Freimans: Difference between revisions

[[Archibald Jacob Freiman]] was born in [[Lithuania]] in 1880, and emigrated to [[Hamilton, Ontario]]. Freimans rose to become the most successful department store in Ottawa because of its prominent location at Mosgrove and [[Rideau Street]]s, its aggressive marketing and its low prices. The company also operated stores in [[Westgate Shopping Centre (Ottawa)|Westgate]] and [[St. Laurent Centre|St. Laurent Shopping Centre]]s,<ref>Ward, Bruce.as well as discount stores called ''Ottawa 1967'Freimart'''. in The[[Shoppers OttawaCity CitizenWest]] and Shoppers City East.<ref>{{cite news |last=Ward |first=Bruce |date=June 30, 2007. |title=Ottawa [http1967 |url=https://www.canadanewspapers.com/ottawacitizenarticle/news/city/story.html?id=685bdf4fthe-dae2ottawa-4ad1citizen-8cfeottawa-4c593f1d906c] (retrieved July 1, 2007)<1967/137976438/ref> as well as discount stores called '''Freimart''' in |work=[[ShoppersOttawa City WestCitizen]] and|location=Ottawa, ShoppersOntario City|page=E2 East|access-date=January 3, 2024 |via=newspapers.com}}</ref>

Then owned by A.J. Freiman's son, Lawrence (who wrote a book about the store), the company was acquired by [[Hudson's Bay Company]] acquired the company in 1972 and rebranded to [[Hudson's Bay (department store)|The Bay]] in 1973. The former Freimans store still operates as a retail store of The Bay, and an adjoining [[Arcade (architecture)|arcade]] linking Rideau Street to the [[Byward Market]] is named the [[Freiman Mall]] in honour of the longtime Ottawa retailer. In addition, the laneway around the north side of the nearby [[National Arts Centre]] which provides access to the [[box office]] has been named Lawrence Freiman Lane.

Freimans was also the centre of an important battle against anti-semitism. In the 1930s, Ottawa police officer Jean Tissot, affiliated with [[Adrien Arcand]]'s fascist movement, attempted to rally Christian Canadians to boycott Jewish businesses. Freimans, as the most prominent Jewish owned business in Ottawa was at the centre of his attacks. As a result, Freiman filed suit against Tissot, who was subsequently found guilty of criminal libel. The staunch condemnations of Tissot in the mainstream press and the utter failure of his movement to find support among the people led to a sound defeat for anti-semitism in Ottawa.<ref>{{citationcite needednews| title=Remember This? A.J. Freiman versus J. Tissot| url=https://ottawa.citynews.ca/remember-this/remember-this-aj-freiman-versus-j-tissot-1077720| first=James| last=Powell| date=October 9, 2018| work=[[CityNews]]| access-date=July 201620, 2022}}</ref>

*{{cite book| last=Lo,| first=Laurelle.| "title=The Path From Peddling: Jewish Economic Activity in Ottawa Before 1939."| ineditor-last=St Keshen,Onge| Jeff.editor-first=Nicole| ''journal=Ottawa: Making Aa Capital| url=http://www.''jstor.org/stable/j.ctt1ctxqpz| location=Ottawa:| publisher=Ottawa University Press, | year=2001| jstor=j.ctt1ctxqpz| {{OCLCisbn=978-2-7603-1570-9|742333009 url-access=registration}}

* [http://collectionscanadacentral.bac-lac.gc.ca/ourl/res.phpredirect?url_verapp=Z39.88-2004fonandcol&url_tim=2020-05-28T17%3A00%3A06Z&url_ctx_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Actx&rft_datid=105677&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fcollectionscanada.gc.ca%3Apam&lang=eng A.J. Freiman Limited fonds(R3487)] at [[Library and Archives Canada]]

* [http://collectionscanadacentral.bac-lac.gc.ca/ourl/res.phpredirect?url_verapp=Z39.88-2004fonandcol&url_tim=2020-05-28T16%3A55%3A34Z&url_ctx_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Actx&rft_datid=97986&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fcollectionscanada.gc.ca%3Apam&lang=eng Freiman family fonds (R6882))] at [[Library and Archives Canada]]