T. Eaton Company Limited

Timothy Eaton was born in Ireland in 1834. He was orphaned in 1848 when his mother died (his father had already been dead two months prior to Timothy Eaton's birth). Timothy then left school and had to work to earn enough money to survive. In 1854, Timothy Eaton sailed off to a British Colony, Canada (well Canada West, since this is before confederation). Timothy stayed with his sister Margaret who had left Ireland earlier and who lived in Georgetown, Ontario. She wasn't the only Eaton in Canada. Eaton's had two brothers, three sisters (including Margaret), an uncle and aunt and cousins also lived on Canadian Soil. He worked on his sisters farm until he started to work as a bookkeeper in a General store, his first Canadian career. With the extension of the Grand Trunk Railway into Georgetown, Guelph and Stratford came prosperity for Timothy, James and Robert Eaton. In 1856, Timothy (with James) opened his first store in Kirkton, Ontario: "J. & T. Eaton General Store and Post Office". Four Years latter, Tim and James moved to St. Mary's where their brother, Robert, had a dry goods business. In St. Mary's, Timothy established the T. Eaton Bakery. He also met Margaret Beattie, his wife, in St. Mary. In 1868, he moved to Toronto.

In 1869, Timothy bought a dry goods store at 178 Yonge Street. He changed retailing in Canada, guaranteeing same price for anybody and promised satisfactory goods or a money refund. This won him confidence from his customers.

In 1883, T. Eaton Co. moved to 190 Yonge Street. It was Toronto's First Department Store. In 1884, a 32-page catalogue was distributed at the Industrial Exhibition (now the CNE). The Catalogue helped Eaton sell things all over the country. As time progressed the Famous Eaton Catalogue became a 400 page book printed twice a year.

The T. Eaton Co. became one of the biggest retail companies in Canada. In 1907, Timothy Died. Even after his death, Eaton's was still a great company with 64 department stores across the country including Toronto's Eaton Centre (one of the most touristic attractions in Toronto).

Eaton's has always been in the family. Although the last Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer, Brent Ballantyne, isn't an Eaton (obviously), there are three Eatons on the Board of Directors: Fredrik S. Eaton, George R. Eaton and Thor E. Eaton. Now Eaton's is going as everything is trying to be sold and staff and prices are slashed. By August 20, Quebec Locations were closed and the Toronto Stock Exchange stopped trading of Eaton's Stocks. Gordon Brothers Retail Partners, LLC, are to act as the exclusive agent for the liquidation of Eaton's inventory.

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