Maxi
TypeDivision
IndustrySupermarket (Maxi)
Hypermarket (Maxi & Cie)
Founded1984 (1984)
ProductsBakery, 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]
ParentLoblaw Companies
Websitemaxi.ca

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.

History

Maxi's second logo from about 1994 to 2001

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

Maxi & Cie logo

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

References

  1. 1 2 3 Select locations
  2. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20110225170753/http://www.maxi.ca/LCLOnline/aboutUs.jsp?lang=en_CA
  3. ↑ "About Us". Loblaw Companies. Retrieved September 16, 2016.
  4. 1 2 "Superstore wars heats up as Provigo opens maxi". Montreal Gazette. Montreal. November 20, 1984. p. 27.
  5. ↑ "Provigo to open nine Maxi stores". Montreal Gazette. Montreal. October 4, 1985. p. B5.
  6. 1 2 "Store's day-care centre works fine say shoppers at Maxi supermarket". Montreal Gazette. Montreal. April 9, 1987. p. G11.
  7. ↑ "Maxi's advertisement page". Montreal Gazette. Montreal. February 19, 1992. p. 59.
  8. ↑ "SUPER MARKS?; SHOPPERS GIVE MIXED VERDICTS ON SERVICE AT FORMER STEINBERG STORES:". Montreal Gazette. November 18, 1992. p. C1.
  9. ↑ "Valdi stores close their doors". Montreal Gazette. Montreal. April 21, 1995. p. C3.
  10. ↑ "Who We Are". Archived from the original on April 9, 2018. Retrieved April 9, 2018.
  11. ↑ "Provigo opens first Ontario Maxi store". Financial Post. Toronto. June 27, 1997. p. 9.
  12. 1 2 "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.
  13. ↑ "Loblaw Expands ITS Maxi Locations in Quebec". February 21, 2005.
  14. ↑ "In St. Leonard, Provigo opening its first Maxi superstore". Montreal Gazette. Montreal. September 25, 1996. p. D1.
  15. ↑ "Maxi - Find a location". www.maxi.ca.
  16. ↑ "Picture of the original Maxi store". Google Streetview.
  17. ↑ "Maxi's advertisement page". Montreal Gazette. Montreal. July 2, 1986. p. D12.
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