BRETTON'S: A REQUEST TO READERS

/ Unnamed Rd, Division No. 18, Unorganized, SK S0J, Canada/

This sketch of an un-built Bretton's store is the only image we could find [Image Source]
Do you remember Bretton's, the upscale Canadian department store? It was started in 1985 and became an upscale national retailer with 11 locations. The chain unfortunately closed in 1996.

 We want your pictures and stories of Bretton's for a retrospective we're doing on the store, since it was one of our favourite stores when it was open. 

Bretton's was, at the time, Canada's answer to Nordstrom. Customer service was excellent and the merchandise was relatively upscale. Bretton's lacked Nordstrom's shoe selection, however, and store sizes were generally between 30,000 and 60,000 square feet (the largest being the Toronto flagship store at the Manulife Centre, now Indigo Books).
Polo Park Shopping Centre, Winnipeg, 1986. Image: Winnipeg Skyscraper Forum, trebor204

Bretton's first store was in Ottawa and it was expected to open as many as 50 Canadian stores. According to its Wikipedia page, existing mall anchors blocked many potential Bretton's stores via restrictive clauses.

According to Wikipedia, the 11 Canadian Bretton's locations included:

 We have fond memories of purchasing merchandise at the West Edmonton Mall Bretton's store. Sales staff were exceptionally friendly and helpful. This was in contrast to Eaton's, Sears and The Bay (Now called 'Hudson's Bay'), all of which had minimal customer service at the time. We were disappointed when Bretton's closed and we look forward to Nordstrom's Canadian stores and their remarkable customer service.

If you have information and/or photos of Bretton's, please email us at: insider@retail-insider.com. We'll reference you if you like, and we'd be grateful for your contribution.

Bretton's Wikipedia page: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bretton's