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Beginnings

Future Shop in Ottawa

Future Shop was founded in 1982 by Iranian entrepreneur Hassan Khosrowshahi, who left Iran to settle in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada to start a retail business. Khosrowshahi graduated from the University of Tehran with a degree in law and economics and was a part of the family that owned the Minoo Industrial Group, a large Iran manufacturer of pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and food products. Khosrowshahi planned to open a chain of consumer and home electronics stores and take over the Canadian retail market. His associate, Ardeshir Ziabakhsh (Ardy Zia), took the role of president and CEO of the newly formed company and Khosrowshahi himself served as chairman and founder. In 1983, Future Shop opened the first three stores, all of which were in British Columbia. The company sold computers, software, games, videocassettes, audio equipment, music, and other items. By December 1983, the first month all of the Future Shop stores were opened and making business, the company reached $2.8 million in sales.

By 1993, Future Shop became the largest retailer of computers and consumer electronics in Canada and was operating 38 stores across the country and parts of the United States. In August 1993, Future Shop went public on the Toronto Stock Exchange, making $30 million dollars to be used for expansion and to pay off debt.

Future Shop store in Halifax

By the end of 1995, Future Shop's sales had reached more than $1 billion, with more than $38 million EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization)

In 1997, Future Shop announced a change in management, with Ziabakhsh leaving the company. Khosrowshahi took on the roles of president and CEO in addition to serving as chairman. Many people from company headquarters were let go during this transitionary period.

In December 2011, Future Shop opened its first ever liquidation centre in Quebec, in Longueuil .

At the end of March, Future Shop's Canadian division had produced record-setting sales and earnings for the company; however, the company's earnings were down 20 percent from the previous year, because of many losses caused by its failing U.S. operations. Despite plans for more locations in the U.S. over the next several years, the company instantly stopped any new plans for further expansion in the United States until the existing U.S. stores improved their performance in sales.