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Luxury handbags? Out. A $1.99 Canadian Tire tote? In, apparently.
Hudson Williams, star of the breakout Canadian series Heated Rivalry sent social media into a frenzy after stepping out sporting the budget-friendly bag while strolling the streets of Toronto with his co-star, Connor Storrie.
The red and black plaid reusable bag, complete with black straps and a large Canadian Tire logo in the centre, is a familiar last-minute grab at checkout counters across Canada. But after fans spotted it hanging from Williams’s wrist, it quickly went from an everyday essential to a viral fashion must-have.
Log into TikTok and you’ll find creators taking viewers along as they hunt for “some Heated Rivalry merch,” with many joking the Canadian Tire bag is the show’s unofficial merchandise.
DEUXMOI EXCLUSIVE 📸…Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie gear up to shoot the second season of “Heated Rivalry” in Toronto 📸TheImageDirect pic.twitter.com/9x9Wm2nqMS
Fans all over the internet are sharing their reactions, too.
“After seeing what hudson williams did for canadian tire, he def could’ve saved hudson’s bay 💔” one user wrote on X. Another on Threads congratulated the store for “(likely) selling out of a reusable bag for the first time ever 🤣😂.”
And the excitement isn’t limited to Canada. Fans outside the country are even trying to get their hands on a bag, with one Threads user writing, “I finally understand why all the Americans were asking what Canadian Tire was!!”
Some people are even offering to ship the bags to eager fans across the border.
‘Some famous guy had a bag or something’
The item appears to be sold out at most locations across the Greater Toronto Area.
“This was not really popular before,” a Canadian Tire employee at Toronto’s Yonge and Dundas location told CBC News. “I was very shocked when I heard, ‘Oh. that one got trendy right now.'”
“There was a guy actually who first came in, and he said some famous guy had a bag or something, and how it’s going to sell out quick. So he came and bought five bags,” another employee said.
The official review section for the tote was quickly flooded with comments from fans trying to track down one for themselves.
“Good enough for Hudson Williams, good enough for me,” one review reads.
“Better than Balenci-YAGA” says another, a reference to Williams’s newly announced Crave original series Yaga, premiering at the 2027 Toronto International Film Festival.
The Heated Rivalry flame is still burning bright. The show’s co-star Hudson Williams and showrunner Jacob Tierney stopped by on the Canadian Screen Awards red carpet to reflect on the show’s impact and community reception. The beloved hockey drama ended the night with 16 awards, including best drama series and best lead performer for Williams.
Earlier this year, Canadian brand Province of Canada released a replica of the viral zip-up fleece worn by Shane Hollander (Williams’s character) in the show’s Sochi Olympics scenes.
Retailing for $356, it sold out in just 10 minutes and is set to ship to buyers in October.
The viral attention comes as hype builds for the show’s second season, which is reportedly filming in cities across Canada this summer and fall.
The retailer seems to be in on the PR opportunity, reposting fan photos on its official Instagram. “We’ve definitely seen a surge in demand on our plaid reusable tote since Saturday,” Eva Salem, SVP of marketing and brand for Canadian Tire, told CBC News in an email.
As for the brand of the paper towels sticking out from the star’s bag mostly obstructed from view: better luck next time?
