Calgary store. Photo: *Taschen!* website

Markham, Ontario-based bag and luggage retailer Taschen! has shuttered its four Canadian stores amid bankruptcy proceedings. The iconic Canadian retailer operated stores under that name since 1995 and prior to that, it operated under the 'Bree' nameplate, reflecting its then-most prominent in-store brand by German designer Wolf Bree.

The word 'taschen' is German for "bags" (taschen being the plural form of tasche), and the company sold many of them -- including handbags, luggage, attache cases, briefcases, duffles, backpacks, suitcases, trunks, wallets and key pouches, among other product categories. Brands carried in its stores included Tumi, Rimowa, Bric's, Bree, Mandarina Duck, Porsche Design, Offermann 1842, Ted Baker, Kipling, Briggs & Riley, LeSportsac and Jack Georges.

*Inside the Calgary store. Photo: Taschen! website.*

The four shuttered Taschen! stores include two Toronto locations: 162 Cumberland Street (unit 8) and at nearby 29 Yorkville Avenue, as well as stores in Calgary at Banker's Hall and in Montreal, inside of Holt Renfrew-owned Ogilvy.

This is unfortunately the second bankruptcy for the company -- it also went bankrupt in October of 1995. At the time, Taschen! had stores in Vancouver (732 Thurlow Street and at Pacific Centre) as well as on Cumberland Street in Toronto, Banker's Hall in Calgary, and inside of Ogilvy in Montreal. Prior to this, when it operated under the Bree nameplate, the retailer had a number of other locations including at Toronto's Hazelton Lanes (now 'Yorkville Village'), at Toronto's Queen Quay Terminal, and at Edmonton's Manulife Place Phase 2. The same franchisee operated a number of 'Breetique' stores in the 1980's, including stores at Toronto Eaton Centre and inside the former Harridge's stores at Scarborough Town Centre and Bayview Village in Toronto.

Canadian Retail News From Around The Web: July 20, 2016