Simons to open stores in two landmark malls
Peter Black, Local Journalism Initiative reporter
peterblack@qctonline.com
Quebec City’s little dry goods store that could is taking two more huge steps into the retail big time.
La Maison Simons an- nounced last week it plans to open new stores next year in two of the country’s landmark shopping malls in Toronto – the Yorkdale Shopping Centre in north-central Toronto and CF Toronto Eaton Centre in the downtown district. (CF stands for Cadillac-Fairview, the mall’s owner).
The stores will be the com- pany’s third in the Toronto area, adding to its space in Mississauga’s Square One, and the 18th and 19th in its nationwide network of stores.
Company president and CEO Bernard Leblanc said in a June 6 release, “We believe in the vitality and competitiveness of the Canadian re- tail landscape and are excited about the future here and about growing here.”
Leblanc said, “Despite cur- rent economic challenges in the retail landscape, our sales growth in Mississauga has steadily increased since opening and is up by more than three per cent over the last fiscal year.”
Leblanc is the first non- family member to head Simons, founded in Quebec City in 1840, since taking over from Peter Simons two years ago. Peter Simons continues to be involved in the role of “chief merchant.” Brother Richard Simons is also a key executive in what remains a family-owned enterprise.
The Simons store in the Yorkdale mall will span two floors with over 118,000 square feet of shopping space; the Eaton Centre store will be three storeys and have over 110,000 square feet.
Both new stores will be designed by Quebec’s Lemay- Michaud Architecture, with interior design by Toronto-based Gensler Design. The design “will be inspired by natural elements, with the sun serving as a beacon of light,” the release said.
With the store at the Eaton Centre, Simons will be making a statement of sorts about the evolution of the retail fashion industry. Eaton’s was for generations one of Canada’s leading retail chains, until it succumbed in 1999 to competition and changing trends.
Simons opened its most eastern store earlier this year in Halifax, and two years ago added to its Quebec presence with a store at the Fairview Mall in Pointe Claire.
Retail analyst Liza Amiani said in a CBC News story in the wake of the latest Simons foray, the company is likely to succeed in the endeavour because “it has the trifecta down – the trifecta being product, customers and marketing. And what they’re doing is they are connecting all the dots.”