On May 13^th 1961, Gordon Reid opened the doors to his brand new discount store.  However, a year later he found himself advertising his “closing down” sale.  The proceeds of that providential sale were so astounding that instead of funding his closure, they kept the doors open!

Over the next 55-years 220 new doors opened nationwide, and today The Giant Tiger (GT) name is trusted by shoppers all over Canada.  “Your All Canadian Family Discount Store”, is not only their slogan, but perhaps also their secret to success.

1968 Was a milestone year for the company when they added a franchise model to their business, in an effort to better serve their customers.  GT has always believed that local managers, living within the communities their stores serve, are best able to understand and meet the needs of their own immediate markets.    This is evidenced by their attention to area-specific demographics.  Products stocked in their outlets differ from location to location, simply because they recognise the lifestyles and needs of their customers are directly impacted by their immediate surroundings.

In a world where the prevailing “one-size-fits-all” mentality seems to dominate most business practices and customers are just a number at best, this approach is refreshing, and apparently most Canadians agree. 

In 1987 the company launched their own freight solutions company, Tiger Trucking.  Again, their motive was to ensure maximum availability at the best prices to their customers.  The consistency of this company in staying focused on their consumers, and on understanding and meeting their customer’s needs, has been a winning strategy.  One that appears to have rubbed off on their customers, who return the favour with their loyal support.

GT is an undisputed force to be reckoned with and has outlived heavyweights like Target Canada, whose demise viewed simply as another growth opportunity.  GT has embarked on a campaign to revamp their stores and maximise layout designs to save consumers time without compromising product range or quality.  Their e-commerce offerings are vastly improving too and this unstoppable, home-grown company is set to give customers and competitors more for their money.