6 Reasons Why Zellers Was Way Better Than Walmart & You Can’t Convince Me Otherwise

Zellers Restaurant

The department store neither tempted you with junk food nor made you relive your high school cafeteria days (sorry, IKEA). It homed a full-on family restaurant, with some memorable dishes to boot!

I have a core memory of eating poutine at one of these delicious, inexpensive establishments as a child, which may be the most Canadian thing about me. Crinkle-cut fries and not-quite-melted cheese never tasted so good.

Someone even shared pictures of the old Zellers Restaurant's menu on Instagram, and I don't know about you, but it's 2003 again over here.

It's Actually Canadian

Zellers was founded in 1932 in the city of London, Ontario, by Walter P. Zeller, and I grew up in St. Thomas, a town located just 30 minutes southwest. The retail chain literally hit close to home for me. Or, at least, a lot closer than Bentonville, Arkansas, where Walmart was founded.

I've got no problem with American brands, well, except for Burger King. I can't forgive it for the 2010s Tim Hortons lunch menu, and I won't.

But, as a card-carrying patriot, I believe it was my duty to drink Molson Canadian over Budweiser and Zellers over Walmart.

"The Lowest Price Is The Law"

Zellers's whole concept was simple and effective, sell Canadians their household products at an affordable price, and that's exactly what they did.

If you never had the pleasure of stepping into one of these fine establishments, the vibe was more on par with Value Village than Walmart, except everything wasn't used, and it didn't smell like mothballs.

Need a dress shirt for less than $20? Zellers had you covered. Want toys and electronics for a flat $5? Also yes.

At its peak, the company had its own clothing brands and Hot Wheels, and sold them to the masses for cheap. What's not to love about that?

Club Z

When Zellers went under, the first question many people had was about their Club Z points. And, while I'm doubtful all those points you racked up with frosted tips in 1999 will be valid in 2023, that doesn't change the fact that points card ruled during its heyday.

The free card not only got you savings of up to 7 to 10% off regular prices, but it also allowed you to collect points which you could then use to purchase other classic 90s stuff at a bargain.

My mom used her Club Z points to buy me my first Gameboy and the entire pack of batteries it took to power it. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say she wasn't the only parent to do so.

Zeddy

Although Winnie The Pooh was my favourite anthropomorphized bear growing up, Zeddy was a damn close second.

Zellers's loveable mascot made me want to go in Zellers more as a child for two reasons: he lacked the subtle creepiness that Ronald McDonald exudes, and we kind of had the same haircut.

Walmart's mascot is literally just a smiley face. It's not even a unique design, just the same smiley face everyone uses. I don't like it when a department store tells me how to feel. It's a no from me, dawg.

The Ferris Wheel Ride

For some of you, the mere mention of this will spring back childhood memories you didn't even know you had. Others will wonder why a retail chain would invest in amusement park rides.

I assure you this thing was tiny, but when you're six years old (like I was when I used to ride it at my local Zellers) it felt like you were flying through the air.

Your mom would put a toonie in, and you were off to the races — what a time to be alive.