Gateway Newstands [sic] is a chain of convenience stores and kiosks in large office buildings, shopping centres, public places, and transit stations in the United States and Canada. Established in 1983,[2] Vaughan, Ontario-based Tobmar Investments International Inc. (known simply as Tobmar) is the company that runs Gateway Newstands. The stores operate as independent franchisees and sell a wide variety of convenience items from tobacco and lottery tickets; to candy, chewing gum, and non-alcoholic beverages; and newspapers and magazines. There are currently over 500 Gateway franchises in the network. In late 2020, Gateway Newstands, along with its affiliate Tobmar Investments International Inc., decided to wind-down operations at its franchise locations in the United States. [3][4]

Gateway Newstands
Company typeSubsidiary
Industrynewsstand
Founded1983
Headquarters240 Chrislea Road, ,
Number of locations
500+
Area served
Canada, United States
Key people
Mary Kelly - CEO
Kevin Farrell - Chief Operating Officer[1]
Productstobacco, lottery, snacks, soft drinks, newspaper
ParentTobmar Investments International Inc.
SubsidiariesBakery on the Go, Cafe on the Go
WebsiteGateway Newstands
Gateway Newstands at Bloor Yonge subway station in Toronto
Gateway Newstands at Queen station

By May 2022, Gateway Newstands had filed for creditor protection with Gateway owing creditors $20 million. In 2020 and 2021, about 40 Gateway locations had closed dropping from 191 locations at the beginning of 2020 to 150 in April 2022. The business decline was attributed to a lack of foot traffic due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[5]

Gateway Newstands once operated over 300 locations in US and Canada in major urban centers. It had 65 locations in the Toronto subway system since the mid-1990s.[6] It is the exclusive newsstand retailer in North America’s 3rd largest transit system, the Toronto Transit Commission.[7] Competitors to Gateway Newstands accused the Toronto Transit Commission of sole-sourcing.[8]

References edit

  1. ^ "Company Overview of Tobmar Investments International Inc". Bloombery Businessweek. Archived from the original on November 9, 2014. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
  2. ^ "About Us". Gateway Newstands. Retrieved 2020-09-10.
  3. ^ "About Us". Gateway Newstands. Retrieved 2020-09-10.
  4. ^ "Franchising Gateway Newstands". Gateway Newstands. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
  5. ^ Saba, Rosa (May 10, 2022). "Gateway Newstands — a mainstay of TTC stations — goes into creditor protection after getting slammed by the pandemic". Toronto Star.
  6. ^ "GATEWAY - LEASE" (PDF). Toronto Transit Commission. 21 January 2013.
  7. ^ "About Us". Gateway Newstands. Retrieved 2020-09-10.
  8. ^ "TTC lease extension has newsstand competitor crying foul". thestar.com. 2013-01-24. Retrieved 2020-09-10.