Canadian Tire: Canada’s Christmas Store
When you bill yourself as “Canada’s Christmas Store”, you know you have some expectations to live up to. Rob Martin, General Manager of the Fort McMurray Canadian Tire outlet, is confident his store and team are ready to meet and exceed those expectations as our region heads into the holiday season.
The local Canadian Tire store is already preparing for the season, as Christmas décor, gift ideas, and even holiday entertaining items have begun to arrive and the team is hard at work getting their respective departments ready to welcome shoppers.
“Most people are aware of our Christmas décor section,” says Martin, “but we have more than just decorations and trees available. From gift items to entertaining, we are a one-stop shop for people looking for virtually anything during the holiday season.”
Canadian Tire, which started out as automotive parts 90 years ago, now boasts the largest selection of Christmas items of any retailer in Canada. The Fort McMurray store has become a central fixture on the local scene for those seeking everything from artificial Christmas trees to gifts for everyone on their list.
Ordering of Christmas décor for the season takes place in March and April, with stock beginning to arrive in the late summer and early fall. Stock is put on the shelves in preparation for mid-November when Canadian Tire begins advertising their items for the season.
As part of their approach to the holidays, Canadian Tire develops entire themes of holiday décor, making it easy for Christmas enthusiasts to create colour-coordinated and cohesive home displays for the season. The Canvas line of merchandise offers décor that is perhaps unexpectedly sophisticated. Good quality, attractive and colourful decorations can be found in this line and in other Canadian Tire Christmas décor, as the retailer is attentive to the needs and demands of their customers.
Every year the Canadian Tire designers choose a “colour of the year” and build a seasonal theme specifically around that shade, but continue to offer décor and items in colours that appeal to a wide audience, from holiday traditionalists to those with a more modern take on the season.
“Every year our designers work to keep our décor on point for the season, but also affordable so that our customers have the opportunity to create a truly wonderful seasonal atmosphere in their own homes,” says Martin.
It takes several weeks to set up the seasonal department as the gardening tools give way to boxes of ornaments, strings of lights and strands of garland. The local store, which has a toy section year round, also brings in additional toy stock for the holidays, which includes all the wished-for Christmas gifts like Lego. By the time Halloween is over and shopper’s thoughts begin to turn to the next holiday, Canadian Tire is ready.
“A good amount of our seasonal stock is on the floor by November 1, but November 12 is when things really swing into full motion with our advertising and promotions,” says Martin.
The other departments prepare well in advance for the season too, with Christmas gift ideas found in virtually every department from housewares to sporting goods.
“We have something for everyone when it comes to gift ideas,” says Martin. “With a wide selection in every department, those looking for great gifts can easily find something to fit their budget and taste.”
Holiday entertaining is also a breeze with the assistance of Canadian Tire, which carries everything from kitchen accessories to glassware perfect for those welcoming visitors for holiday parties or meals.
“In addition to holiday décor and gift ideas, we have so many ways to make holiday entertaining easier,” says Martin.
This year may well prove to be one of the busier years in the Fort McMurray store as residents who either lost their holiday décor in the fire or due to smoke or water damage seek to replace some of these items. Martin feels confident the store and his team will be able to meet the demand during this remarkably busy retail season.
“The team is ready to serve the community this season,” says Martin. “It is tough to know what kind of demand we will see, but as with every year we will do our best to meet the needs of our customers during the holidays.”
Part of meeting this need are Canadian Tire’s generous operating hours, which are 8:00 am – 9:00 pm Monday through Saturday and 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. on Sunday. The local store also adds cashiers and staff during the season to ensure a smooth and quick shopping experience for shoppers.
Canadian Tire has evolved to become a store shoppers turn to when looking to purchase everything from gardening tools and sporting equipment to housewares. With their fresh and exciting approach to Christmas, Canadian Tire has earned the moniker “Canada’s Christmas Store,” while in Fort McMurray this has taken on a more local flavor.
“I guess you could call us Fort McMurray’s Christmas store,” says Martin. When one considers all the holiday and seasonal needs the local store is able to meet, this certainly seems the perfect way to think of Canadian Tire in Fort McMurray, including Canada’s Outdoor Store...another great place for gift giving.
