moncton NB.

I would love to have them over here again.

Re: Lets Get M & S in Canada
 

Thing is, like Tesco in the US, they would have to cater to local tastes and supply chain to really make it work here. I can't see them shipping goods over from M&S UK to make an entire store. We would end up with a small 'UK imports' section within the store at grossly inflated prices. Forget those ready meals. IGA in Quebec already did a 'UK section' in some of their grocery stores, i don't know how long it lasted or if it still exists.

They would be a pale imitation of the UK stores.

Re: Lets Get M & S in Canada
 

Would they ship it from the UK? I was of the impression that M&S doesn't make any of the stuff it sells. Heinz, Coke and Marlboro are all brands I can think of that are made local to the market where they're sold.

If my local IGA has a UK section, it must be bloody well hidden.

Re: Lets Get M & S in Canada
 

I dunno about Coke and Heinz but Euro-Marlboro are horrible.

Re: Lets Get M & S in Canada
 

My local supermarket was owned by M & S until a few years ago. They stocked a few items such as M & S tea...seasonal items such as Christmas pudding, mince pies etc and easter chocolates. They couldn't bring fresh food into the US...perhaps Canada is the same.

Re: Lets Get M & S in Canada
 

I had some locally made Marlboro in the USSR in 1980. Truly horrible.

Re: Lets Get M & S in Canada
 

At Loblaws and Real Canadian Super Store the UK section contains curry sauce, rice pudding, branston pickles, malt vinegar, marrowfat peas (or whatever they are called), Ribena, Vimto, Tizer, dandelion/burdock etc etc all at inflated prices. In Bells Corners there is a Scottish and Irish store which sells the following http://www.scottishandirishstore.com/N_foods.htm all at pretty high prices as well.

Re: Lets Get M & S in Canada
 

It's not organised into a UK section in this part of Ontario, but everything is available. I usually check the UK section at stores in Michigan and it's invariably stuff that's commonplace in Canada - Weetabix, Salad Cream, hobnobs etc.

Re: Lets Get M & S in Canada
 

You forget that I live on the dark side. I can find many types of couscous at my local IGA, along with every fondue sauce known to man. Decent risotto rice is hard to find. Hell, cans of chilli are hard to find.

I would very much like to get Branston but not enough to travel miles.

Re: Lets Get M & S in Canada
 

Yeah, on the dark side brochettes and a vast array of Vachon products not exported to the light side are available to the fair residents of the People's Republic.

Boots
 

Boots also made a similar foray into Canada (and a few other countries).

They pulled out a few years ago.

Even Powell River BC had a Boots (and briefly had 2 stores).

Sarah

Re: Boots
 

You can get some Boots No. 7 product at Shoppers Drug Mart.