I have to admit that if you mention The Bay I think of old fashioned jersey knit suits, rows of identical clothes and in general a visually uninspiring store. Apparently the new president Bonnie Brooks is working to change that by embracing both the store's iconic history and the tastes of Canada's more sophisticated consumers. According to the article History Inspired Ms. Brooks has 'shed 800 lacklustre brands and added 250 new ones'.

I take exception to the article's statement "...... in order to make The Bay which lost relevance catering to middle-aged and older consumers in the 1990s, matter to a new audience of younger, hipper consumers." The forty something women that I know stopped shopping at The Bay during the '90's. The fact that The Bay purchased for a long outdated concept of the midlife woman is on their head; because baby boomer women were not coming though the doors other than to buy some perfume or check out the make-up.

If the store appearance and brand selection do improve and I can mix and match quality pieces to maintain my individual style I'll be glad to check it out and hopefully walk out of there with more than a HBC blanket.