142:. This initial choice would reflect a long-time focus on selecting locations (usually in small towns) that were sheltered from direct competition with other retailers. Reid's intention was to build a national chain, due to his belief that it was necessary to place large-volume merchandise orders in order get the best prices, which could then be passed on to consumers. However, for years it was not possible to put this strategy into effect, as Giant Tiger's expansion was initially extremely slow. In its first year, Giant Tiger’s total sales volume was only $ 139,781, and Reid had to rely upon his wife's income as a teacher to cover expenses. A second store was not successfully opened until 1965, and by the chain’s tenth anniversary in 1971, Giant Tiger had only expanded to six stores, and its survival rested, to a large degree, on the fact that it was servicing uncompetitive markets.
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emphasized the flexibility that it gave his company: "The weakness of the chain stores is that they try to standardize." Such standardization was not possible in a small chain which at the time maintained its low prices by locating in awkward and non-standard spaces such as converted bowling alleys or garages, and which refused to put money into standardized fixtures or furniture, or to invest in standardized office systems. One newspaper reported that "Giant Tiger defiantly pretends the computer hasn't been invented. Its idea of a sophisticated inventory and accounting system is a bigger filing cabinet."
205:, was issued in the late 1960s to Jean-Guy Desjardins. The benefit of this new way of operating was felt immediately. Up to this point, Reid and his small head office staff had been trying to make all key decisions, with the result that, despite its small size, the chain was slow-moving and inflexible. But from the moment the change was made, "the store made money and I didn't have to do anything. did the advertising, he found the location, he merchandised it to suit his customers, he did everything…. And, I thought, 'by golly, that's a good system.' "
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In 2010, even after handing over the reins as CEO, "Reid still goes to work six days a week." However, he claimed that "I have been cutting down my involvement over the years. I used to come in at 6 a.m. and leave at whatever at night. Now I come in when I feel like it and leave when I feel like it."
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grocery store chain. According to Reid, he made this discovery when he spotted the name on the side of the carton from which he was pouring milk into his breakfast cereal. His second choice was "Giant Tiger", a name which had not been trademarked in Canada, although it was then being used by another
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The practice of issuing $ 1 franchises and of attracting the best managers from other chains has continued essentially unchanged since that time. In 2010, Reid reported that the issuing of no-cost franchises to experienced retailers "was a great way to get experienced people. Over the years we had a
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in
Montreal. In 1949, at age 16, Reid went to work full-time in the men's furnishings department at Simpsons after he had been expelled from school for what he described as "misbehaving, setting a bad example, something that was quite small." Over the next six years he gradually rose in the company.
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The company charges franchisees $ 1 up front plus a percentage of annual sales. Before the franchise is handed over, the manager must earn his Giant Tiger stripes by working for the company at least a year. Most franchisees come with recommendations from years of service in the retail business. 'We
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The greater autonomy that could be permitted to franchise owners whose personal financial interests were symmetrical with those of the head office meant that there was less need for Giant Tiger to develop centralized systems. Eleven years after Giant Tiger's first experiment with franchising, Reid
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First, the chain altered its merchandise mix from its original focus on male-oriented merchandise such as hardware and sporting goods to an inventory emphasizing clothing and housewares, designed to attract a primarily female clientele. Since this change was made in the early 1970s, the chain's
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In 2013, news began to spread that the company was exploring the option of a possible sale. While the business remained profitable, Reid, as its largest shareholder, declared that he was looking for other opportunities after being in the business for more than 50 years.
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In the early 1990s, as rumours spread of
Walmart's likely expansion into Canada, Reid began to prepare his company for the challenges that would be associated with a much more competitive retail environment. He became a director of the Washington D.C.-based
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Reid chose Ottawa as the location for his first store because he believed that public service paycheques would ensure a customer base with a stable income. As well, the city still had a relatively uncompetitive retail environment, and in particular, no
125:. Reid was so short of cash that he was unable to afford proper store fixtures, and had to build his own display tables. Initially, he had intended to name his store Top Value Discount, but discovered that in Canada, the "Top Value"
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as his inspiration for this innovation. Making his employees into part-owners of the company ensured that, as in the coop movement, all employees would share a common interest in maximizing profits.
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Reid returned to Canada and in May 1961 opened the first Giant Tiger store, with a $ 15,000 investment. The store was located at the corner of George Street and
Dalhousie Street in
312:. The press release for the award cited both Reid’s history as founder of Giant Tiger and the company’s $ 2 million in annual donations to charity and community associations.
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Second, Reid made the key head office personnel into co-owners of the chain. By 1980, ownership was shared with ten other individuals. In a 1980 interview, Reid credited the
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The third innovation, which Reid has always insisted is the most important component of Giant Tiger's long-term success, was its unusual method of issuing
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At age 22 he completed the company's management training program, but left
Simpson's when he learned that his pay would remain fixed at $ 65 a week.
232:, an executive with over 25 years' experience at Giant Tiger, who had, by this time, already inherited the presidency from Jeff York. Reid remains
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In more later years, Reid slowly relinquished direct control of Giant Tiger. In 1999, Reid resigned the presidency of Giant Tiger in favour of
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and began to travel regularly to
American markets to study Walmart and the survival strategies of its more successful competitors.
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during the subsequent two years that Reid first saw discount stores—a new concept at the time. He was particularly impressed by
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Reid credits Giant Tiger's rapid growth in subsequent years to several changes in the company's business philosophy.
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employees, most of whom had been attracted by the same franchise system that he had introduced decades earlier.
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98:. The discount store concept did not yet exist in Canada, and it therefore represented a business opportunity.
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in downtown
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22:(1933 – July 8, 2023) was a Canadian businessman. He was the founder of
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don't consider a person unless he has oodles of experience,' says Reid.
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70:-based importer, to sell Japanese-made sporting goods to retailers in
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168:. A 1980 article describes Giant Tiger's franchise system this way:
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Laurie McBurney, "Giant Tiger roars loud in the discount jungle".
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Rita Zekas, "Store Gazing: Giant Tiger puts the bite on prices",
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John
Schofield, "Gordon Reid: Lifetime Achievement Award", in
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Mark McNeil, "Giant Tiger built on lots of cheap goods".
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Gordon Pitts, "Tightwad philosophy keeps Tiger running",
82:, to sell to American retailers. It was in the American
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of the discount chains that he had encountered in Ohio.
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Finding a successful formula and expanding (1971–2023)
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and set up an office for
Hacking across the river in
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Gordon Reid died on July 8, 2023, at the age of 89.
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398:Hugh Paterson, "A retail giant earns its stripes",
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Board Member, Canadian
Council of Chief Executives;
519:Vito Pilieci, "New CEO grabs Tiger by the tail",
575:"Giant Tiger founder Gordon Reid has died at 89"
201:The first Giant Tiger franchise, for a store in
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66:In 1955, Reid was hired by Frank Hacking, a
380:"Profiting from the bargain basement," in
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462:Kristin Goff, "Canada's national Tiger",
501:Richard Roik, "Roaring Start for prez."
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549:"Giant Tiger Warehouse Grand Opening"
279:International Mass Retail Association
215:International Mass Retail Association
154:clientele has been about 75% female.
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293:Retail Industry Leaders Association
16:Canadian businessperson (1933–2023)
266:Board memberships and affiliations
26:, Canada’s third-largest chain of
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384:, (Ottawa), vol. 4, no. 5 (1981).
159:agricultural cooperative movement
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613:Businesspeople from Vancouver
330:"About Giant Tiger / History"
371:, November 29, 1999, p. D3.
90:, a chain headquartered in
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420:, July/August 2010, p. 47.
310:Lifetime Achievement Award
300:Lifetime achievement award
479:Oct. 27, 2001, p. B1, B2.
129:was already owned by the
38:Reid was born in 1933 in
577:. CTV News. 10 July 2023
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306:Retail Council of Canada
244:Personal life and death
226:chief executive officer
107:Early years (1961–1971)
74:. In 1957, he moved to
286:Ottawa Heart Institute
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60:Robert Simpson Company
34:Early life (1933–1961)
448:, September 27, 1980.
234:chairman of the board
254:Member of Parliament
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340:on October 28, 2010
477:Hamilton Spectator
418:Canadian Retailer
308:awarded Reid its
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608:2023 deaths
603:1933 births
102:Giant Tiger
56:Woolworth's
24:Giant Tiger
20:Gordon Reid
597:Categories
503:Ottawa Sun
316:References
257:Scott Reid
230:Andy Gross
190:and later
166:franchises
50:suburb of
222:Jeff York
180:Woolworth
127:trademark
92:Cleveland
40:Vancouver
559:28 March
122:Le Droit
48:Montreal
581:10 July
196:Walmart
192:Zellers
84:Midwest
80:Detroit
76:Windsor
68:Toronto
184:Kresge
113:Ottawa
72:Quebec
52:Verdun
188:Kmart
583:2023
561:2016
346:2009
131:Loeb
96:Ohio
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