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MONTREAL -- The once-giant Bata chain is phasing out the last 30 shoe stores it operates in Canada over the next few months, blaming competition from Wal-Mart Canada and Payless Shoes, while Aldo plans to consolidate three banners into its burgeoning namesake business.
Bata Ltd. will instead focus on its 160 Athletes World stores across the country. The firm said it may also eventually build out in Canada a superstores concept it now operates in Europe. Until then, it hopes to soon introduce Web shopping from Bata Europe, according to Bata Corporate Secretary Les Tenebaum.
At its peak in the early 1980s, Bata operated 250 stores across Canada and was considered a Canadian icon and a family-destination store. But the company, with estimated annual...