To celebrate decades in business, a company's employees drink. When a company's about to close, its employees drink. So there was plenty of cause for downing a few at Zellers's "Farewell Party" on November 15 from an eye-catching bar.
Produced by Candice & Alison, the event took place at Zellers's raw distribution center and had a dual purpose. The bittersweet fete served as a thank-you to current and past employees as the retailer gets ready to shutter all its stores; it also celebrated the company's 61-year history. At the center of the space, a massive, four-sided bar was covered in blown-up newspaper clippings from 1951, the company's opening year. Big-band music and servers dressed in period garb added to the nostalgic atmosphere.
The mood was at once "vibrant, celebratory, and commemorative," said Candice & Alison creative director Candice Chan.
