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{{Short description|Canadian department store chain}}
{{Infobox company
| name = La Maison Simons
| logo = SimonsLogo.jpg
| logo_size = 200px
| image = Freezing rain in Quebec city 15.jpg
| type = [[Private company|Private]]▼
| image_size =
| foundation = [[Quebec City]], [[Quebec]] (1840)▼
| locationimage_caption = Flagship store and headquarters =on 20, côteCôte de la Fabrique<br />in [[Old Quebec City]], [[Quebec City]]<br />G1R 3V9(2018)
▲| type = [[Private company|Private]]
| key_people = [[Peter Simons (Quebec)|Peter Simons]], [[Richard Simons (Quebec)|Richard Simons]]
| industry = [[Retail]]
| founded = {{Start date and age|1840}} in [[Quebec City]], [[Lower Canada]]
| num_employees = 2,500 (2017)▼
| founders = {{flat list|
| brands = Twik, Contemporaine, Icône, i.Fiv5, Le 31, DJAB
* Peter Simons
| revenue =
* Richard Simons
| net_income =
}}
| homepage = {{URL|https://www.simons.ca/en}}▼
▲| foundation hq_location_city = [[Quebec City]], [[Quebec]] (1840)
| hq_location_country = [[Canada]]
| num_locations = 18
| num_locations_year = 2024
| area_served =
| key_people =
▲| num_employees = 2,500 (2017)
| num_employees_year = 2017
▲| homepage website = {{URL|https://www.simons.ca/en}}
| footnotes =
}}
 
'''La Maison Simons''', commonly known as([[Colloquialism|colloquially]] '''Simons''',) is a Canadian [[fashion]]department [[retailstore]]er inchain [[Canada]], basedfounded in the province of [[Quebec]]. It is a family business currently operated1840 by Richard and Peter Simons. The business was established in 1840 by the son of a [[Scottish people|Scottish]] immigrant to Quebec as a dry goods store. In 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]] first, 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.
 
==History==
[[File:La Maison Simons 02.jpg|thumb|left|[[Old Quebec]] store and headquarters]]
Peter Simons, born in [[Scotland]] in 1785, arrived in [[Lower Canada]] in 1812, settling on a small farm near [[Quebec City]] atin [[Beauport, Quebec|Beauport]]. Peter Simons 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 merchandise, he 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 store into a new era, transforming it into a [[department store]] where it became 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===
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 Dede Lala Capitale, also in Quebec City. La Maison Simons opened new locations in [[Sherbrooke, Quebec|Sherbrooke]] and [[Montreal]], Quebec 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 opened 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]] and 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. |lastauthoramp=y |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}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Simons Opens 1st GTA Store [Photos]|url=https://www.retail-insider.com/retail-insider/2016/3/simons-1st-gta|access-date=2020-08-04|website=RETAIL INSIDER|language=en-CA}}</ref> In June 2018, Simons announced its 16th store at [[Fairview Pointe-Claire|Fairview Pointe Claire]] occupying 180,000 square feet of former [[Sears Canada]] space<ref>{{Cite web|title=La Maison Simons Announces 16th Store, in a Former Sears Space|url=https://www.retail-insider.com/retail-insider/2018/6/simons-montreal-cf-fairview-pointe-claire|access-date=2020-08-04|website=RETAIL INSIDER|language=en-CA}}</ref>. ▼
 
▲In 2012, Simons expanded to its seventh and largest location at [[West Edmonton Mall]], andits 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. |lastauthorampname-list-style=yamp |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}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|titlearchive-date=SimonsApril Opens2, 1st2015 GTA Store [Photos]|archive-url=https://wwwweb.retail-insiderarchive.comorg/retail-insiderweb/201620150402101439/3/simons-1st-gta|access-date=2020-08-04|website=RETAIL INSIDER|language=en-CA}}</ref> In June 2018, Simons announced its 16th store at [[Fairview Pointe-Claire|Fairview Pointe Claire]] occupying 180,000 square feet of former [[Sears Canada]] space<ref>{{Cite web|title=La Maison Simons Announces 16th Store, in a Former Sears Space|url=httpshttp://www.retail-insidernewswire.comca/retail-insideren/2018story/61275377/simons-montrealto-cfopen-fairviewfirst-pointeontario-claire|accessstore-date=2020at-08square-04one-shopping-centre |websiteurl-status=RETAILdead INSIDER|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 in the Park Royal mall 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 mall<ref>{{Cite web|title=Simons Opens Five-Level Downtown Calgary Store [Photos]|url=https://www.retail-insider.com/retail-insider/2017/3/simons-calgary|access-date=2020-08-04|website=RETAIL INSIDER|language=en-CA}}</ref>. 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>▼
 
▲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 in theat [[Park Royal mallShopping 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 mall<ref>{{Cite webcentre)|title=SimonsThe OpensCore]] Five-Levelshopping Downtown Calgary Store [Photos]|url=https://www.retail-insider.com/retail-insider/2017/3/simons-calgary|access-date=2020-08-04|website=RETAIL INSIDER|language=en-CA}}</ref>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]] and [[Yorkdale Shopping 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>
=== Acquisitions ===
In July 2018, Simons made its first strategic acquisition of Rituels<ref>{{Cite web|date=2018-08-14|title=Rituels - Rasage Traditionnel et Soins de la Barbe|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180814071036/https://www.rituels.ca/|access-date=2020-08-04|website=web.archive.org}}</ref> which was a traditional shaving and grooming product company<ref>{{Cite web|title=La Maison Simons Announces 1st Strategic Acquisition|url=https://www.retail-insider.com/retail-insider/2018/7/la-maison-simons-makes-1st-strategic-acquisition|access-date=2020-08-04|website=RETAIL INSIDER|language=en-CA}}</ref>. The Rituels website has since been discontinued and incorporated into the Simons website.
 
==Locations==
The chain includes 1518 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, ([[Saint Catherine Street]])]]
[[File:Simons-Park-Royal-Vancouver.jpg|thumb|right|Park Royal store, West Vancouver]]
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===Alberta===
* [[The Core Shopping Centre (Calgary)|The Core Shopping Centre]], [[Calgary]]
* [[Southcentre Mall]], [[Calgary]]
* [[Londonderry Mall]], [[Edmonton]]
* [[West Edmonton Mall]], [[Edmonton]]
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* [[Les Promenades Gatineau]], [[Gatineau]]
* [[CF Carrefour Laval]], [[Laval, Quebec|Laval]]
* Carrefour Industrielle Alliance, [[Downtown Montreal]], [[Montreal]]
* [[Galeries d'Anjou]], [[Montreal]]
* [[Fairview Pointe-Claire]], [[Pointe-Claire]]
* [[Galeries de la Capitale]], [[Quebec City]]
* Côte de la Fabrique, [[Old Quebec]], [[Quebec City]]
* [[Place Sainte-Foy]], [[Quebec City]]
* [[Promenades Saint-Bruno]], [[Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville]]
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* [[Park Royal Shopping Centre]], [[West Vancouver]]
 
===FutureNova locationsScotia===
*2021: [[CFHalifax FairviewShopping Pointe-ClaireCentre]], [[MontrealHalifax, Nova Scotia]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Simons tois expandcoming to WestHalifax Island- withopening newthe Fairview1st Pointestore Clairein storeAtlantic Canada!|url=https://montrealgazettewww.comiheartradio.ca/businessmove/halifax/podcasts-more/simons-tois-expandcoming-to-westhalifax-islandopening-withthe-new1st-fairviewstore-pointein-claireatlantic-storecanada-1.17729713 |website=Montreal Gazetteiheartradio |accessdate=NovemberMay 206, 20182022 |date=JuneMay 76, 20182020}}</ref>
 
==Cultural==
 
As a gift to the city of Quebec for its [[400th anniversary of Quebec City|400th anniversary]] (2008), La Maison Simons offered 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>
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== Company struggles ==
In February 2020, [[Canada Goose (clothing)|Canada Goose]] ended its wholesale agreement with La Maison Simons, which accountsaccounted for millions in sales for the company.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Brief: Bestseller Shutters Canadian Stores, Canada Goose Exits La Maison Simons|url=https://www.retail-insider.com/retail-insider/2020/2/brief-bestseller-shutters-canadian-stores-canada-goose-exits-la-maison-simons|access-date=2020-07-09|website=Retail Insider|language=en-CA}}</ref> 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, likesuch as Balmain, had been moved to SimonSimons's website. TheIn companyAugust indicated2020, designerLa brandsMaison wouldSimons returnclaims to storeshave regained profitability and sent letters to vendors in July assuring payment in full and fall 2020deliveries will be delayed to preserve cash.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-08-05|title=WaveSimons ofvoit Store" Closuresla tolumière Hitau Canadabout indu thetunnel Summer of 2020"|url=https://www.retail-insiderlapresse.comca/retail-insideraffaires/entreprises/2020/7/wave-of08-store05/simons-closuresvoit-tola-hitlumiere-canadaau-inbout-thedu-summer-of-2020tunnel.php|access-date=2020-0708-0911|website=RetailLa InsiderPresse|language=en-CAfr}}</ref>
 
==See also==
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[[Category:Department stores of Canada]]
[[Category:Companies based in Quebec City]]
[[Category:Old Quebec]]
[[Category:Retail companies established in 1840]]
[[Category:Privately held companies of Canada]]
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