Simons, the iconic Quebec-based department store, is officially cutting the ribbon on its first downtown Toronto location today at the Eaton Centre — just weeks after debuting at Yorkdale Shopping Centre.
The new store will partially occupy the space once held by Nordstrom, which exited the Canadian market in 2023, giving Toronto shoppers a fresh alternative in the city’s retail core.
Retail analyst Bruce Winder has called Simons “a bit of an enigma” in the department store world, noting that while many competitors have been scaling back or closing brick-and-mortar outlets, Simons has thrived. “They’ve been very careful in terms of how they expand,” Winder said, pointing to their slow and deliberate national growth strategy.
With the addition of the Eaton Centre and Yorkdale locations, Simons now operates 17 stores across Canada — a notable achievement in a retail landscape where many department store giants have struggled to maintain a physical presence.