The following is a list of 10 department stores which are either new to Canada, or expanding their operations nationally. Some are confirmed, while others are more speculative. It’s sponsored by Vancouver-based Peregrine, which custom designs and fabricates retail, display, furniture and architectural features for some of the country’s top retailers.
Noticeably absent from the list are large discount retailers such as Winners, Giant Tiger and Marshall’s. We’ll do a separate list for these categories (including updates on hr2, Nordstrom Rack and Off 5th by Saks Fifth Avenue) in the coming weeks.
| STORE NAME | LOCATIONS TO OPEN IN CANADA | NEW OR EXPANDING? | ESTIMATED # OF LOCATIONS POST-EXPANSION |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bloomingdale’s | Toronto, Vancouver (both are speculation, though Bloomingdale’s confirms search for Toronto store space) – 120,000 sq ft+ | New | 2+ (speculation) |
| Holt Renfrew | Mississauga (120,000 sq ft, 2016), Toronto Men’s Store (16,500 sq ft, Opened Oct 1 at 100 Bloor St. W.), Montreal Ogilvy/Holt’s (220,000 sq ft, opening 2017), speculated Edmonton replacement store. | Expanding | 8-9 (depending on possible Sherway Gardens closure) |
| La Maison Simons | West Vancouver (105,000 sq ft, fall 2015), Gatineau, QC (80,000 sq ft, fall 2015), Mississauga (Square One, 113,000 sq ft, spring 2016), Ottawa (102,000 sq ft, August 2016) Calgary (1, and possibly 2 locations, 2017), Winnipeg (speculated), Downtown Toronto (speculated), Yorkdale Shopping Centre (120,000 sq ft, speculated) | Expanding | 13 confirmed, 17+ possibly |
| Nordstrom | Ottawa (157,000 sq ft, March 2015), Vancouver (230,000 sq ft, September 2015), Toronto (213,000 sq ft Eaton Centre, 191,000 sq ft Yorkdale – both fall 2016), Sherway Gardens (138,000 sq ft, spring 2017), Edmonton (~155,000 sq ft, speculated), Winnipeg (125,000+ sq ft, speculated. | New (Calgary store opened Sept. 19) | 7 – 10 |
| Primark | Speculation, though sources confirm interest. | New | Unknown |
| Saks Fifth Avenue | Toronto (150,000 sq ft Toronto Eaton Centre, fall 2016), Toronto (130,000 sq ft Sherway Gardens, fall 2016), Downtown Vancouver (120,000-150,000 sq ft), Downtown Montreal (100,000-140,000 sq ft), Calgary (speculated), speculated suburban Vancouver (Oakridge Centre), Toronto (120,000 sq ft, Yorkdale Shopping Centre) and Montreal (Carrefour Laval) stores. | New | 7-8 |
| Sporting Life | [Technically not a department store, but locations 30-50k sq ft] Markham, ON (32,000 sq ft – opened in September), Ottawa (Lansdowne Park, 43,000 sq ft, opening this month), Richmond Hill, ON (44,000 sq ft, 2016), Calgary (Southcentre, 46,000, fall 2016), Vancouver, Edmonton, Montreal. | Expanding | 11+ |
| Target | Fall 2014: Sheridan Centre – Mississauga, Polo Park – Winnipeg, St. Laurent Boulevard – Ottawa | Expanding | 133 |
| Walmart | 35 Supercentres opened/opening in 2014 | Expanding | 395 |
| Uniqlo | [Not a department store, but locations may surpass 30,000 sq ft] Speculated 2016 store openings for Toronto (Downtown, Yorkdale Shopping Centre) Vancouver (Robson Street) as well as subsequent locations for Edmonton, Calgary, Montreal, and Canada-wide. | New | Unknown |
Is Simons not confirmed for Square One?
Primark – ughh. Of all the U.K.chains, why is it Primark wanting to expand here? It makes corporate cousin Joe Fresh look like Nordstrom.
You’re correct – we just added Square One to the llist, sorry for the oversight. Simons’ expansion plans are so aggressive it’s almost shocking. As for Primark – it’s an interesting move, and won’t likely happen here until after their first American location opens in the spring of 2016 in Boston.
What Canadianskeezix said re: Primark. Can’t Marks and Spencer come back?
Primark isn’t a department store and it is very cheap but won’t be as cheap if it comes to Canada. Cheaper version of H&M.
If M&S ever came back I could see it partnering with The Bay in some way. It won’t come back on it’s own, it is way too risky. All I want is the food but feel with the way prices are it will be a luxury treat.