Bell and Best Buy Canada have inked a deal on a partnership that will see the rebranding of 165 The Source locations across Canada to ‘Best Buy Express’.
“We’re excited to collaborate with Bell on this unique venture to expand Best Buy’s presence to new communities across the country. We’re very proud of our store experience and these updated small stores are sure to appeal to new and existing Best Buy customers,” said Ron Wilson, President, Best Buy Canada, in an issued statement to iPhone in Canada.
As far as product updates, it’s said that Best Buy Express will be the home for general consumer electronics and wireless plans alongside internet, TV, and home phone services. Naturally, all will be provided by Bell as well as Virgin Plus and Lucky Mobile.
It’s unclear exactly how the partnership is broken up. Of course, Best Buy is providing its name and branding for the former locations of The Source. However, it’s reported that Bell will be responsible for operating each location. Bell employees will also be on staff, yet receive training from both companies.
“We’re excited to join forces with Best Buy to deliver a ground-breaking partnership that will resonate with Canadian consumers. By combining Canada’s award-winning mobility and Internet from Bell, and converting The Source’s extensive retail footprint to Best Buy’s leading consumer electronics experience, we’re giving customers the best of all worlds for tech and telecommunications retail in Canada,” said Blaik Kirby, Group President, Consumer and Small & Medium Business, Bell.
The Source has been a fixture for Canadian consumers since 1986. At the time, the brand was under the name RadioShack. It wasn’t until 2005 that the company was rebranded to The Source by Circuit City. As history would have it, the latter portion of the name was dropped when Circuit City’s parent company InterTAN filed for bankruptcy.
Ultimately, The Source and its locations were acquired by Bell in 2009. At the time, The Source had 750 stores nationwide. As of now, there are around 300 locations. 165 of those are to be rebranded to Best Buy Express. However, the remaining stores not included in the partnership will be closed in 2024.
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Huge mistake. The Best Buy branding might as well say “we don’t have what you need”. Remember when it was Radio Shack and you can find any cable in existence? Now the only place to get em is Amazon.
It’s like stores are trying to go out of business. Walmart used to have this stuff too, now their shelves are barren like Target before they gave up and quit the country instead of work out its distribution chain like a real company would have done.
This sounds like a complete disaster !
The blind leading the blind lol
My first choice would be RadioShack. Second choice: Future Shop.
I just find the Best Buy brand and experience “meh”. And now you can’t even buy movies there lol.
I agree. The Futureshop brand was so much better. Best Buy always felt bland. After FutureShop changed to Best Buy, I only bought from them when I had no choice.
More layoffs for the remaining stores from ma bell
Radio Shack was in business in Canada long before 1986, the first stores were opened in 1972, as a division of Tandy Corporation. In 1986 InterTAN was formed to operate Radio Shack and Tandy branded stores in Canada, Europe, and Australia.
This is a sad day for a once great company who once had over 1000 stores in large and small communities across Canada but has been totally decimated by Bell. The “general consumer electronics” offered at the store are nothing more than smoke and mirrors to sell overpriced Bell services.
Hundreds of employees will be losing their jobs and the announcement comes just days before Bell’s “Let’s Talk” day where they pretend they care about our mental health. This is just another callous move by a heartless company.