- The Brick
Infobox Company
name = The Brick
type = Corporation
foundation = 1971
founder = Bill Comrie, Fred Comrie and John Comrie
location =Edmonton, Alberta
industry = Retail sale, FurnitureThe Brick Group Income Fund (tsx|BRK.UN) opened its first store in Edmonton, Alberta in 1971, and has grown to become one of
Canada 's largest volume retailers offurniture ,mattresses ,appliances and homeelectronics . The company was founded as The Brick Warehouse LP inEdmonton, Alberta with the first warehouse opening inSeptember 1 1971 . Its first expansion was toFort McMurray, Alberta in the 1970s and later acquired a competitor in the city ofCalgary .Over the past 35 years, the Brick Group Income Fund has strategically executed its expansion across Canada and now operates 194 retail stores (including 20 franchise locations) in the provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and the Yukon Territory. Moreover a new store will open by mid-2008 in Moncton New-Brunswick. In addition, the Brick Group Income Fund operates distribution centres in Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Toronto, and Montreal.
The Brick Group Income Fund was founded by the Comrie brothers, John, Fred, and Bill. Bill and Fred were
ice hockey players and Fred was once part of thePittsburgh Penguins organization. Bill's son,Mike Comrie aka. "The Brick", is a hockey player in theNHL .Brands
The Brick carries a wide variety of consumer brands, including:
* General Electric
* Jenn Air
* Kitchenaid
* La-Z-Boy
* LG
* Maytag
* Natuzzi
* Palliser
* Sony
* WhirlpoolOther Divisions
The Brick's 210(14 franchised) are operated under The Brick Group banner. Besides the Brick stores, the firm also sells furniture through other affiliates:
* [http://www.bid.com www.bid.com] - linked with Brick's main website
* Home Show Canada - 3 locations in Toronto, Ontario area in2001 - re-branded The Brick Superstores in2006
* Mid-Northern Appliances Industries - division of the Brick inToronto, Ontario
*United Furniture Warehouse
* Sleep Better (first group of stores opened in the Toronto, Ontario area on August 11, 2005)- re-branded The Brick Mattress Store in2006
* Trans Global Warranty Corporation
* Trans Global Insurance Company (TGI)
* Trans Global Life Insurance Company (TGLI)
* The Brick Group Income Fund
* The Second Foundry Holding CorporationCompetition
Current competitors of the Brick include:
*
Leon's
*Lastman's Bad Boy Furniture
* Sears@Home
*Goemans Appliances [http://www.goemans.com]External links
* [http://www.thebrick.com The Brick Official Corporate site] (Powered by www.bid.com)
* [http://www.brickgroup.ca Investor Information Site]
* [http://www.ufw.com/ United Furniture Warehouse]
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