An Ancaster, Ont., entrepreneur is set to take over 21 former Bed Bath & Beyond and buybuy Baby locations across Canada, including the Heritage Greene location in Stoney Creek.
Doug Putman, whose Putman Investments resurrected Toys”R”Us, Sunrise Records and HMV in the United Kingdom, will now transform the recently defunct American big box store into a “new Canadian home store brand,” tagged as rooms + spaces.
The new outlet, expected to open this summer, will cater to shoppers looking to update spaces in homes, apartments and cottages “that reflect their unique personality and style.”
Products will include essentials like kitchen gadgets and luxurious towels as well as bed wedges, cherry pitters and charcuterie sets.
In a release, Putman said the acquisition was taking advantage of a strong opportunity to invest in Canadian retail and offer “enjoyable in-store shopping experiences.”
“The creation of a new home brand was a natural addition to my retail portfolio, which now provides shoppers with everything they need across the baby, toy and home categories,” Putman said in a statement.
Putman’s company, which employs more than 20,000 people in Canada, the United States and the U.K., will take over more than 800,000 square feet of real estate in the acquisition.
rooms + spaces is expected to hire some 500 associates initially, with more expected over time.
The Ontario locations include:
- Belleville: Bell Front Shopping Centre, 366 North Front St.
- Cambridge: Smartcentres Cambridge, 70 Pinebush Rd.
- East Gwillimbury: Green Lane Centre, 1-18126 Yonge St.
- Kitchener: The Boardwalk, 225 The Boardwalk
- London: Westwood Centre, 3325 Wonderland Rd.
- Richmond Hill: Bayview Ridge Shopping Centre, 225 High Tech Rd.
- Stittsville: 5487 Hazeldean Rd.
- Stoney Creek: Heritage Greene, 1783 Stone Church Rd. E.
- Whitby: Thickson Ridge Power Centre, 1650 Victoria St. E.
- Woodbridge: RioCan Colossus Centre, 67 Colossus Dr.