Simpson's
Encyclopedia
The Robert Simpson Company, or Simpsons (Simpson's until 1972), was a Canadian
department store
chain, founded by Robert Simpson. The chain was eventually bought by the Hudson's Bay Company
.
The dry goods store which would later become the Robert Simpson Company opened in 1858 in Newmarket, Ontario
. The store was destroyed by a fire in 1870 and reopened two years later, in 1872, in Toronto
. The company was renamed the Robert Simpson Company Limited in May 1896 shortly before Robert Simpson's death in 1897. His sudden death on 14 Dec. 1897, at the age of 63 with no son to inherit the business, placed a heavy burden on his wife and his daughter, Margaret. The business was therefore sold in March 1898 for $135,000 to a syndicate of three Toronto businessmen, Harris Henry Fudger, Joseph Flavelle
, and Alfred Ernest Ames.
The store in downtown Toronto included one of Toronto's most exclusive restaurants, the Arcadian Court
, which opened in 1929. The store was acquired by Hudson's Bay Company
in 1978, and the restaurant is still in operation today. Throughout it was the traditional carriage trade department store in Toronto, competing with T. Eaton Co
. The motto "You'll enjoy shopping at Simpson's" was conceived by Robert Simpson and remained the company's slogan until its acquisition by the Hudson's Bay Company.
Until 1972, the operating name of the company was Simpson's. During a time of increased pressure and sensitivity towards French language issues in Quebec
, the company dropped the apostrophe. Although not yet law, companies began dropping the English possessive s from their names. Competitor Eaton's became "Eaton". However, company management did not want the company known as Simpson, so it dropped the apostrophe and changed the name to "Simpsons". After the Hudson's Bay Company acquired the company, it changed the name of the chain to Simpson for the stores in Quebec while retaining the Simpsons name in other provinces
.
In 1952, Simpsons partnered with Sears, Roebuck and Company
, a U.S. department store chain, to create Simpsons-Sears Limited
, a Canadian catalogue and department store chain separate from the Simpsons chain. The terms of the partnership agreement stipulated that no Simpsons-Sears store could be built within a 25-mile radius of existing Simpsons stores in Toronto, Montreal
, Halifax, Regina
and London, Ontario
. Simpsons agreed not to build any new stores outside those cities.
In 1972, Simpsons and Simpsons-Sears Limited agreed to end the 25-mile restriction, and permit Simpsons and Simpsons-Sears Limited stores anywhere. In 1973, when Simpsons-Sears opened a store in the city of Mississauga
, just west of Toronto, the company decided to use the "Sears" name alone in order to prevent confusion with Simpsons stores operating in Toronto.
In 1978, Simpsons was acquired by the Hudson's Bay Company
. Under federal competition law, the partnership had to be ended, and Simpsons and Simpsons-Sears Limited could no longer share facilities. Simpsons-Sears Limited became Sears Canada
, although some Sears stores continued to carry the Simpsons-Sears name on signage, and the name remained in use informally well into the 1980s.
In the 1980s, the Hudson's Bay Company converted three Simpsons stores into Bay stores, and one Bay store was converted to a Simpsons store. The Simpsons flagship store in Ottawa
was shut down in 1983.
In 1989 the flagship downtown Toronto Simpsons store completed a $30 million facelift with a relaunch known as the "Miracle on Queen Street", including a cosmetics area reputed to have been the largest in the world. The basement featured the addition of a gourmet food hall like that at Macy's
in Herald Square
in New York City
or Harrods
in London
, and the St. Regis Room was expanded. Upscale shops such as Alfred Dunhill of London were included.
The Hudson's Bay Company attempted to run Simpsons as a more upscale brand than its main brand, the Bay, but was unsuccessful. The Simpsons operations were merged with the Bay in 1989 in the province of Quebec
, and 1991 in the rest of the country. Since then, all of the stores have either been converted to the Bay or been closed, and the Simpsons name is no longer used.
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While the Simpsons chain ceased to exist in 1991, the Hudson's Bay Company continued to accept old Simpsons credit cards in its Bay and Zellers
stores until the HBC credit card was launched in 2001.
The former Simpsons headquarters now serve as the headquarters of the Hudson's Bay Company
.
The Bay's largest and flagship store on Queen Street West
in Toronto is a former Simpsons store. The high-end restaurant at this location, the Arcadian Court
, which opened under Simpsons is still in operation today. The former Simpsons downtown store in Toronto remains the largest of all department stores in Canada.
The Simpsons stores that didn't have Bay stores around them have survived under the banner "the Bay". All Simpsons stores that already had a Bay store next to them have been closed with either a new Sears
store taking over the lease or the existing Bay store moving into the space.
In Quebec, there were five Simpson stores. Three of them - Anjou, Pointe-Claire
and Laval
- are now "la Baie" stores. The two others, in downtown Montreal
and St-Bruno
, were closed due to the presence of la Baie stores near them. La Baie in St-Bruno did however relocate to where Simpson was.
The Canadian Intellectual Property Office
database reports that the trademark to the name "Simpsons" was owned by Sears Canada
from 2001 to 2008. It was purchased from the Hudson's Bay Company in 2001, some ten years after the name was officially retired. In 2008, Sears Canada transferred all of its trademarks (including the Simpsons trademark) to 1373639 Alberta Ltd., which appears to be a shell company of Sears Canada.
store. Designers in the St. Regis Room include Givenchy
, Christian Lacroix
, Valentino
, Armani Collezioni, Louis Feraud, Karl Lagerfeld
, Balmain, Andrew Gn, Lida Baday, Belville Sasoon, David Hayes, and others. The West End shop designers include Hugo Boss
, Strellson, and others.
While operated by Simpsons, the St. Regis Room, offered some of the most exclusive fashion collections in Canada. Dior, Oscar de la Renta
, Yves Saint Laurent, Claude Montana, Courreges, and many others were featured in this luxury department.
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...
department store
Department store
A department store is a retail establishment which satisfies a wide range of the consumer's personal and residential durable goods product needs; and at the same time offering the consumer a choice of multiple merchandise lines, at variable price points, in all product categories...
chain, founded by Robert Simpson. The chain was eventually bought by the Hudson's Bay Company
Hudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company , abbreviated HBC, or "The Bay" is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. A fur trading business for much of its existence, today Hudson's Bay Company owns and operates retail stores throughout Canada...
.
History
Newmarket, Ontario
Newmarket is a town in Southern Ontario located approximately 50 km north of downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is part of the Greater Toronto Area and is connected to Toronto by freeway, and is served by three interchanges along Highway 404. It is also connected to Highway 400 via Highway 9...
. The store was destroyed by a fire in 1870 and reopened two years later, in 1872, in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
. The company was renamed the Robert Simpson Company Limited in May 1896 shortly before Robert Simpson's death in 1897. His sudden death on 14 Dec. 1897, at the age of 63 with no son to inherit the business, placed a heavy burden on his wife and his daughter, Margaret. The business was therefore sold in March 1898 for $135,000 to a syndicate of three Toronto businessmen, Harris Henry Fudger, Joseph Flavelle
Joseph Flavelle
Sir Joseph Wesley Flavelle, 1st Baronet was a Canadian businessman.Born in Peterborough, Canada West, he married Clara Ellsworth in 1882. Flavelle made his fortune in the meatpacking business as president of William Davies Company, which was the British Empire's largest pork packing firm...
, and Alfred Ernest Ames.
The store in downtown Toronto included one of Toronto's most exclusive restaurants, the Arcadian Court
Arcadian Court
The Arcadian Court is an Art Deco restaurant and banquet hall on the eighth floor of the flagship downtown Toronto location of the Canadian department store The Bay, whose wrought iron railings, arched windows and huge chandeliers made it one of Toronto's most exclusive dining spots for many years...
, which opened in 1929. The store was acquired by Hudson's Bay Company
Hudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company , abbreviated HBC, or "The Bay" is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. A fur trading business for much of its existence, today Hudson's Bay Company owns and operates retail stores throughout Canada...
in 1978, and the restaurant is still in operation today. Throughout it was the traditional carriage trade department store in Toronto, competing with T. Eaton Co
Eaton's
The T. Eaton Co. Limited was once Canada's largest department store retailer. It was founded in 1869 in Toronto by Timothy Eaton, an Irish immigrant. Eaton's grew to become a retail and social institution in Canada, with stores across the country, buying offices across the globe, and a catalogue...
. The motto "You'll enjoy shopping at Simpson's" was conceived by Robert Simpson and remained the company's slogan until its acquisition by the Hudson's Bay Company.
Name change
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....
, the company dropped the apostrophe. Although not yet law, companies began dropping the English possessive s from their names. Competitor Eaton's became "Eaton". However, company management did not want the company known as Simpson, so it dropped the apostrophe and changed the name to "Simpsons". After the Hudson's Bay Company acquired the company, it changed the name of the chain to Simpson for the stores in Quebec while retaining the Simpsons name in other provinces
Provinces and territories of Canada
The provinces and territories of Canada combine to make up the world's second-largest country by area. There are ten provinces and three territories...
.
Simpsons-Sears
Sears, Roebuck and Company
Sears, officially named Sears, Roebuck and Co., is an American chain of department stores which was founded by Richard Warren Sears and Alvah Curtis Roebuck in the late 19th century...
, a U.S. department store chain, to create Simpsons-Sears Limited
Sears Canada
Sears Canada Inc. is a retailer, headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, that operates in all provinces and territories across Canada with a network of 196 corporate stores, 195 dealer stores, 38 home improvement showrooms, 108 Sears Travel offices and a nationwide home maintenance, repair, and...
, a Canadian catalogue and department store chain separate from the Simpsons chain. The terms of the partnership agreement stipulated that no Simpsons-Sears store could be built within a 25-mile radius of existing Simpsons stores in Toronto, Montreal
Montreal
Montreal 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...
, Halifax, Regina
Regina, Saskatchewan
Regina is the capital city of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The city is the second-largest in the province and a cultural and commercial centre for southern Saskatchewan. It is governed by Regina City Council. Regina is the cathedral city of the Roman Catholic and Romanian Orthodox...
and London, Ontario
London, Ontario
London is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, situated along the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. The city has a population of 352,395, and the metropolitan area has a population of 457,720, according to the 2006 Canadian census; the metro population in 2009 was estimated at 489,274. The city...
. Simpsons agreed not to build any new stores outside those cities.
In 1972, Simpsons and Simpsons-Sears Limited agreed to end the 25-mile restriction, and permit Simpsons and Simpsons-Sears Limited stores anywhere. In 1973, when Simpsons-Sears opened a store in the city of Mississauga
Mississauga, Ontario
Mississauga is a city in Southern Ontario located in the Regional Municipality of Peel, and in the western part of the Greater Toronto Area. With an estimated population of 734,000, it is Canada's sixth-most populous municipality, and has almost doubled in population in each of the last two decades...
, just west of Toronto, the company decided to use the "Sears" name alone in order to prevent confusion with Simpsons stores operating in Toronto.
Acquisition by the Hudson's Bay Company
Hudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company , abbreviated HBC, or "The Bay" is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. A fur trading business for much of its existence, today Hudson's Bay Company owns and operates retail stores throughout Canada...
. Under federal competition law, the partnership had to be ended, and Simpsons and Simpsons-Sears Limited could no longer share facilities. Simpsons-Sears Limited became Sears Canada
Sears Canada
Sears Canada Inc. is a retailer, headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, that operates in all provinces and territories across Canada with a network of 196 corporate stores, 195 dealer stores, 38 home improvement showrooms, 108 Sears Travel offices and a nationwide home maintenance, repair, and...
, although some Sears stores continued to carry the Simpsons-Sears name on signage, and the name remained in use informally well into the 1980s.
In the 1980s, the Hudson's Bay Company converted three Simpsons stores into Bay stores, and one Bay store was converted to a Simpsons store. The Simpsons flagship store in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
was shut down in 1983.
In 1989 the flagship downtown Toronto Simpsons store completed a $30 million facelift with a relaunch known as the "Miracle on Queen Street", including a cosmetics area reputed to have been the largest in the world. The basement featured the addition of a gourmet food hall like that at Macy's
Macy's
Macy's is a U.S. chain of mid-to-high range department stores. In addition to its flagship Herald Square location in New York City, the company operates over 800 stores in the United States...
in Herald Square
Herald Square
Herald Square is formed by the intersection of Broadway, Sixth Avenue and 34th Street in the borough of Manhattan in New York City. Named for the New York Herald, a now-defunct newspaper formerly headquartered there, it also gives its name to the surrounding area...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
or Harrods
Harrods
Harrods is an upmarket department store located in Brompton Road in Brompton, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London. The Harrods brand also applies to other enterprises undertaken by the Harrods group of companies including Harrods Bank, Harrods Estates, Harrods Aviation and Air...
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...
, and the St. Regis Room was expanded. Upscale shops such as Alfred Dunhill of London were included.
The Hudson's Bay Company attempted to run Simpsons as a more upscale brand than its main brand, the Bay, but was unsuccessful. The Simpsons operations were merged with the Bay in 1989 in the province of 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....
, and 1991 in the rest of the country. Since then, all of the stores have either been converted to the Bay or been closed, and the Simpsons name is no longer used.
Remnants of Simpsons
Zellers
Zellers Inc. is Canada's second-largest chain of mass merchandise discount stores, with locations in communities across Canada. A subsidiary of the Hudson's Bay Company , it has 273 locations across the country....
stores until the HBC credit card was launched in 2001.
The former Simpsons headquarters now serve as the headquarters of the Hudson's Bay Company
Hudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company , abbreviated HBC, or "The Bay" is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. A fur trading business for much of its existence, today Hudson's Bay Company owns and operates retail stores throughout Canada...
.
The Bay's largest and flagship store on Queen Street West
Queen Street West
Queen Street West describes both the western branch of Queen Street, a major east-west thoroughfare, and a series of neighbourhoods or commercial districts, situated west of Yonge Street in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Queen Street begins in the west at the intersection of King Street, The...
in Toronto is a former Simpsons store. The high-end restaurant at this location, the Arcadian Court
Arcadian Court
The Arcadian Court is an Art Deco restaurant and banquet hall on the eighth floor of the flagship downtown Toronto location of the Canadian department store The Bay, whose wrought iron railings, arched windows and huge chandeliers made it one of Toronto's most exclusive dining spots for many years...
, which opened under Simpsons is still in operation today. The former Simpsons downtown store in Toronto remains the largest of all department stores in Canada.
The Simpsons stores that didn't have Bay stores around them have survived under the banner "the Bay". All Simpsons stores that already had a Bay store next to them have been closed with either a new Sears
Sears Canada
Sears Canada Inc. is a retailer, headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, that operates in all provinces and territories across Canada with a network of 196 corporate stores, 195 dealer stores, 38 home improvement showrooms, 108 Sears Travel offices and a nationwide home maintenance, repair, and...
store taking over the lease or the existing Bay store moving into the space.
In Quebec, there were five Simpson stores. Three of them - Anjou, Pointe-Claire
Fairview Pointe-Claire
Fairview Pointe-Claire, also called Fairview Centre , is one of the biggest super regional shopping malls on the island of Montreal with about spread on two levels of shopping space...
and Laval
Carrefour Laval
Carrefour Laval is a super regional mall located in Laval, Quebec, Canada at the intersection of the Laurentian Highway and Laval Freeway...
- are now "la Baie" stores. The two others, in downtown Montreal
Downtown Montreal
Downtown Montreal is the central business district of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is nearly enitirely located at the southern most slope of Mount Royal and is approximately bounded by Sherbrooke Street to the north, Papineau Avenue to the east, Guy Street or until Shaughnessy Village to the west,...
and St-Bruno
Promenades Saint-Bruno
Les 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...
, were closed due to the presence of la Baie stores near them. La Baie in St-Bruno did however relocate to where Simpson was.
The Canadian Intellectual Property Office
Canadian Intellectual Property Office
The Canadian Intellectual Property Office is the patent, trademark, and copyright administration body of Canada. Structurally the CIPO functions as a Special Operating Agency which is associated with Industry Canada....
database reports that the trademark to the name "Simpsons" was owned by Sears Canada
Sears Canada
Sears Canada Inc. is a retailer, headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, that operates in all provinces and territories across Canada with a network of 196 corporate stores, 195 dealer stores, 38 home improvement showrooms, 108 Sears Travel offices and a nationwide home maintenance, repair, and...
from 2001 to 2008. It was purchased from the Hudson's Bay Company in 2001, some ten years after the name was officially retired. In 2008, Sears Canada transferred all of its trademarks (including the Simpsons trademark) to 1373639 Alberta Ltd., which appears to be a shell company of Sears Canada.
St. Regis Room and West End Shop
The two most "exclusive" clothing departments in the former Simpsons downtown Toronto location, the St. Regis Room (now known as the Room and extensively renovated in late 2009 by Yabu Pushelberg) for women and the West End Shop for men, are still in operation at the Bay's downtown Toronto Queen StreetQueen Street West
Queen Street West describes both the western branch of Queen Street, a major east-west thoroughfare, and a series of neighbourhoods or commercial districts, situated west of Yonge Street in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Queen Street begins in the west at the intersection of King Street, The...
store. Designers in the St. Regis Room include Givenchy
Givenchy
Givenchy is a French brand of clothing, accessories, perfumes and cosmetics with Parfums Givenchy.The house of Givenchy was founded in 1952 by designer Hubert de Givenchy and is a member of Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture et du Pret-a-Porter...
, Christian Lacroix
Christian Lacroix
Christian Marie Marc Lacroix is a French fashion designer. The name may also refer to the company he founded.-Early life:Lacroix was born in Arles, Bouches-du-Rhône in southern France. At a young age he began sketching historical costumes and fashions. Lacroix graduated from high school in 1969...
, Valentino
Valentino SpA
Valentino SpA is a clothing company founded in 1959 by Valentino Garavani. Nowadays it is a part of Valentino Fashion Group. New creative directors Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli will take Alessandra Facchinetti's seat as creative designer...
, Armani Collezioni, Louis Feraud, Karl Lagerfeld
Karl Lagerfeld
Karl Lagerfeld is a German fashion designer, artist and photographer based in Paris. He has collaborated on a variety of fashion and art related projects, most notably as head designer and creative director for the fashion house Chanel...
, Balmain, Andrew Gn, Lida Baday, Belville Sasoon, David Hayes, and others. The West End shop designers include Hugo Boss
Hugo Boss
Hugo Ferdinand Boss was the founder of clothing company Hugo Boss.-Early life:Boss was born in Metzingen, Germany. After completing his apprenticeship and one year of employment, he founded his own company in Metzingen in 1923.-Support of Nazism:Boss joined the Nazi Party in 1931, two years before...
, Strellson, and others.
While operated by Simpsons, the St. Regis Room, offered some of the most exclusive fashion collections in Canada. Dior, Oscar de la Renta
Oscar de la Renta
Oscar de la Renta is one of the world's leading fashion designers. He was named to the International Best Dressed List Hall of Fame in 1973.-Career:...
, Yves Saint Laurent, Claude Montana, Courreges, and many others were featured in this luxury department.
See also
- Hudson's Bay CompanyHudson's Bay CompanyThe Hudson's Bay Company , abbreviated HBC, or "The Bay" is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. A fur trading business for much of its existence, today Hudson's Bay Company owns and operates retail stores throughout Canada...
- The BayThe BayThe Bay is a chain of 91 department stores that operate across parts of Canada. It is the main brand of Hudson's Bay Company , North America's oldest company. It has its headquarters in the Simpson Tower in Toronto. In French, the chain is known as la Baie, short for "Compagnie de la Baie d'Hudson"...
- List of Canadian department stores
- The Bay Queen StreetThe Bay Queen StreetThe Bay Queen Street store is the flagship store of the The Bay in Toronto and head office of the Hudson's Bay Company. Located at 160 Yonge Street on the southwest corner of Yonge Street and Queen Street West, the building is actually a complex of buildings built between 1896 to 1969.The 1896...