La Maison Simons
Encyclopedia
La Maison Simons, commonly known as Simons, is a fashion
retail
er in Quebec
, Canada
.
, and is headquartered in that city. The store began operations as Simons House, where retail operations began in 1889. Simons is a retail chain consisting in seven store locations, currently headed by Peter Simons.
The birth of the family business took place in 1812. Peter Simons who was born in Scotland in 1785 settled into the Quebec City area where he lived on a farm and raised his family including his five children. His 17 year-old son, John Simons, opened a dry goods store where he sold imported products from England and Scotland. In 1870, La Maison Simons moved to its current location at 20 côte de la Fabrique. From this time and on the store grew to be even more successful. In 1952 the Postwar brought brand new market opportunities. This is when Donald Simon entered the company and lead the store into a new era, transforming it into a department store where it became leader in popular fashion.
As well as high quality fashion, La Maison Simons also sells home decor. 1961 marked a turning point for Simons as it entered a growth phase with its new store in Place Sainte-Foy where home decor was introduced and bringing up new brands for men and women in their thirties and forties. In 2012, Simons expands to its seventh location at the West Edmonton Mall.
_2006-01-27.jpg)
The chain includes seven stores throughout Canada including:
It also has business offices in London
, Paris
and Hong Kong
.
. 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. The Fontaine de Tourny, which was built in the mid-19th century, won a gold medal at the Paris world exposition
of 1855. The fountain was installed in front of the Quebec provincial legislature in April 2007.
In August 2008, the retailer chose to withdraw its fall catalogue after complaints its models were too thin.
Fashion
Fashion, a general term for a currently popular style or practice, especially in clothing, foot wear, or accessories. Fashion references to anything that is the current trend in look and dress up of a person...
retail
Retail
Retail consists of the sale of physical goods or merchandise from a fixed location, such as a department store, boutique or kiosk, or by mail, in small or individual lots for direct consumption by the purchaser. Retailing may include subordinated services, such as delivery. Purchasers may be...
er in Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
History
La Maison Simons was founded by the Simons family in 1840 in Quebec CityQuebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
, and is headquartered in that city. The store began operations as Simons House, where retail operations began in 1889. Simons is a retail chain consisting in seven store locations, currently headed by Peter Simons.
The birth of the family business took place in 1812. Peter Simons who was born in Scotland in 1785 settled into the Quebec City area where he lived on a farm and raised his family including his five children. His 17 year-old son, John Simons, opened a dry goods store where he sold imported products from England and Scotland. In 1870, La Maison Simons moved to its current location at 20 côte de la Fabrique. From this time and on the store grew to be even more successful. In 1952 the Postwar brought brand new market opportunities. This is when Donald Simon entered the company and lead the store into a new era, transforming it into a department store where it became leader in popular fashion.
As well as high quality fashion, La Maison Simons also sells home decor. 1961 marked a turning point for Simons as it entered a growth phase with its new store in Place Sainte-Foy where home decor was introduced and bringing up new brands for men and women in their thirties and forties. In 2012, Simons expands to its seventh location at the West Edmonton Mall.
Operations
- LavalLaval, QuebecLaval is a Canadian city and a region in southwestern Quebec. It is the largest suburb of Montreal, the third largest municipality in the province of Quebec, and the 14th largest city in Canada with a population of 368,709 in 2006...
(Carrefour LavalCarrefour LavalCarrefour Laval is a super regional mall located in Laval, Quebec, Canada at the intersection of the Laurentian Highway and Laval Freeway...
) - MontrealMontrealMontreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
(Saint Catherine StreetSaint Catherine StreetThis article is about the street in Montreal called the rue Sainte-Catherine in French. For other streets of this name, see Rue Sainte-Catherine ....
), (Galeries d'Anjou) (Spring 2013). - Quebec CityQuebec CityQuebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
(Old CityOld QuebecOld Quebec is a historic neighbourhood of Quebec City, the capital of the province of Quebec in Canada. Comprising the Upper Town and Lower Town , the area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site...
, Place Sainte-FoyPlace Sainte-FoyPlace Sainte-Foy is an upscale shopping mall in the Sainte-Foy—Sillery borough of Quebec City. It is managed by Ivanhoe Cambridge, and owned in equal proportions by Ivanhoe Cambridge and Commerzbank AG....
, Galeries de la CapitaleGaleries de la CapitaleLes Galeries de la Capitale is a shopping mall located in the Lebourgneuf neighborhood of Les Rivieres borough, in Quebec City.Les Galeries de la Capitale has 280 stores and 35 restaurants. The anchors are la Baie, Sears, Simons, Zellers, Toys "R" Us, IMAX, Cinemas Fortune and Hart. There is also a...
) - Saint-Bruno (Promenades Saint-BrunoPromenades Saint-BrunoLes Promenades Saint-Bruno is a shopping mall in Saint-Bruno, Quebec that broke ground in 1976 and completed in 1978, making it the youngest of the four self-branded "Fashion centres" operated by Cadillac Fairview. Les Promenades Saint-Bruno is the largest mall in the Montérégie and part of its...
) - Sherbrooke (Carrefour de l'EstrieCarrefour de L'EstrieCarrefour de l'Estrie is a shopping centre located in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada which opened in October 1973.Its current anchors include Sears, The Bay, Zellers, Super C,Toys "R" Us, Bureau en Gros, La Maison Simons, Winners and Rona.-External links:*...
) - EdmontonEdmontonEdmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
(West Edmonton MallWest Edmonton MallWest Edmonton Mall , located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, is the largest shopping mall in North America and the fifth largest in the world. The mall was founded by the Ghermezian brothers, who emigrated from Iran in 1959. It was the world's largest mall until 2004.West Edmonton Mall covers a gross...
) (Autumn 2012)
It also has business offices in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
.
Cultural
As a gift to the city of Quebec for its 400th anniversary, La Maison Simons offered a restored fountain, imported from FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. The fountain was originally positioned in Bordeaux
Bordeaux
Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
's Allées de Tourny, named after Aubert Tourny, a French intendant remembered for his contribution to the beautification of Bordeaux, Quebec City
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
's sister city. The Fontaine de Tourny, which was built in the mid-19th century, won a gold medal at the Paris world exposition
Exposition Universelle (1855)
The Exposition Universelle of 1855 was an International Exhibition held on the Champs-Elysées in Paris from May 15 to November 15, 1855. Its full official title was the Exposition Universelle des produits de l'Agriculture, de l'Industrie et des Beaux-Arts de Paris 1855.The exposition was a major...
of 1855. The fountain was installed in front of the Quebec provincial legislature in April 2007.
In August 2008, the retailer chose to withdraw its fall catalogue after complaints its models were too thin.