When times get tough, the instinct for many business owners is to push harder, grow bigger, and outpace the storm. But for retail—especially brick-and-mortar—survival often lies in doing the opposite: getting smaller, smarter, and more intentional. Let's talk about it.

From its origins as a fur trading company to its reign as one of the country’s most trusted department stores, Hudson’s Bay shifting economic strategies and corporate decisions led to the erosion of its storied reputation, culminating in financial struggles and, eventually, bankruptcy.