132 years later Grand & Toy still has clout

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Founders James Grand and Samuel Toy, at the first retail location (corner of Leader Lane and Colborne Street), now the
Tom Jones Steakhouse.

Today Grand & Toy went back to their Canadian roots, bringing back their iconic “green” logo and a new fun nostalgic hashtag #GrandNostalgia. Even though the brand has been notably absent from the Canadian consumer retail scene in recent years, Grand & Toy has continued to serve customers in the background at the B2B level with the same commitment that its founders James Grand and Samuel Toy had done since the company’s inception in 1882.

Their new manifesto is outlined here:

The Grand & Toy brand is a success story. Canadians continue to remember the “green” logo with fond memories. And, why wouldn’t they? Over the years Grand & Toy stayed true to its consumer-centric philosophy and even had signs in its offices reminding the employees of what was most important.

“CUSTOMERS ARE NOT AN INTERRUPTION OF OUR WORK – THEY ARE THE REASON FOR IT. CUSTOMERS COME FIRST.”

Grand-&-Toy-Facebook-ProfileThere are stories that Grand & Toy delivered an office desk via a motorcycle in its early years. It’s a far cry from a bygone age when young lads used to make deliveries via wheelbarrows. It is this dedication of always putting the customer first that has Canadians always thinking fondly of the iconic office supplies provider.

The true success of a brand is when people recognize it even after it has long stopped being in the face of consumers. Grand & Toy is one of those brands (like Tim Hortons) that continues to resonate with Canadians and is part of the national identity. For the next two weeks, Grand & Toy will making a huge social splash and launch a campaign on both Facebook and Twitter highlighting its nostalgic roots using #GrandNostalgia.

It will be nice to follow the brand over the next few months and see what kind of impact it makes on the Canadian workplace solutions space. Our bets are that Grand & Toy will #ThinkBlink and successfully challenge rival brand Staples in the e-commerce and B2B market.

Red verses Green. Let the games begin!