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SOUTH SLAVE
The NWT's only two Fields stores - in Fort Smith and Hay River - may be getting a new lease on life.

Earlier this year, the Hudson's Bay Company announced it would be shutting down all 167 Fields retail outlets that it owns in Canada by the fall, including the ones in Fort Smith and Hay River.

Now, Fields Holding Company (FHC) - a new venture made up of a group of southern retailers - is interested in taking over some of the stores.

"Fields has entered into a tentative agreement with FHC to acquire the leases of 37 Fields store locations, one of them being Fort Smith," said Tiffany Bourre, manager of external communications with Hudson's Bay Company in Toronto.

"With that, they also have the opportunity to assume another 22 leases and Hay River is one of those 22 under consideration," Bourre added.

The tentative deal was announced on March 7.

Bourre explained the possible new owner would either assume the existing Fields leases or enter into new lease agreements with landlords.

"They would also acquire the inventory, fixtures and name of the store," she said.

Bourre stressed it is still a tentative agreement.

Fields has operated in Fort Smith since 1993 and in Hay River since 1991.

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