‘Old Bay Girls’ call on former employees for one final photo

By Collin Gallant on April 30, 2025.

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“The Old Bay Girls” have met regularly to keep in touch since they retired from working at the department store in Medicine Hat more than two decades ago.

Now, they’re hoping to expand the reunion as the Hudson’s Bay store prepares to close for good this month.

Linda Weiss is organizing what she hopes will be a large group photo of former employees on Wednesday, May 14 outside the “furniture doors” that face east toward Dunmore Road at 6 p.m.

That would commemorate their careers, the store and friendships made over the years, Weiss told the News on Tuesday

“In the day it was a very, very good place to work,” she said. “Over the years, on average, it was wonderful.

“It’s just such a shame about what’s happened.”

This winter the company entered court protection from its creditors in hopes of restructuring, but a judge ordered last week that all but six stores liquidate and close.

Liquidation process is ongoing, including at Medicine Hat where the Bay arrived in the late 1970s as the Medicine Hat Mall was built.

Weiss said she and a small group still have lunch monthly to catchup.

She expects about 20 of her former work colleagues to take part in the photo, but says the figure is flexible and event open to all former Bay employees wishing to take part in a positive remembrance.

She can be reached at 403-527-7872 for more information.

[Editor’s Note: This version of the article corrects a date and time.]

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