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| image = Freezing rain in Quebec city 15.jpg
| image = Freezing rain in Quebec city 15.jpg
| image_size =  
| image_size =  
| image_caption = [[Flagship store]] and headquarters on Côte de la Fabrique in [[Old Quebec]], Quebec City (2018)
| image_caption = [[Flagship store]] and headquarters on Côte de la Fabrique in [[Old Quebec]], 2018.
| type = [[Privately held company|Private]]
| type = [[Privately held company|Private]]
| industry = [[Retail]]
| industry = [[Retail]]
| founded = {{Start date and age|1840}} in Quebec City, Lower Canada
| founded = {{Start date and age|1840}} in [[Quebec City]], [[Lower Canada]]
| founder = John Simons
| founder = [[John Hamilton Simons]]
| hq_location = 20, côte de la Fabrique<br />[[Quebec City]], [[Quebec]]<br />G1R 3V9
| hq_location = 20, côte de la Fabrique<br />[[Quebec City]], [[Quebec]]<br />G1R 3V9
| num_locations = 18
| num_locations = 19
| num_locations_year = 2024
| num_locations_year = 2025
| area_served =  
| area_served =  
| key_people = {{ubl|
| key_people = {{ubl|
* [[Peter Simons (businessman)|Peter Simons]]
* [[Peter Simons (businessman)|Peter Simons]]
* Richard Simons
}}
}}
| owner = Simons family
| owner =  
| num_employees = 2,500
| num_employees = 2,500
| num_employees_year = 2017
| num_employees_year = 2017
| website = {{URL|simons.ca}}
| website = {{URL|simons.ca}}
| footnotes =  
| footnotes =  
}}
}}'''La Maison Simons''' ([[Colloquialism|colloquially]] '''Simons''') is a Canadian [[department store]] chain founded in 1840 by [[John Hamilton Simons]]. The business was first established as a [[dry goods]] store.


'''La Maison Simons''' ([[Colloquialism|colloquially]] '''Simons''') is a Canadian [[department store]] chain founded in 1840 by John Simons. The business was established as a [[dry goods]] store by the son of a [[Scottish people|Scottish]] immigrant to [[Lower Canada]] (now [[Quebec]]). During the 1960s, the focus of the business changed to a department store, incorporating youth-oriented brands. Beginning in 1981, La Maison Simons began an expansion across Quebec. In 2012, the company expanded its business to the [[West Edmonton Mall]] in [[Alberta]] before opening several more stores across Canada. The success of the location at the West Edmonton Mall led to the company being sought out as a key [[anchor tenant]] at malls across Canada. Primarily a privately held firm, La Maison Simons received outside investment for the first time in its history in 2018, when it sought to open a distribution centre in [[Quebec City]].
While historic Canadian department stores such as [[Eaton's|Eaton’s]], [[Sears Canada|Sears]], and [[Hudson's Bay (department store)|Hudson’s Bay]] have closed or downsized, La Maison Simons and [[Holt Renfrew]] continue to operate and expand. They both represent the last large-format department-style clothes retailers in the country.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The death of the great Canadian downtown department store |url=https://issuu.com/retailinsider/docs/untitled-101/s/55362687 |access-date=2025-09-01 |website=Issuu |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Harris |first=Sophia |date=2025-03-18 |title=Hudson’s Bay’s demise marks the death of the traditional department store in Canada |url=https://ici.radio-canada.ca/rci/en/news/2148673/hudsons-bays-demise-marks-the-death-of-the-traditional-department-store-in-canada |access-date=2025-09-01 |website=RCI |language=}}</ref>


==History==
==Founding to 1950s==
[[File:La Maison Simons 02.jpg|thumb|left|[[Old Quebec]] store and headquarters]]
[[File:Chantier de construction de l Hotel de ville de Quebec, 1895 - a.jpg|left|thumb|Simons & Foulds store in 1895 on côte de la Fabrique, Quebec City.]]
Peter Simons, born in [[Scotland]] in 1785, arrived in Lower Canada in 1812 and settled on a small farm in [[Lac-Beauport|Beauport]], near Quebec City. He raised a family of five, including a son – {{ill|John Simons (merchant){{!}}John Simons|fr|John Simons}} – who went on to open a small dry goods shop in Quebec City in 1840 at the age of 17. Placing an emphasis on quality products, John Simons made more than 70 crossings of the Atlantic Ocean in order to seek out quality English and Scottish goods to stock as merchandise.<ref name="nuvo">{{cite web |url=http://nuvomagazine.com/magazine/winter-2015/la-maison-simons |title=La Maison Simons: The retailer's cross-Canada expansion |last=Kosonen |first=Elisa |work=Nuvo |date=December 9, 2015 |accessdate=July 9, 2018}}</ref>
Peter Simons, born in [[Scotland]] in 1785, arrived in Lower Canada in 1812 and settled on a small farm in [[Lac-Beauport|Beauport]], near Quebec City. He raised a family of five, including a son – [[John Hamilton Simons|John Simons]] – who went on to open a small dry goods shop in Quebec City in 1840 at the age of 17. Placing an emphasis on quality products, John Simons made more than 70 crossings of the Atlantic Ocean in order to seek out quality English and Scottish goods to stock as merchandise.<ref name="nuvo">{{cite web |url=http://nuvomagazine.com/magazine/winter-2015/la-maison-simons |title=La Maison Simons: The retailer's cross-Canada expansion |last=Kosonen |first=Elisa |work=Nuvo |date=December 9, 2015 |accessdate=July 9, 2018}}</ref>


In 1870, John Simons moved his shop to 20 Côte de la Fabrique, where it remains today. Business increased following the move, and in 1952, the post-[[World War II]] boom brought new market opportunities. This is when {{Interlanguage link|Gordon Donald Simons|fr|}} entered the company and led the business into a new era, transforming it into a [[department store]]. It became a leader in popular fashion with the introduction of youth-centred and fashion-forward brands such as Twik, which was based on [[Twiggy]], a cultural icon of the time.<ref name="nuvo"/>
In 1870, John Simons moved his shop to 20 Côte de la Fabrique, where it remains today. Business increased following the move, and in 1952, the post-[[World War II]] boom brought new market opportunities. This is when Gordon Donald Simons entered the company and led the business into a new era, transforming it into a [[department store]]. It became a leader in popular fashion with the introduction of youth-centred and fashion-forward brands such as Twik, which was based on [[Twiggy]], a cultural icon of the time.<ref name="nuvo" />


===Expansion===
== 1960s to 2008 ==
1961 marked a turning point for La Maison Simons as it entered a growth phase with its new store in Place Sainte-Foy, where home decor was introduced, as well as new brands for men and women in their thirties and forties. In 1981, a new store opened in Galeries de la Capitale, also in Quebec City. La Maison Simons opened new Quebec locations in [[Sherbrooke]] and [[Montreal]] in 1999. Two years later, in 2001, a store was opened at Promenades Saint-Bruno. The final new location in the burst of expansion was in 2002, when La Maison Simons opened a new store in [[Laval, Quebec]].<ref name=":0">{{cite web |url=http://www3.simons.ca/?lang=en |title=Accueil - Simons - Our history |website=simons.ca |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110530012825/http://www3.simons.ca/?lang=en |archivedate=May 30, 2011 |accessdate=July 9, 2018}}</ref>
1961 marked a turning point for La Maison Simons as it entered a growth phase with its new store in Place Sainte-Foy, where home decor was introduced, as well as new brands for men and women in their thirties and forties. In 1981, a new store opened in Galeries de la Capitale, also in Quebec City. La Maison Simons opened new Quebec locations in [[Sherbrooke]] and [[Montreal]] in 1999. Two years later, in 2001, a store was opened at Promenades Saint-Bruno. The final new location in the burst of expansion was in 2002, when La Maison Simons opened a new store in [[Laval, Quebec]].<ref name=":0">{{cite web |url=http://www3.simons.ca/?lang=en |title=Accueil - Simons - Our history |website=simons.ca |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110530012825/http://www3.simons.ca/?lang=en |archivedate=May 30, 2011 |accessdate=July 9, 2018}}</ref>


In 2012, Simons expanded to its seventh and largest location at [[West Edmonton Mall]], its first outside of Quebec.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://business.financialpost.com/news/retail-marketing/amid-retail-turmoil-simons-stays-focused-on-culture-and-people-rather-than-aggressive-expansion |title=Amid retail turmoil, Simons stays focused on culture and people, rather than aggressive expansion |work=Financial Post |last=Csernyik |first=Rob |date=June 26, 2017 |accessdate=July 9, 2018}}</ref> It spent nearly $50 million on the store alone.<ref>{{cite book |last=Babin |first=Barry J. |last2=Harris |first2=Eric G. |last3=Murray |first3=Kyle B. |name-list-style=amp |title=CB (Consumer Behaviour) |edition=Second Canadian |publisher=Nelson Education |location=Toronto |year=2017 |orig-year=2014 |isbn=0-17-657038-1 |page=68}}</ref> The success of the location led other shopping malls to seek out La Maison Simons as an anchor tenant.<ref name="kellyglobe">{{cite news |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/industry-news/property-report/simons-fashions-itself-into-major-anchor-tenant/article19601535/ |title=Simons fashions itself into major anchor tenant |work=The Globe and Mail |last=Kelly |first=Deirdre |date=July 15, 2014 |accessdate=July 9, 2018}}</ref> On March 27, 2013, Simons announced it would open a new location in [[Ottawa]], Ontario's [[Rideau Centre]] in 2015 (although the store did not actually open until August 2016).<ref name=":0"/><ref>{{cite news |url=http://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/simons-coming-to-ottawa-rideau-centre-1.1213947 |title=Simons coming to Ottawa Rideau Centre |last=Schnurr |first=Joanne |work=CTV News |date=March 27, 2013 |accessdate=July 9, 2018}}</ref> This was followed by an announcement on December 6, 2013, stating that a [[flagship]] store was to open at [[Square One Shopping Centre]] in [[Mississauga]], in spring 2016. The new store, which opened in March 2016, occupies a large portion of the former [[Sears Canada]] store.<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1275377/simons-to-open-first-ontario-store-at-square-one-shopping-centre |title=Simons to open first Ontario store at Square One Shopping Centre |website=newswire.ca |date=December 6, 2013 |accessdate=July 9, 2018 |archive-date=April 2, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402101439/http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1275377/simons-to-open-first-ontario-store-at-square-one-shopping-centre |url-status=dead }}</ref>
Celebrating the [[400th anniversary of Quebec City]] in 2008, La Maison Simons gifted a restored fountain, the {{Interlanguage link|Fontaine de Tourny|fr|}}, imported from France. The fountain was originally positioned in [[Bordeaux]]'s Allées de Tourny, named after [[Louis-Urbain-Aubert de Tourny|Aubert Tourny]], a French intendant remembered for his contribution to the beautification of Bordeaux, Quebec City's sister city. It was built in the mid-19th century and won a gold medal at the [[Exposition Universelle (1855)|Paris world exposition]] of 1855. The Fontaine de Tourny was installed in front of the [[National Assembly of Quebec]] in April 2007.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hansard |url=http://www2.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?pub=hansard&mee=33&parl=38&ses=1&language=E&x=1#T1105 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170228081037/http://www.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?language=E&mee=33&parl=38&pub=hansard&ses=1&x=1#T1105 |archive-date=2017-02-28 |access-date=2006-09-16}}</ref>
 
In August 2008, the retailer chose to withdraw its fall catalogue after complaints its models were too thin.<ref>{{cite news |date=August 27, 2008 |title=Quebec retail chain pulls catalogues over too-thin model photos |url=http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/story.html?id=edb27dd5-e897-4415-83de-b8cff5e59fb9 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105051606/http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/story.html?id=edb27dd5-e897-4415-83de-b8cff5e59fb9 |archivedate=November 5, 2012 |accessdate=July 9, 2018 |work=Ottawa Citizen |publisher=canada.com}}</ref>
 
== 2012 to present ==
[[File:La Maison Simons 02.jpg|thumb|Simons store in 2014 on côte de la Fabrique, Quebec City.|252x252px]]In 2012, Simons expanded to its seventh and largest location at [[West Edmonton Mall]], its first outside of Quebec.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://business.financialpost.com/news/retail-marketing/amid-retail-turmoil-simons-stays-focused-on-culture-and-people-rather-than-aggressive-expansion |title=Amid retail turmoil, Simons stays focused on culture and people, rather than aggressive expansion |work=Financial Post |last=Csernyik |first=Rob |date=June 26, 2017 |accessdate=July 9, 2018}}</ref> It spent nearly $50 million on the store alone.<ref>{{cite book |last=Babin |first=Barry J. |last2=Harris |first2=Eric G. |last3=Murray |first3=Kyle B. |name-list-style=amp |title=CB (Consumer Behaviour) |edition=Second Canadian |publisher=Nelson Education |location=Toronto |year=2017 |orig-year=2014 |isbn=0-17-657038-1 |page=68}}</ref> The success of the location led other shopping malls to seek out La Maison Simons as an anchor tenant.<ref name="kellyglobe">{{cite news |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/industry-news/property-report/simons-fashions-itself-into-major-anchor-tenant/article19601535/ |title=Simons fashions itself into major anchor tenant |work=The Globe and Mail |last=Kelly |first=Deirdre |date=July 15, 2014 |accessdate=July 9, 2018}}</ref> On March 27, 2013, Simons announced it would open a new location in [[Ottawa]], Ontario's [[Rideau Centre]] in 2015 (although the store did not actually open until August 2016).<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/ottawa/article/simons-coming-to-ottawa-rideau-centre/ |title=Simons coming to Ottawa Rideau Centre |last=Schnurr |first=Joanne |work=CTV News |date=March 27, 2013 |access-date=July 9, 2018}}</ref> This was followed by an announcement on December 6, 2013, stating that a [[flagship]] store was to open at [[Square One Shopping Centre]] in [[Mississauga]], in spring 2016. The new store, which opened in March 2016, occupies a large portion of the former [[Sears Canada]] store.<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1275377/simons-to-open-first-ontario-store-at-square-one-shopping-centre |title=Simons to open first Ontario store at Square One Shopping Centre |website=newswire.ca |date=December 6, 2013 |accessdate=July 9, 2018 |archive-date=April 2, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402101439/http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1275377/simons-to-open-first-ontario-store-at-square-one-shopping-centre |url-status=dead }}</ref>
 
Simons store locations are each uniquely designed. Former CEO, Peter Simons, said in an interview in 2015 with ''Canadian Business'' "We’re trying to hold on to this belief in creativity and architecture and art. We’re working with Doug Coupland, for instance, on an art piece in Vancouver, and we try to do that with all the stores we build."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Toller |first=Carol |date=March 30, 2015 |title=Simons CEO Peter Simons on the new department-store wars |url=http://www.canadianbusiness.com/leadership/peter-simons-interview/ |access-date=June 19, 2017 |work=Canadian Business |language=en-US}}</ref> All stores incorporate art installations and unique architectural elements.
 
A new store in [[Gatineau]], Quebec, opened on August 13, 2015, investing $21 million in the location.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://ottawacitizen.com/life/style/simons-store-opens-to-much-fanfare-in-gatineau |title=Simons store opens to much fanfare in Gatineau |last=Wilson |first=Janet |work=Ottawa Citizen |date=October 16, 2015 |accessdate=July 9, 2018}}</ref> Furthermore, in 2015, a location opened at [[Park Royal Shopping Centre]] in [[West Vancouver]], [[British Columbia]].<ref name="kellyglobe" /> A store in [[Calgary]], [[Alberta]], opened on March 16, 2017, in the Lancaster Building as part of [[The Core (shopping centre)|The Core]] shopping mall. In August 2017, La Maison Simons opened a new store in [[Edmonton]], Alberta, at [[Londonderry Mall]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/3690810/simons-ready-to-open-its-doors-at-edmontons-londonderry-mall/ |title=Simons ready to open its doors at Edmonton’s Londonderry Mall |last=Kornik |first=Slav |work=Global News |date=August 23, 2017 |accessdate=July 9, 2018}}</ref> In May 2018, La Maison Simons received outside investment for the first time in its history as part of efforts to open a new distribution centre in Quebec City.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-simons-taps-outside-investors-for-first-time-as-challenges-pressure/ |title=Simons acquires outside investment to help fund distribution centre |last=Franson |first=Jason |agency=The Canadian Press |work=The Globe and Mail |date=May 29, 2018 |accessdate=July 9, 2018}}</ref>
 
In February 2020, [[Canada Goose (clothing)|Canada Goose]] ended its wholesale agreement with La Maison Simons, which accounted for millions in sales for the company. At the same time and through the [[COVID-19 pandemic in Canada]], Simons was having troubles with credit insurance on deliveries and all stock from designers, such as Balmain, had been moved to Simons' website. In August 2020, La Maison Simons claims to have regained profitability and sent letters to vendors in July assuring payment in full and fall deliveries will be delayed to preserve cash.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-08-05 |title=Simons voit " la lumière au bout du tunnel " |url=https://www.lapresse.ca/affaires/entreprises/2020-08-05/simons-voit-la-lumiere-au-bout-du-tunnel.php |access-date=2020-08-11 |website=La Presse |language=fr}}</ref>
 
In March 2022, Bernard Leblanc succeeded Peter Simons as chief executive officer, becoming the first person outside the Simons family to lead the company.<ref>{{Cite web |last=CA |first=FashionNetwork com |date=2022-03-20 |title=Simons names Bernard Leblanc president and CEO |url=https://ca.fashionnetwork.com/news/Simons-names-bernard-leblanc-president-and-ceo,1389192.html |access-date=2025-08-14 |website=FashionNetwork.com |language=en-CA}}</ref>


A new store in [[Gatineau]], Quebec, opened on August 13, 2015, investing $21 million in the location.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://ottawacitizen.com/life/style/simons-store-opens-to-much-fanfare-in-gatineau |title=Simons store opens to much fanfare in Gatineau |last=Wilson |first=Janet |work=Ottawa Citizen |date=October 16, 2015 |accessdate=July 9, 2018}}</ref> Furthermore, in 2015, a location opened at [[Park Royal Shopping Centre]] in [[West Vancouver]], [[British Columbia]].<ref name="kellyglobe"/> A store in [[Calgary]], [[Alberta]], opened on March 16, 2017, in the Lancaster Building as part of [[The Core (shopping centre)|The Core]] shopping mall. In August 2017, La Maison Simons opened a new store in [[Edmonton]], Alberta, at [[Londonderry Mall]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/3690810/simons-ready-to-open-its-doors-at-edmontons-londonderry-mall/ |title=Simons ready to open its doors at Edmonton’s Londonderry Mall |last=Kornik |first=Slav |work=Global News |date=August 23, 2017 |accessdate=July 9, 2018}}</ref> In May 2018, La Maison Simons received outside investment for the first time in its history as part of efforts to open a new distribution centre in Quebec City.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-simons-taps-outside-investors-for-first-time-as-challenges-pressure/ |title=Simons acquires outside investment to help fund distribution centre |last=Franson |first=Jason |agency=The Canadian Press |work=The Globe and Mail |date=May 29, 2018 |accessdate=July 9, 2018}}</ref> New stores are expected to open in the [[Toronto Eaton Centre]], [[Yorkdale Shopping Centre]], and [[Pacific Centre]], in the space occupied by [[Nordstrom]], in 2025.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Casaletto |first1=Lucas |title=La Maison Simons to open at Toronto’s Eaton Centre, Yorkdale in former Nordstrom spaces |url=https://toronto.citynews.ca/2024/06/06/la-maison-simons-stores-toronto-yorkdale-nordstrom-fall-2025/ |access-date=16 September 2024 |work=City News |date=6 June 2024}}</ref>
On August 14, 2025, La Maison Simons opened its first Toronto store at [[Yorkdale Shopping Centre]], occupying a 118,000-square-foot, two-storey space formerly held by Nordstrom.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |date=2025-08-14 |title=Simons opens first Toronto store at Yorkdale mall |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-simons-opens-first-toronto-store-at-yorkdale-mall/ |access-date=2025-08-14 |work=The Globe and Mail |language=en-CA}}</ref> Unique to the location is ''Ciel'', a geometric ceiling mural by French artist Nelio, along with a "walk of frames" displaying works from 24 artists.<ref name=":1" /> A second Toronto store at the [[Toronto Eaton Centre|Eaton Centre]] opened in September 2025, with both locations representing a $75 million investment.<ref name=":1" /> Simons projects the expansion will increase annual sales by 15 percent to $650 million, noting that recent [[Tariffs in the second Trump administration|U.S. tariffs]] have encouraged more Canadian consumers to purchase its house brands, which account for about 70 percent of merchandise.<ref name=":1" />


==Locations==
==Locations==
The chain includes 18 stores throughout Canada. It also has business offices in [[London]], [[Paris]], [[Florence]] and [[Hong Kong]].
The chain includes 19 stores throughout Canada. It also has business offices in [[London]], [[Paris]], [[Florence]] and [[Hong Kong]].
[[File:Maison Simons (Montréal) 2006-01-27.JPG|thumb|right|Downtown Montreal store on [[Saint Catherine Street]]]]
[[File:Maison Simons (Montréal) 2006-01-27.JPG|thumb|right|Downtown Montreal store on [[Saint Catherine Street]]]]
[[File:Simons-Park-Royal-Vancouver.jpg|thumb|right|Park Royal store in [[West Vancouver]]]]
[[File:Simons-Park-Royal-Vancouver.jpg|thumb|right|Park Royal store in [[West Vancouver]]]]
Line 67: Line 79:
* [[Square One Shopping Centre]], [[Mississauga]]
* [[Square One Shopping Centre]], [[Mississauga]]
* [[CF Rideau Centre]], [[Ottawa]]
* [[CF Rideau Centre]], [[Ottawa]]
* [[Yorkdale Shopping Centre]], [[Toronto]]
* [[CF Toronto Eaton Centre]], [[Toronto]]


===British Columbia===
===British Columbia===
Line 73: Line 87:
===Nova Scotia===
===Nova Scotia===
* [[Halifax Shopping Centre]], [[Halifax, Nova Scotia|Halifax]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Simons is coming to Halifax - opening the 1st store in Atlantic Canada!|url=https://www.iheartradio.ca/move/halifax/podcasts-more/simons-is-coming-to-halifax-opening-the-1st-store-in-atlantic-canada-1.17729713 |website=iheartradio |accessdate=May 6, 2022 |date=May 6, 2020}}</ref>
* [[Halifax Shopping Centre]], [[Halifax, Nova Scotia|Halifax]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Simons is coming to Halifax - opening the 1st store in Atlantic Canada!|url=https://www.iheartradio.ca/move/halifax/podcasts-more/simons-is-coming-to-halifax-opening-the-1st-store-in-atlantic-canada-1.17729713 |website=iheartradio |accessdate=May 6, 2022 |date=May 6, 2020}}</ref>
==Cultural==
Celebrating the [[400th anniversary of Quebec City]] in 2008, La Maison Simons gifted a restored fountain, the {{Interlanguage link|Fontaine de Tourny|fr|}}, imported from France. The fountain was originally positioned in [[Bordeaux]]'s Allées de Tourny, named after [[Louis-Urbain-Aubert de Tourny|Aubert Tourny]], a French intendant remembered for his contribution to the beautification of Bordeaux, Quebec City's sister city. It was built in the mid-19th century and won a gold medal at the [[Exposition Universelle (1855)|Paris world exposition]] of 1855. The Fontaine de Tourny was installed in front of the [[National Assembly of Quebec]] in April 2007.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www2.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?pub=hansard&mee=33&parl=38&ses=1&language=E&x=1#T1105 |title=Hansard |access-date=2006-09-16 |archive-date=2017-02-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170228081037/http://www.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?language=E&mee=33&parl=38&pub=hansard&ses=1&x=1#T1105 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
In August 2008, the retailer chose to withdraw its fall catalogue after complaints its models were too thin.<ref>{{cite news |title=Quebec retail chain pulls catalogues over too-thin model photos |url=http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/story.html?id=edb27dd5-e897-4415-83de-b8cff5e59fb9 |work=Ottawa Citizen |publisher=canada.com |date= August 27, 2008 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105051606/http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/story.html?id=edb27dd5-e897-4415-83de-b8cff5e59fb9 |archivedate=November 5, 2012 |url-status=dead|accessdate=July 9, 2018}}</ref>
Simons store locations are each uniquely designed. The current CEO, Peter Simons, said in an interview with ''Canadian Business'' "We’re trying to hold on to this belief in creativity and architecture and art. We’re working with Doug Coupland, for instance, on an art piece in Vancouver, and we try to do that with all the stores we build."<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.canadianbusiness.com/leadership/peter-simons-interview/|title=Simons CEO Peter Simons on the new department-store wars |last=Toller |first=Carol |date=March 30, 2015|work=Canadian Business |access-date=June 19, 2017|language=en-US}}</ref> All stores incorporate art installations and unique architectural elements.
==Company struggles==
In February 2020, [[Canada Goose (clothing)|Canada Goose]] ended its wholesale agreement with La Maison Simons, which accounted for millions in sales for the company. At the same time and through the [[COVID-19 pandemic in Canada]], Simons was having troubles with credit insurance on deliveries and all stock from designers, such as Balmain, had been moved to Simons' website. In August 2020, La Maison Simons claims to have regained profitability and sent letters to vendors in July assuring payment in full and fall deliveries will be delayed to preserve cash.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-08-05|title=Simons voit " la lumière au bout du tunnel "|url=https://www.lapresse.ca/affaires/entreprises/2020-08-05/simons-voit-la-lumiere-au-bout-du-tunnel.php|access-date=2020-08-11|website=La Presse|language=fr}}</ref>


==See also==
==See also==
*[[List of department stores#Canada|List of Canadian department stores]]
*[[List of department stores#Canada|List of Canadian department stores]]
*[[History of Quebec City]]
*[[Holt Renfrew]], another fashion store founded in Quebec City in the mid-19th century
*[[Holt Renfrew]], another fashion store founded in Quebec City in the mid-19th century
 
*[[Scots-Quebecers]]
==References==
{{reflist}}


==External links==
==External links==
{{Commons category}}
{{Commons category}}
* {{Official website|https://www.simons.ca/}}
* {{Official website|https://www.simons.ca/}}
{{Authority control}}


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==References==
{{reflist}}{{DEFAULTSORT:Maison Simons, La}}
[[Category:Clothing retailers of Canada]]
[[Category:Clothing retailers of Canada]]
[[Category:Department stores of Canada]]
[[Category:Department stores of Canada]]
[[Category:Companies based in Quebec City]]
[[Category:Companies based in Quebec City]]
[[Category:Old Quebec]]
[[Category:Old Quebec]]
[[Category:Online clothing retailers of Canada]]
[[Category:Retail companies established in 1840]]
[[Category:Retail companies established in 1840]]
[[Category:Privately held companies of Canada]]
[[Category:Privately held companies of Canada]]

Latest revision as of 01:25, 3 November 2025

Template:Short description Script error: No such module "Infobox".Template:Template otherScript error: No such module "Check for conflicting parameters".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".La Maison Simons (colloquially Simons) is a Canadian department store chain founded in 1840 by John Hamilton Simons. The business was first established as a dry goods store.

While historic Canadian department stores such as Eaton’s, Sears, and Hudson’s Bay have closed or downsized, La Maison Simons and Holt Renfrew continue to operate and expand. They both represent the last large-format department-style clothes retailers in the country.[1][2]

Founding to 1950s

File:Chantier de construction de l Hotel de ville de Quebec, 1895 - a.jpg
Simons & Foulds store in 1895 on côte de la Fabrique, Quebec City.

Peter Simons, born in Scotland in 1785, arrived in Lower Canada in 1812 and settled on a small farm in Beauport, near Quebec City. He raised a family of five, including a son – John Simons – who went on to open a small dry goods shop in Quebec City in 1840 at the age of 17. Placing an emphasis on quality products, John Simons made more than 70 crossings of the Atlantic Ocean in order to seek out quality English and Scottish goods to stock as merchandise.[3]

In 1870, John Simons moved his shop to 20 Côte de la Fabrique, where it remains today. Business increased following the move, and in 1952, the post-World War II boom brought new market opportunities. This is when Gordon Donald Simons entered the company and led the business into a new era, transforming it into a department store. It became a leader in popular fashion with the introduction of youth-centred and fashion-forward brands such as Twik, which was based on Twiggy, a cultural icon of the time.[3]

1960s to 2008

1961 marked a turning point for La Maison Simons as it entered a growth phase with its new store in Place Sainte-Foy, where home decor was introduced, as well as new brands for men and women in their thirties and forties. In 1981, a new store opened in Galeries de la Capitale, also in Quebec City. La Maison Simons opened new Quebec locations in Sherbrooke and Montreal in 1999. Two years later, in 2001, a store was opened at Promenades Saint-Bruno. The final new location in the burst of expansion was in 2002, when La Maison Simons opened a new store in Laval, Quebec.[4]

Celebrating the 400th anniversary of Quebec City in 2008, La Maison Simons gifted a restored fountain, the Template:Interlanguage link, imported from France. The fountain was originally positioned in Bordeaux's Allées de Tourny, named after Aubert Tourny, a French intendant remembered for his contribution to the beautification of Bordeaux, Quebec City's sister city. It was built in the mid-19th century and won a gold medal at the Paris world exposition of 1855. The Fontaine de Tourny was installed in front of the National Assembly of Quebec in April 2007.[5]

In August 2008, the retailer chose to withdraw its fall catalogue after complaints its models were too thin.[6]

2012 to present

File:La Maison Simons 02.jpg
Simons store in 2014 on côte de la Fabrique, Quebec City.

In 2012, Simons expanded to its seventh and largest location at West Edmonton Mall, its first outside of Quebec.[7] It spent nearly $50 million on the store alone.[8] The success of the location led other shopping malls to seek out La Maison Simons as an anchor tenant.[9] On March 27, 2013, Simons announced it would open a new location in Ottawa, Ontario's Rideau Centre in 2015 (although the store did not actually open until August 2016).[4][10] This was followed by an announcement on December 6, 2013, stating that a flagship store was to open at Square One Shopping Centre in Mississauga, in spring 2016. The new store, which opened in March 2016, occupies a large portion of the former Sears Canada store.[11]

Simons store locations are each uniquely designed. Former CEO, Peter Simons, said in an interview in 2015 with Canadian Business "We’re trying to hold on to this belief in creativity and architecture and art. We’re working with Doug Coupland, for instance, on an art piece in Vancouver, and we try to do that with all the stores we build."[12] All stores incorporate art installations and unique architectural elements.

A new store in Gatineau, Quebec, opened on August 13, 2015, investing $21 million in the location.[13] Furthermore, in 2015, a location opened at Park Royal Shopping Centre in West Vancouver, British Columbia.[9] A store in Calgary, Alberta, opened on March 16, 2017, in the Lancaster Building as part of The Core shopping mall. In August 2017, La Maison Simons opened a new store in Edmonton, Alberta, at Londonderry Mall.[14] In May 2018, La Maison Simons received outside investment for the first time in its history as part of efforts to open a new distribution centre in Quebec City.[15]

In February 2020, Canada Goose ended its wholesale agreement with La Maison Simons, which accounted for millions in sales for the company. At the same time and through the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada, Simons was having troubles with credit insurance on deliveries and all stock from designers, such as Balmain, had been moved to Simons' website. In August 2020, La Maison Simons claims to have regained profitability and sent letters to vendors in July assuring payment in full and fall deliveries will be delayed to preserve cash.[16]

In March 2022, Bernard Leblanc succeeded Peter Simons as chief executive officer, becoming the first person outside the Simons family to lead the company.[17]

On August 14, 2025, La Maison Simons opened its first Toronto store at Yorkdale Shopping Centre, occupying a 118,000-square-foot, two-storey space formerly held by Nordstrom.[18] Unique to the location is Ciel, a geometric ceiling mural by French artist Nelio, along with a "walk of frames" displaying works from 24 artists.[18] A second Toronto store at the Eaton Centre opened in September 2025, with both locations representing a $75 million investment.[18] Simons projects the expansion will increase annual sales by 15 percent to $650 million, noting that recent U.S. tariffs have encouraged more Canadian consumers to purchase its house brands, which account for about 70 percent of merchandise.[18]

Locations

The chain includes 19 stores throughout Canada. It also has business offices in London, Paris, Florence and Hong Kong.

File:Maison Simons (Montréal) 2006-01-27.JPG
Downtown Montreal store on Saint Catherine Street
File:Simons-Park-Royal-Vancouver.jpg
Park Royal store in West Vancouver
File:Place Ste-Foy Québec Ivanhoé Cambridge.jpg
Place Sainte-Foy store in Quebec City

Alberta

Quebec

Ontario

British Columbia

Nova Scotia

See also

External links

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References

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