About Giant Tiger / History
Giant Tiger has served its valued customers and community for over 45 years. We started with a very simple idea - keep costs low and offer quality merchandise at everyday low prices.
Giant Tiger - Your All Canadian Family Discount Store
On Saturday, May 3rd, 1961, Gordon Reid, Founder, Chairman and CEO, opened his first store in Ottawa, the Nation's Capital. The business was launched with a $15,000 investment and first year sales were $139,781. The business was started with a very simple idea - keep the cost of operation low and sell a large volume of merchandise at everyday low prices.
Giant Tiger has kept the cost of operation low by paying low rent and controlling expenses. There are now 194 Stores employing over 6,500 people in Ontario, Québec, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. The original simple idea keeps working!
In 1968, another simple idea was incorporated into the Giant Tiger formula - franchising! Today most of our stores are franchised so that you, our valued customer, will be better served because the owner is in the store. Giant Tiger franchise owners become members of the community, sharing community concerns and serving community needs.
As part of our history in 1977, Giant Tiger added two Chez Tante Marie franchise stores, in Hull and Gatineau. Tiger Trucking began operation in 1987, with the introduction of Giant Tiger trucks delivering merchandise from a growing warehouse to forty-three (43) Giant Tiger stores. On September 1st, 1990, Giant Tiger established a clothing and footwear buying office in Montreal, presently located at 555 Chabanel Ouest. The objective was to be closer to the suppliers and manufacturers in order to be in a position to pick up trends quicker and move merchandise to the stores faster. On May 31st, 1996, Giant Tiger purchased and took possession of a 315,000 square foot Distribution Centre at 2480 Walkley Road in Ottawa. Also in 1996, Scott's Discount stores were launched as an alternative format for small stores.
Throughout the years, our goal was and still is to be your community's store of choice. We look forward to achieving this by offering you great value at everyday low prices.
We offer a large assortment of casual clothing and footwear for the entire family including many of the latest fashion items at the lowest possible prices. The identical quality and fashion items offered by major chain stores are sold at Giant Tiger at remarkably lower prices. In addition, everyday needs in groceries, confectionery, pet food, cleaning supplies, housewares, stationery, toys and health and beauty products are maintained in stock at all times.
We accept Interac, Visa and MasterCard. We also want you to be satisfied with every purchase, so we offer refunds with no time limit, upon presentation of proof of purchase. Thank you for shopping at Giant Tiger. We appreciate your patronage!
Giant Tiger is proud to be an all-Canadian retailer based in Ottawa, the Nation's Capital.
Note: These ads above represent some of the history and evolution of Giant Tiger. These ads are not in effect now.
