Princess Auto

Princess Auto is a Canadian retail chain focused on practical equipment and supplies for automotive, farm, industrial, garage, and do-it-yourself use. The company operates a value-oriented assortment that includes tools, automotive parts, hydraulic components, shop equipment, hardware, material-handling products, farm supplies, and surplus items. Its merchandise mix reflects the company’s historical connection to auto wrecking and war-surplus sales, while its contemporary stores serve a broad customer base ranging from professional tradespeople and farmers to vehicle owners, hobbyists, and household do-it-yourself customers. The business began in Winnipeg, Manitoba, in 1933 as Princess Auto Wrecking. Its original location was on Princess Street in Winnipeg’s Exchange District. The founding owner later sold the struggling enterprise in 1942 to Harvey Tallman, who expanded the operation beyond vehicle salvage. During the 1940s, Tallman developed a war-surplus business by acquiring salvaged equipment and components returning from the Second World War. The company sold these goods directly and also adapted engines, parts, and other materials from military vehicles and machinery for farm and industrial applications. This repurposing model helped establish the practical, unconventional assortment for which Princess Auto became known. The company developed a national customer base before it had a large physical-store network. In 1951, it began producing catalogs with mail-order forms, allowing customers to order merchandise for delivery through the railway system. By the middle of the 1950s, mail order reportedly represented about 70 percent of the business. The company changed names over time, first becoming Princess Auto and Machinery and eventually Princess Auto Ltd., while retaining its focus on equipment and value merchandise. Princess Auto entered conventional store-based retailing in 1977, when it opened its first retail store in Edmonton, Alberta. It continued to operate a national call centre and mail-order service as its physical presence expanded. Online sales were introduced in 1998, adding an e-commerce channel to the company’s catalog and store operations. In 2015, the company closed a manufacturing division in Winnipeg, concentrating its operating model more strongly on retail and distribution. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Princess Auto expanded its omnichannel capabilities. It introduced or broadened buy-online, pick-up-in-store and curbside-pickup processes so customers could receive merchandise while complying with public-health requirements. The company continues to combine stores, online ordering, telephone and mail-order services, and distribution infrastructure. As of October 2024, Princess Auto operated 56 stores across all ten Canadian provinces and three distribution centres located in Winnipeg, Calgary, and Milton, Ontario. Its first Quebec store opened in Saint-Jérôme in September 2019, completing its presence in every province, and a Joliette, Quebec, location opened in October 2024. In January 2024, the company was announced as the new naming-rights sponsor of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ Canadian Football League stadium, replacing IGM Financial; the venue was renamed Princess Auto Stadium. The sponsorship increased the brand’s visibility in its Winnipeg home market while complementing its longstanding national retail presence.

Princess Auto traces its origins to Winnipeg, Manitoba, where it was established in 1933 as Princess Auto Wrecking. The business was located on Princess Street in the city’s Exchange District and initially focused on automobile wrecking and related parts. The identity of the founding owner is not specified in the available reference material. In 1942, the struggling company was sold to Harvey Tallman, who broadened its commercial direction. Tallman expanded the business into war-surplus merchandise during the 1940s. Princess Auto acquired salvaged goods returning from the Second World War and sold them to customers, many of whom were men returning from military service. The company’s activities extended beyond resale: engines, components, and other equipment from military vehicles and machinery were adapted for farm and industrial applications. This combination of salvage, repurposing, and practical equipment sales became an important foundation for the retailer’s later product assortment. The company changed its name more than once. It operated first as Princess Auto Wrecking, later as Princess Auto and Machinery, and ultimately as Princess Auto Ltd. Its geographic reach initially depended heavily on catalog and mail-order operations rather than a large network of stores. In 1951, Princess Auto began printing catalogs with order sheets that customers could mail back. Purchases could be sent to customers by rail, enabling the Winnipeg-based business to serve customers well beyond Manitoba. By the mid-1950s, mail order accounted for approximately 70 percent of the business. A major change came in 1977, when Princess Auto opened its first conventional retail store in Edmonton, Alberta. The company retained its national call centre and mail-order services while progressively developing a store network. It entered online retailing in 1998, adding a digital channel to its catalog and physical-store model. In 2015, Princess Auto closed a manufacturing division in Winnipeg, further emphasizing its role as a retailer and distributor rather than a manufacturer. The company’s retail model evolved again during the COVID-19 pandemic. Princess Auto became an omnichannel retailer with buy-online, pick-up-in-store and curbside-pickup options. These services allowed customers to order through digital channels and collect merchandise while stores operated under pandemic-related restrictions. Princess Auto’s Canadian expansion reached every province after the opening of its first Quebec store in Saint-Jérôme in September 2019. A Joliette, Quebec, store opened in October 2024. As of October 2024, the chain operated 56 stores and three distribution centres in Winnipeg, Calgary, and Milton, Ontario. It also continued to provide online sales, a national call centre, and mail-order services. In January 2024, Princess Auto became the announced naming-rights sponsor of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ stadium, replacing IGM Financial. The stadium was renamed Princess Auto Stadium. This agreement connected the retailer’s national brand with a prominent Winnipeg sports venue and reinforced its association with its founding city.

• 2024

  Princess Auto Stadium naming rights announced

  [1]Princess Autoen.wikipedia.org

  Princess Auto replaced IGM Financial as the naming-rights sponsor of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ stadium.

• 2024

  Joliette store opens

  [1]Princess Autoen.wikipedia.org

  A new Princess Auto location opened in Joliette, Quebec, bringing the reported total to 56 stores.

• 2020

  Omnichannel pickup services expand during the pandemic

  [1]Princess Autoen.wikipedia.org

  Buy-online, pick-up-in-store and curbside-pickup services were introduced or expanded in response to COVID-19 operating conditions.

• 2019

  First Quebec store opens

  [1]Princess Autoen.wikipedia.org

  Princess Auto opened its first Quebec store in Saint-Jérôme, supporting its eventual presence in all ten provinces.

• 2015

  Winnipeg manufacturing division closes

  [1]Princess Autoen.wikipedia.org

  The company closed a manufacturing division in Winnipeg and continued primarily as a retailer and distributor.

• 1998

  Online sales begin

  [1]Princess Autoen.wikipedia.org

  Princess Auto added online ordering to its existing store, call-centre, and mail-order channels.

• 1977

  First retail store opens

  [1]Princess Autoen.wikipedia.org

  The company opened its first store in Edmonton, Alberta, beginning its expansion into conventional retailing.

• 1951

  Catalog and mail-order service introduced

  [1]Princess Autoen.wikipedia.org

  Princess Auto began issuing catalogs with mail-in order sheets and shipping purchases to customers by rail.

• 1942

  Harvey Tallman acquires the business

  [1]Princess Autoen.wikipedia.org

  Harvey Tallman purchased the struggling company and expanded its activities beyond auto wrecking.

• 1940

  Expansion into war surplus

  [1]Princess Autoen.wikipedia.org

  During the 1940s, the company began selling salvaged wartime merchandise and adapting surplus components for farm and industrial uses.

• 1933

  Business founded as Princess Auto Wrecking

  [1]Princess Autoen.wikipedia.org

  The company was established in Winnipeg, Manitoba, with an initial focus on automobile wrecking and related parts.

Value-oriented Canadian specialty retailer for practical equipment, tools, automotive, farm, industrial, garage, hydraulic, and surplus products.

• Hand tools, power tools, and shop tools

  Tools

  Tools are a central part of Princess Auto’s retail assortment, serving home users, mechanics, tradespeople, farmers, and workshop operators. The category fits the company’s broader value-oriented approach to practical equipment and includes products intended for repair, maintenance, fabrication, and general shop work.

• Automotive · 1933

  Automotive parts and supplies

  Automotive merchandise reflects the company’s original identity as an auto-wrecking business. The range includes vehicle-related parts, accessories, maintenance products, and equipment for owners and repair users. Automotive products remain part of the retailer’s broader mix rather than its only commercial focus.

• Hydraulics

  Hydraulic equipment and components

  Hydraulic products support agricultural, industrial, automotive, and workshop applications. Princess Auto’s hydraulic assortment is associated with the company’s emphasis on functional replacement parts, equipment, and components for customers who maintain or build machinery.

• Agricultural and industrial equipment · 1940

  Farm and industrial equipment

  The retailer serves farm and industrial customers with equipment and supplies used in maintenance, material handling, fabrication, and machinery-related work. This part of the assortment descends from the company’s historical practice of converting surplus engines and military components into useful agricultural and industrial equipment.

• Workshop equipment

  Garage and shop equipment

  Garage and shop products are intended for vehicle maintenance, repair, storage, fabrication, and general workshop organization. They complement Princess Auto’s tools and automotive lines and help position the chain as a practical destination for workshop users rather than a general merchandise department store.

• Surplus and liquidation-style merchandise · 1940

  Surplus merchandise

  Surplus goods are a distinctive part of the Princess Auto proposition. The category originated in the 1940s, when the company purchased salvaged wartime items. Contemporary surplus merchandise supports the brand’s reputation for unusual, practical, and opportunistic products alongside its more consistent core categories.

• 2024Princess Auto Stadium naming-rights sponsorship

  Winnipeg · Canada

  Princess Auto became the naming-rights sponsor of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ stadium, replacing IGM Financial. The agreement gave the retailer prominent local and national visibility through association with a Canadian Football League venue.

  Outcome. The stadium was renamed Princess Auto Stadium.

  Source

• 2024

  Princess Auto Stadium naming-rights agreementOther

  Background

  The Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ stadium had previously carried the name associated with IGM Financial.

  Action taken

  Princess Auto replaced IGM Financial as naming-rights sponsor.

  Aftermath

  The venue was renamed Princess Auto Stadium, increasing the brand’s public visibility in its home city.

  Source

• 2020

  Expansion of buy-online and pickup servicesStrategy

  Background

  COVID-19 restrictions required retailers to modify store operations and provide lower-contact fulfillment options.

  Action taken

  Princess Auto offered buy-online, pick-up-in-store and curbside-pickup services.

  Aftermath

  The company operated as an omnichannel retailer combining digital ordering with store collection and curbside fulfillment.

  Source

• 2015

  Closure of Winnipeg manufacturing divisionStrategy

  Background

  Princess Auto had historically adapted and manufactured some equipment alongside its retail activities.

  Action taken

  The company closed a manufacturing division in Winnipeg.

  Aftermath

  The business concentrated more fully on retailing, distribution, and customer-ordering channels.

  Source

• 1998

  Launch of online salesStrategy

  Background

  The company already operated physical stores, mail-order services, and a national call centre.

  Action taken

  Princess Auto added online sales as a new customer-ordering channel.

  Aftermath

  The move established the digital element of the company’s later omnichannel model.

  Source

• 1977

  Move into store-based retailingStrategy

  Background

  Princess Auto had developed its reach through catalog, mail-order, and call-centre operations.

  Action taken

  The company opened its first retail store in Edmonton, Alberta.

  Aftermath

  The store became the starting point for the chain’s subsequent physical expansion across Canada.

  Source

• 2024

  Princess Auto announced as naming-rights sponsor of Winnipeg Blue Bombers stadium[1]Princess Autoen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Princess Auto was announced as the replacement naming-rights sponsor for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ stadium, replacing IGM Financial. The venue was renamed Princess Auto Stadium.

• 2024

  Princess Auto expands to 56 stores with Joliette opening[1]Princess Autoen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  A new location opened in Joliette, Quebec, in October 2024. The company was reported to operate 56 stores across Canada and three distribution centres.

• Princess Auto adopts omnichannel pickup during the COVID-19 pandemic[1]Princess Autoen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  During the pandemic, Princess Auto offered buy-online, pick-up-in-store and curbside-pickup services to support customers while responding to public-health restrictions.

1. 1Princess Autoen.wikipedia.org
2. 2New Faces, New Places: Princess Auto's third largest store opens in Saskatoonthestarphoenix.com