Renaud-Bray is the largest chain of French-language bookstores in North America, and the second largest bookstore chain in Canada, after Chapters/Indigo.
History
The chain was founded in 1965 by Pierre Renaud and Edmond Bray, with the opening of its first store on Côte-des-Neiges Road in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The chain began its expansion in 1978, opening other branches in Montreal (on Laurier Avenue, Saint Denis Street, Park Avenue, and Peel Street). At the same time, it began computerizing its inventory, becoming one of the first bookstores to do so.
In 1995, Renaud-Bray opened a large store on Yonge Street in Toronto, Ontario. This store was a major failure and, in 1996, Renaud-Bray entered bankruptcy protection. The chain, however, survived.
In the summer of 1999, Renaud-Bray purchased two of its competitors in Quebec: Librairie Garneau and Librairie Champigny, giving it 23 outlets across the province.[1]