Identity area
Type of entity
Authorized form of name
Parallel form(s) of name
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Other form(s) of name
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Description area
Dates of existence
History
Gordon Mackay & Company was a retail/wholesale dry goods business operating throughout Canada. It was established in 1853, by two Scotsmen, John Gordon and John Mackay, who formed a partnership for the wholesale distribution of dry-goods in the City of Hamilton, Canada West. The company was called Gordon & Mackay. In 1859, the Company moved to Toronto, first locating at Wellington Street East, and then at the corner of Bay and Front Streets. In 1899, the Company was incorporated as Gordon Mackay Co. Limited. The great fire of 1904 in Toronto destroyed the Gordon Mackay warehouse. The first retail store was acquired in 1911, and over the next 50 years other stores were added. The more notable retail stores developed include Smith's of Windsor and the Walker Stores chain of department stores. By the early 1960's Gordon Mckay & Company had converted all of its wholesale business to retail.