La Maison Simons is in talks with Oxford Properties to open a new store at Les Promenades Gatineau in Gatineau, Quebec. This mall is in suburban Ottawa. Discussions are only preliminiary and a source tells us Simons wants space between 80,000 and 100,000 square feet.
Simons originally planned to open at Cadillac Fairview’s Rideau Centre. Talks broke down after Nordstrom secured Rideau Centre space. Peter Simons, President and CEO of La Maison Simons, expressed disappointment that the deal fell through after five yeears of planning, negotiation and design of a Simons planned for an eastward Rideau Centre expansion.
Negotiations for a Simons store at Ottawa’s St. Laurent Shopping Centre have also been unsuccesful. Landlord Morguard Investments was unable to release a non-competition clause from a large-format retail competitor, thus impeding Simon’s possible St. Laurent tenancy.
Les Promenades Gatineau/Oxford Properties will be announcing a major mall expansion that will include a food-court relocation, the elimination of government offices on-site, and a substantial retail expansion that will include at least one new anchor store.
Our Toronto-based retail analyst speculates that La Maison Simons will try to secure a second Ottawa-area store after securing space in Gatineau. We will continue to keep you updated on La Maison Simon’s exciting Canada-wide expansion plans.
La Maison Simons website:www.simons.ca
I'm sure some people would be upset at Gatineau being called a suburb of Ottawa.