Simons

Simons takes Toronto with stores in two iconic malls

Peter Black, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

peterblack@qctonline.com

Wen the Simons dry goods store first opened its doors in Old Quebec in 1840, the city was the most populous in Canada.

Last week, that same family-owned retailer opened a new store in central Toronto, currently by far Canada’s largest city. The company with the iconic green leaf branding snipped the ribbon on a distinctive two-storey, 118,000-square-foot space at Yorkdale Shopping Centre, one of the country’s oldest and best-known malls.

What’s more, later this fall, Simons will open a new store in the Eaton Centre, in the heart of the bustling downtown of the Queen City, marking a combined investment of some $100 million and generator of 400 jobs.

The Yorkdale store is the 18th outlet for Simons and its third store in Ontario, following outlets in downtown Ottawa’s Rideau Centre and suburban Mississauga’s Square One mall.

Already established in Vancouver, the company became a coast-to-coast retailer last year when it opened a store in the Halifax Shopping Centre.

As is the case with all Simons stores, the design combines fashion with art. In a news release, Simons CEO Bernard Leblanc said, “Our Yorkdale store reflects our commitment to creativity, design, esteemed service, purpose, community and connection. Because, at Simons, we believe our spaces are more than just places to shop – they are places to dis- cover, to be inspired, and to engage with fashion, Canadian art and design.”

The Yorkdale store features a large ceiling mural called Ciel by French artist Nelio, as well as a solarium and a “walk of frames” showcasing 40 works from 24 artists, most of them Canadian.

Leblanc, a longtime Simons executive, took over as boss of Simons in 2022 when president and CEO Peter Simons stepped down to become chief merchant. He and his brother Richard are the largest shareholders of Simons, Canada’s oldest privately owned business.

The timing of the assault on the downtown Toronto market was fortuitous for Simons, in what might be said to be an unfortunate way, with the demise of The Bay stores, Simons’ main competitor.

In a Canadian Press report on the Yorkdale opening, Leblanc said, “I’m saddened by the fact that such a historical Canadian icon has left the market. As a retailer, we like to have a very buoyant and dynamic retail industry, so having somebody exit is always a little bit of a shock to the industry.”

That said, Leblanc expects the new Toronto stores to increase company annual sales by 15 per cent, to $650 million.

In perhaps another sign of the times, Simons is setting up shop in spaces in both the Yorkdale and Eaton Centre vacated two years ago by U.S. department store giant Nordstrom.