ZELLERS MONTREAL OFFICES CLOSING
By Adnews Staff
Toronto-based Hudson's Bay Company will gradully close down the head office of its Zellers division in Montreal over the next five or six months and move it to Toronto. The administrative functions of Zellers, the jewel in HBC's retailing crown, will be merged with those of The Bay. However, marketing departments will remain separate. HBC has decided that consolidation in Toronto is a good way to cut costs and try to put more numbers back on the bottom line. Since Wal-Mart moved into Canada Zellers has seen its grip on the discount department store market loosen and its profits plunge. Zellers handles its print advertising in-house. It also has an in-house broadcast production operation. The company hires creative agencies and individuals on a project basis to do broadcast ads.