| Type | Wholly owned subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail |
| Founded | 1977 |
| Headquarters | Calgary, Alberta, Canada |
| Area served | Canada |
| Key people | Paul Wilson (President) |
| Products | Apparel, accessories |
| Parent | Canadian Tire |
| Website | www.marks.com |
Mark's Work Wearhouse, sometimes branded as Mark's, is a Canadian clothing retailer. First opened in Calgary, Alberta in 1977 by Mark Blumes, a former retail executive with the Hudson's Bay Company, it has been owned since 2001 by Canadian Tire.[1] It was originally called Mark's Men's Work Wearhouse, but rebranded as Mark's Work Wearhouse when they started carrying women's clothing in the 1990s.
In Quebec, stores had carried the name "La Ouerâsse," a meaningless French-sounding version of the word "wearhouse," but they were rebranded as L'Équipeur ("Outfitter") in 1990. As of 2007, 39 stores operate under the banner L'Équipeur. They were the official retailer of the Montreal Alouettes football team from 2005-2010.
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The company traditionally sold work clothes for labour-oriented jobs, but expanded its selection in the 1990s to include business casual clothing for both men and women, and sportswear as well. In the last few years, the company has expanded its offerings with a series of children's clothing, primarily available in Alberta and British Columbia.
The chain has a number of exclusive brands, including Denver Hayes, WindRiver (casual), BluePine, Dakota (work/casual wear&work boots; formerly Mark's), WorkPro (work boots) and the new ladies collection, Ispiri. They still carry Levi's, Lee's, Carhartt, Point Zero, J. B. Goodhue, Sorel, Dickies and many other popular brands. The few franchise stores carry different brands such as Columbia.