Jacob (clothing retailer)

Jacob (formally known as Boutique Jacob, Inc) is a private five store Canadian chain of women's and girls' clothing store chain based out of Montreal, Quebec. At its peak, Jacob once had over 200 stores all over Canada, usually in malls. In addition to its main brand Jacob, the company operated under the banners Jacob Connexion, Jacob Lingerie, Josef and Danz.

The company was founded in 1977 by its current president Jacob Basmaji. The original store opened in Sorel-Tracy, Quebec and still operates. The first store outside of Quebec was opened in Toronto in 1985. Jacob opened its first US store (in Cambridge, Massachusetts) circa 2000.

Jacob's flagship store is at the corner of Sainte-Catherine and Drummond streets in downtown Montreal.

Stores were shuttered in 2014 and online site ceased operating in 2015. In April 2015 the online site has been restarted offering only their fragrance and plans to open a few stores in Quebec only. Jacob emerged from bankruptcy and will now be operating six stores chainwide, all of which are located in the province of Quebec. Among these five stores is the original 1977 Sorel store and another store in Old Quebec. The other three are all located in Montreal (which includes, among others, the downtown flagship store and another one at Galeries d'Anjou).

In 2005, the company launched Josef, seeking an older demographic which market research suggested were more active spenders.

Jacob had begun closing locations in 2008, shuttering 52 stores with 355 staff in two years. In November 2010, the company was owing $29 million to suppliers and employees, and $8.8 million to the National Bank of Canada. It received court protection from creditors, through the Quebec Superior Court and the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act, planning to reformat its operations. While the company attributed its woes were pinned on entries by international retailers into the Canadian market, including H&M and Zara, it was also negatively impacted by "surgical shopping", a gap in the retail market increased during the recession, pushing purchasers to high end or value products, as opposed to middle market. Gap and Sears Canada were cited as casualties.

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