Estella Ren

@Estella_Ren

I write about business and housing stories for @TorontoStar, words in @globeandmail, alum @uwogazette 📧 [email protected]

Toronto, Ontario

Joined October 2021

483Following

631Followers

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Estella Ren@Estella_Ren · Jul 19

Who killed the Bay? A dozen Hudson’s Bay former high-level employees told me company chairman Richard Baker is responsible for the retailer’s brand identity loss and its ultimate decline. Read my deep dive into the Bay’s demise. @TorontoStar thestar.com/business/insid…

Estella_Ren's tweet card. In 2008, American private equity investor Richard Baker bought Hudson’s Bay and injected the centuries-old retailer with millions in cash. But in the ensuing 17 years, former employees say Canada’s...

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Estella Ren@Estella_Ren · Jul 22

On today’s front page of @TorontoStar: the story of Steve Capalbo, a Toronto man with a terminal illness, who received an outpouring of support from the community to help him tie the knot with his girlfriend of 20 years. From @ReaganMcSwain and me: thestar.com/news/gta/from-…

Estella_Ren's tweet image. On today’s front page of @TorontoStar: the story of Steve Capalbo, a Toronto man with a terminal illness, who received an outpouring of support from the community to help him tie the knot with his girlfriend of 20 years.

From @ReaganMcSwain and me: thestar.com/news/gta/from-…

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Estella Ren@Estella_Ren · Jul 9

Have you noticed rising Uber Eats service fees in Canada? From $2-$4 to $2.5-$6.5. I'm reporting on it — including a class-action lawsuit against Uber over alleged drip pricing. If you're affected & open to an interview: 📧[email protected] #UberEats #Canada

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Estella Ren Retweeted

nathan bawaan@nbawaan · Jun 7

Patients who spoke with me said they felt pressured by private clinics to pay out of pocket for faster care or unnecessary add-ons when trying to get OHIP-covered cataract surgery. My latest for @TorontoStar thestar.com/business/there…

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Estella Ren@Estella_Ren · Apr 30

Star Exclusive: A British Columbia-based billionaire mall owner told @TorontoStar on Wednesday that she has placed a bid on 25 Hudson’s Bay stores after publicly disclosing her intent on Chinese social media. thestar.com/business/billi…

Estella_Ren's tweet image. Star Exclusive: A British Columbia-based billionaire mall owner told @TorontoStar on Wednesday that she has placed a bid on 25 Hudson’s Bay stores after publicly disclosing her intent on Chinese social media.

thestar.com/business/billi…

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Estella Ren@Estella_Ren · Apr 16

Its real estate holdings were once worth $6.4 billion. Why wasn’t that enough to save Hudson’s Bay? The retailer has made a flurry of real estate deals, experts say, but appears to have invested little in Canadian retail operations over the past few years. thestar.com/business/its-r…

Estella_Ren's tweet card. Hudson’s Bay has made a flurry of real estate deals, experts say, but appears to have invested little in Canadian retail operations over the past few years.

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Estella Ren@Estella_Ren · Apr 11

“The fact that they felt the need to re-publicize, essentially what the inside protocol is, strikes me as being an attempt to address inquiries,” potentially from stakeholders asking if there’s an insider bid for Hudson Bay. thestar.com/business/is-a-…

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Estella Ren@Estella_Ren · Apr 5

A British Columbia-based billionaire mall owner is planning to “acquire” beleaguered retailer Hudson’s Bay, according to a series of posts on a Chinese social media platform. The latest from ⁦@KenyonWallace⁩ and me. thestar.com/business/a-onc…

Estella_Ren's tweet card. Weihong Liu, chairwoman of shopping centre owner/operator Central Walk, expresses her intent to buy Hudson’s Bay in seven social media videos posted over the last two weeks.

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Estella Ren@Estella_Ren · Apr 3

Experts say it will be a challenging time for Hudson's Bay to find new tenants to take over its leases of the company’s enormous retail footprints, a situation that Sears and Target also faced in the past. thestar.com/business/what-…

Estella_Ren's tweet card. Like Sears and Target, it will be challenging for Hudson’s Bay to find new tenants to take over its leases of the company’s enormous retail footprints.

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Estella Ren@Estella_Ren · Apr 1

Amid liquidation at most of the beleaguered retailer’s stores, many suppliers were confused as to the future of their inventory, with some opting to remove it to sell elsewhere. thestar.com/business/some-…

Estella_Ren's tweet card. Many suppliers were confused as to the future of their inventory. Some are opting to sell it elsewhere.

Estella Ren@Estella_Ren · Mar 26

A cyber hijack disrupted the courtroom Zoom call with explicit videos, triggering technical glitches and forcing the hearing to adjourn before lawyers of landlords and employees could finish their objections to the company’s proposal. What a day in court…

TToronto Star@TorontoStar · Mar 26

Hudson’s Bay back in court to work out restructuring, but hearing is suddenly interrupted. Court Justice limits access to video link after pornographic videos appear on Zoom call and stay up for 15 seconds. trib.al/s78rXzO

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Estella Ren@Estella_Ren · Mar 26

Will Hudson’s Bay be able to save its last six stores? Experts are not optimistic the department store will find buyers or investors to support a restructuring deal within the short time frame. thestar.com/business/last-…

Estella_Ren's tweet card. Hudson’s Bay is holding out hope that it can continue to keep six of its stores open in the face of insolvency, but time is running out to secure a deal.

Estella Ren@Estella_Ren · Mar 22

Grell was excited to be called back in early March, only to learn the devastating news — Canada’s oldest retailer was teetering on bankruptcy with more than 9,000 jobs at stake. #hudsonsbay My latest for the ⁦@TorontoStar⁩ thestar.com/business/my-pl…

Estella_Ren's tweet card. "Each store was very much like a family,” says one former long-term employee, remembering the better days of the department store giant.

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Estella Ren@Estella_Ren · Mar 15

A Canadian retail icon is on its last legs as Hudson's Bay Company plans to liquidate its entire business by June, with the process starting as early as next week. My latest for ⁦@TorontoStar⁩ thestar.com/business/hudso…

Estella_Ren's tweet card. A Canadian retail icon is on its last legs as Hudson’s Bay Company plans to liquidate its business by June, with the process starting as early as next week.

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Estella Ren@Estella_Ren · Mar 13

As HBC goes into creditor protection, documents show it owes $950 million to nearly 1,900 creditors like Ralph Lauren, Estée Lauder and the Eaton Centre. Another day on the Hudson's Bay beat! thestar.com/business/court…

Estella_Ren's tweet card. Court documents show that Hudson’s Bay owes $950 million to nearly 1,900 creditors — including landlords, fashion brands, banks and Canadian governments.

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Estella Ren@Estella_Ren · Mar 10

Court documents say the company may run out of cash for “payroll obligations” within days, as source says 40 of its 80 stores may close. thestar.com/business/thous…

Estella_Ren's tweet card. Court documents say the company may run out of cash for "payroll obligations" within days, as source says 40 of its 80 stores may close.

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