Maxi is a discount grocery retailer based in Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1984 by Provigo, it is a division of Loblaw Companies[3] and the largest of Loblaws' Quebec supermarket chains. Maxi is the Quebec equivalent of No Frills, a chain of franchised discount grocery stores outside Quebec, except that Maxi stores are owned by the company. Over 7,000 people are employed at the Maxi and Maxi & Cie stores across Quebec.
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| Company type | Division |
|---|---|
| Industry | Supermarket (Maxi) Hypermarket (Maxi & Cie) |
| Founded | 1984 |
| Products | Bakery, beer, dairy, deli, frozen foods, gasoline,[1] general grocery, general merchandise,[1] liquor,[1] meat & poultry, produce, seafood, snacks, wine |
Number of employees | 7,000[2] |
| Parent | Loblaw Companies |
| Website | maxi.ca |
History edit
The first Maxi store opened November 19, 1984 in a former Kmart location in Longueuil.[4] At 60,000-square-feet, this store was three times the size of conventional supermarkets.[5] Maxi was intended to be a larger spinoff version of Provigo's Héritage supermarket chain.[4]
By 1987, Maxi had grown to a chain of six locations and three of these stores included a day-care centre for parents to leave their children for up to 90 minutes while shopping.[6] Throughout the 1980s and early 90s, Maxi used a cartoonish elephant as its mascot.[6][7] When Steinberg became defunct in 1992, many of its locations were converted into Maxi stores.[8] In 1993, several Provigo stores (especially the larger ones) were rebranded as Maxi locations. Maxi absorbed the Héritage chain in 1995 to reach a total of 67 locations.[9]
Maxi became a division of Loblaws following the latter's acquisition of Provigo in 1999.[10] Maxi used to have stores in Ontario beginning in 1997,[11] but they were eventually closed or converted to other Loblaws banners (such as Fortinos) in 1999.[12]
There were 90 Maxi stores and 23 Maxi & Cie in 2017 within the province of Quebec.
Maxi & Cie edit
The chain's Maxi & Cie/Maxi & Co. locations are larger and carry a wider variety of general merchandise.[13] The first Maxi & Cie opened on September 25, 1996 on Jean-Talon street in Saint-Léonard, Quebec and is still in operation.[14][15] Some Maxi & Cie outlets are themselves former Maxi stores that were converted because of their larger size. This includes the original store in Longueuil.[16][17]
Like with Maxi, Maxi & Co. used to have stores in Ontario, but Maxi & Co. withdrew from Ontario in 1999 after the Loblaws purchase of the chain.[12] The 1999 movie Pushing Tin had a scene at one of the Maxi & Co. stores in Ontario.
See also edit
References edit
- ^ a b c Select locations
- ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20110225170753/http://www.maxi.ca/LCLOnline/aboutUs.jsp?lang=en_CA
- ^ "About Us". Loblaw Companies. Retrieved September 16, 2016.
- ^ a b "Superstore wars heats up as Provigo opens maxi". Montreal Gazette. Montreal. November 20, 1984. p. 27.
- ^ "Provigo to open nine Maxi stores". Montreal Gazette. Montreal. October 4, 1985. p. B5.
- ^ a b "Store's day-care centre works fine say shoppers at Maxi supermarket". Montreal Gazette. Montreal. April 9, 1987. p. G11.
- ^ "Maxi's advertisement page". Montreal Gazette. Montreal. February 19, 1992. p. 59.
- ^ "SUPER MARKS?; SHOPPERS GIVE MIXED VERDICTS ON SERVICE AT FORMER STEINBERG STORES:". Montreal Gazette. November 18, 1992. p. C1.
- ^ "Valdi stores close their doors". Montreal Gazette. Montreal. April 21, 1995. p. C3.
- ^ "Who We Are". Archived from the original on April 9, 2018. Retrieved April 9, 2018.
- ^ "Provigo opens first Ontario Maxi store". Financial Post. Toronto. June 27, 1997. p. 9.
- ^ a b "Provigo to shut six Ontario supermarkets: Montreal firm's Maxi banner retreats from province on consolidation". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. June 12, 1999. p. B11.
- ^ "Loblaw Expands ITS Maxi Locations in Quebec". February 21, 2005.
- ^ "In St. Leonard, Provigo opening its first Maxi superstore". Montreal Gazette. Montreal. September 25, 1996. p. D1.
- ^ "Maxi - Find a location". www.maxi.ca.
- ^ "Picture of the original Maxi store". Google Streetview.
- ^ "Maxi's advertisement page". Montreal Gazette. Montreal. July 2, 1986. p. D12.