| 1883 |
Brother-in-law Samuel Toy partners with James Grand, officially launching Grand & Toy. The building is still an historic site to this day in Toronto.
|
| 1895 |
Grand & Toy moves to a larger Head Office a few blocks away on Wellington Street, in Toronto. At this time, the business has 12 employees.
|
| 1899 |
Percy Grand, James’ eldest son, comes to work
at the family business. His talents would have
a tremendous impact on the business for over
50 years.
|
| 1904 |
The Great Toronto Fire destroys $10 million in property and merchandise. Twenty-two year old Percy Grand douses flaming debris on the store roof all night and then continues working the entire next day.
The first Grand & Toy catalogue is published.
|
| 1906 |
Grand & Toy begins its bindery service.
|
|
1912
|
Grand & Toy’s Office Furniture Department officially launches.
|
| 1926 |
The first branch store opens a few blocks away from
Grand & Toy’s main store.
The first retail store at 332 Bay Street in Toronto.
|
| 1927 |
The second branch store opens.
Percy Grand invents the Roundedge pencil, still the most popular pencil in general use today.
|
| 1929 |
Grand & Toy introduces the first Planning Services for Canadian Offices to design and furnish workspaces. This service still exists today and is known as G&T Interiors.
|
| 1930s |
During the Great Depression, Grand & Toy adopts extraordinary measures to ensure not one person employed for any length of time lost their job.
|
| 1932 |
Grand & Toy celebrates its 50th anniversary of operation.
After watching his son suffer eyestrain while studying, Percy Grand invents ‘eyesaving’ green bond paper that becomes a business standard for ledger paper.
|
| 1954 |
Percy Grand introduces a Profit Sharing Plan for employees.
|
| 1955 |
Grand & Toy surprises many by building an enormous headquarters and warehouse in the countryside surrounding Toronto – now the
Don Mills Home Office. The facility was soon connected by new major highways. Two brand new stores also open, including the first outside of Toronto, in Hamilton.
|
| 1957 |
Grand & Toy celebrates its 75th anniversary.
|
| 1960 |
Grand & Toy opens its first mall location, reflecting Grand & Toy’s response to new buying behaviours. The company would subsequently open a store in almost every new major mall.
|
| 1962 |
Grand & Toy installs the first computer room at its Home Office, and used information technology to streamline aspects of its business.
|
| 1964 |
Grand & Toy has its first ever million dollar month in December 1964.
|
| 1967 |
Grand & Toy nearly doubles the size of its headquarters.
|
| 1969 |
New Grand & Toy warehouse and office building opens in Ottawa. Within twelve years, it would be joined by similar facilities in nine other cities across Canada.
|
| 1982 |
Grand & Toy celebrates its first hundred years in business.
The company has 1,500 employees and 34 locations across Canada.
|
| 1989 |
Grand & Toy embraces the technological revolution by developing the industry’s first customer-controlled electronic ordering system. Called LINK, this system set the stage for more computer based programs – see unveiling of website in 1996.
|
| 1990 |
Cara Operations acquires the Grand & Toy family business from James Grand III.
First becomes a GreenOffice with very first environmental logo and company environmental policy.
|
| 1996 |
Grand & Toy acquires Carlyle Computer Systems. Grand & Toy is purchased by Boise Cascade Office Products from Cara Operations and becomes part of a global network of leading office products companies.
Grand & Toy unveils its worldwide website. Functionality is continuously added to the site, including the ability to order and interface with the inventory system.
|
| 1997 |
Construction begins on state-of-the-art
Grand & Toy distribution facilities across Canada.
|
| 1998 |
State-of-the-art Distribution Centre is built in Vaughan, Ontario, which is now the third largest Boise Distribution Centre in North America by square footage.
|
| 2000 |
Grand & Toy enters its third century of serving Canadian business. The company has the people, products, services and technologies to meet the challenges of the new millennium.
|
| 2004 |
Boise Office Solutions purchased OfficeMax, a U.S. based retailer with over 900 big-box format stores across the United States. Operating under the name ‘OfficeMax – A Boise Company’, this organization is well-positioned as a major player in the office supply industry.
|
| 2007 |
Grand & Toy celebrates its 125th anniversary and launches a new, refreshed identity. This dynamic new brand platform is a unique blend of “old meets new”. Combining 125 years of experience with a fresh bold, innovative vision, and an organization focused on empowering the potential of our customers’ employees is born!Establishes a multi-year sustainability platform encompassing seven key pillars of sustainability. This integrated sustainability approach is the most comprehensive in Canadian industry and leads the way towards a variety of bold business practices and solutions.
|
| 2008 |
Launches GreenOffice; a website dedicated to the promotion of eco-smart practices in the workplace, and serving as an advocacy forum on how to become more sustainable through small and simple steps that reduce businesses' overall impact on the environment.
Creates and hosts the G&T Media Centre @ the IT Lounge during the Toronto International Film Festival. Offers reporters covering TIFF an opportunity to kick back and relax in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the festival. Includes the latest technology, including laptop computers, witreless Internet,
a gaming station and portable plug-ins, and contemporary, environmentally sustainable and ergonomically-designed furniture that address the needs of a modern, mobile work culture.
Offers more than 250,000 technology products through its new tech website, an enhanced online offering. Plus, offers a new team of Tech Solutions Advisors, free of charge to all customer account holders to help them get the products that best meet their needs.
|
| 2009 |
Opens first Business Centre in Vancouver, offering small businesses a central community hub and physical representation of the total office solutions provided to
small business.
|
| 2012 |
Celebrates 100 years in the office furniture business
|
| |
|