I'd love that too, but unfortunately that's unlikely given how the likes of Indigo have been struggling. Even pre-COVID, they were staying afloat by selling items like gifts and novelties.
Indigo's numbers aren't terrible; they aren't great; but pre-covid they were on a decent financial path, I think.
The in-store numbers on the newer format stores have been encouraging, to my understanding, hence why the program continues to be rolled out.
WBB's problem was simply the real estate value.
If I'm not mistaken, they also owned The World's Biggest Bookstore during the final years. There's a bookstore (BMV I think) next to Panda that's been around since TWBB days.
In essence, they always did.
WBB was founded by the Coles who owned Cole's Books.
Cole's was merged with W.H. Smith in Canada to form Chapters
Chapters was merged into Indigo
WBB remained a part of Indigo through its demise.
The Cole family retained ownership of the WBB building, even after exiting the bookstore business; and later sold it.
Indigo was not the owner of the building, to my knowledge.
