La Maison Simons, Canada’s oldest privately held fashion retailer, has officially opened its second Toronto location, anchoring CF Toronto Eaton Centre with a flagship that redefines department store retail in Canada. The new store, spanning three levels and approximately 112,000 square feet, occupies much of the space vacated by Nordstrom, which exited the Canadian market in 2023. The highly anticipated opening comes just weeks after Simons debuted its Yorkdale Shopping Centre location, marking a nearly $100 million investment into the Greater Toronto Area.
Bernard Leblanc, President and CEO of La Maison Simons, described the CF Toronto Eaton Centre opening as decades in the making. “We’ve been looking at the possibility of having presence downtown or in the core of the city for some time,” he said in an interview on opening day. “It’s a matter of waiting for the right time, the right opportunity, the right location, the right conditions that come together for us. This is it.”
He added that this moment felt like a dream realized. “It really is like a dream come true to finally open here,” said Leblanc. “This is one of Canada’s most iconic shopping centres, and we are thrilled to bring our vision of retail to the heart of Toronto.”
Leblanc emphasized that the three-level configuration offered a unique opportunity to create distinct, immersive environments. “It actually came together quite nicely,” he explained. “It creates a nice atmosphere, some opportunities for us to create some really unique environments for each of our brands and each of the sectors that we have.”
The first level of the store is dedicated to women’s fashion, with the second level offering a more intimate space focused on women’s jewellery, accessories, and footwear. The entire third floor is home to an expansive menswear department and several rooms showcasing Simons’ home goods assortment.
Store Design Rooted in Nature and Longevity
The store’s design theme, “Perennial Ephemera,” was developed with Gensler Design and LemayMichaud Architecture. The concept draws inspiration from natural cycles of light and growth. “We’ve made a lot of investment in noble materials,” said Leblanc. “You’ll see a lot of wood, a lot of natural materials come together. We’ve tried to work with things that will stay current for a longer period of time.”
Sustainability was also a focus in construction. Elements of the Nordstrom space were repurposed, including flooring and ceiling components, and even the escalator wall finishings, which were transformed into a canvas for a central art installation. “You were very observant,” Leblanc noted. “Some of the lighting has been kept in and we added where necessary to accommodate our configuration. We worked hard to recover as much as we could. That’s core to what we do.”
Where Fashion Meets Art
Art is integral to the Simons experience, and the CF Toronto Eaton Centre location expands on this tradition. The store features the Walk of Frames, a path of discovery featuring 40 original works by 15 Canadian artists. More than half of the pieces are by Toronto-based creators, with the remainder representing talent from Québec and beyond. [See the artwork with floor plans here]
A highlight of the collection is Permanent Structure 4 (2025), a striking 3D mural by Toronto artists Trevor Wheatley and Cosmo Dean that uses repurposed commercial materials and signage to create a multi-level visual experience. “Art plays a vital role in creating the atmosphere,” said Leblanc. “It’s not just about shopping, it’s an opportunity to discover, be inspired, and connect.”
Leblanc said the art program is also designed to slow shoppers down, encouraging discovery. “We wanted to create moments where people stop, look up, and take it all in. When you walk into the store, you should feel like you’re entering a cultural space as much as a retail one.”
Simons also collaborated with Montréal-based Rodeo FX, internationally known for work on Game of Thrones and Stranger Things, to produce three immersive digital installations: Ribbon, Elemental Worlds, and Fabric of Life, each providing a cinematic layer to the store environment.
A Downtown Retail Anchor
The opening of Simons CF Toronto Eaton Centre represents a significant moment for downtown Toronto retail. Sal Iacono, President and CEO of Cadillac Fairview, called the launch “a momentous occasion,” adding, “CF Toronto Eaton Centre plays a unique role in connecting people from across the city and around the world. We are proud to celebrate this milestone together.”
Leblanc agreed that the opening has symbolic importance. “We are proud to be part of downtown Toronto’s retail renaissance,” he said. “After Nordstrom’s departure, it was important to bring in a strong Canadian retailer that could re-energize the space and create jobs. This is about confidence in downtown.”
Nordstrom closed its CF Toronto Eaton Centre store in 2023. This past June, the shopping centre saw the departure of two more anchor tenants, Hudson’s Bay and Saks Fifth Avenue, following the bankruptcy of Hudson’s Bay Company.
A Store Designed for Community
Leblanc emphasized that the store was designed for shopping as well as for spending time. “When you’re surrounded by beauty, you feel good about the environment in which you’re living,” he said. “We want people to feel comfortable staying here for a while.”
He explained that even the fitting rooms were designed to be generous and welcoming. “We see three generations shopping together, so we wanted spaces where everyone can sit comfortably and share the experience. The idea is to make people feel at home.”
The opening morning drew approximately 500 attendees, a testament to Simons’ loyal following. “The response has been phenomenal,” said Leblanc. “Clients are extremely positive. To have that many people join us first thing in the morning in downtown Toronto means a lot.”
Merchandise and Private Label Strength
The CF Toronto Eaton Centre store features Simons’ full range of private labels, including Twik, Icône, Contemporaine, Miiyu, Le 31, Djab, i.FiV5, and Simons Maison. Customers can also shop Édito, a department dedicated to luxury and internationally celebrated designers.
Leblanc said this curated approach is central to Simons’ strategy. “Our private labels are designed in Québec City by our own team of more than 100 designers. We work hard to create something unique that brings our heritage to life.”
He added that the new Heritage collection is an important part of telling the company’s story. “We’ve been in business for 185 years. This collection is a way to share that history with a new generation of customers.”
The store features a merchandise mix of roughly 70 percent private label and 30 percent designer brands. The assortment is designed to appeal to a wide range of shoppers, with price points that span from accessible everyday basics to high-end luxury pieces. In the dedicated men’s and women’s Édito departments, shoppers will find globally recognized designers such as Balmain, Vivienne Westwood, and JW Anderson. The contrast in pricing creates a sense of accessibility — an $89 pair of Simons private-label pants feels even more attainable when displayed near an $890 pair from a luxury designer.
Strengthening Canadian Retail
Simons’ expansion comes at a time when department stores in North America are contracting or shuttering locations (not to mention the end of Canada’s Hudson’s Bay). The family-owned retailer is betting on physical retail as a differentiator. “We take the long view on things,” said Leblanc. “Typically it takes us three to five years to get the full potential in any new market. We’re patient. We measure our contribution in decades and generations rather than quarters.”
He also noted that Simons’ Canadian identity resonates with shoppers. “Right now, there’s a lot of support for Canadian brands. We’re proud to be a Canadian heritage brand at a time when so many are disappearing.”
Although Leblanc did not confirm specific new locations, he noted that the company continues to look for opportunities to densify in key markets, including Vancouver and Toronto. “Right now we’re focused on really making a success of these two Toronto stores,” he said. “It’s a big deal for us, and we need to make sure this investment delivers. Once we’ve digested this, we’ll look at future opportunities.”
I don’t expect many more stores to open in the GTHA, but if I had to guess, Scarborough Town, Limeridge or Mapleview, and possibly Vaughan Mills would be the leading contenders.
Thoroughly enjoyed this article. I travel often for work and make a point of visiting Simons locations across Canada. I’ve visited Yorkdale twice since it opened and was extremely impressed—not only with the level of customer service each time, but also with the thoughtful store design and layout you noted in the article. I found myself admiring the art, the ceiling, and the walls as much as the merchandise. I’m especially excited to visit the new downtown Toronto location this weekend. As a downtown resident, I’ve been eagerly awaiting its opening since the initial announcement!
Simons has done it again. They managed to take two former Nordstrom clones and not only sustainably repurposed them in a way that reflects the Simons brand, but also managed to give each store its own unique character. There are very good reasons why Simons succeeds where others do not. Retail is more than just selling jeans, and Simons gets that.
There are rumours of a Pacific Centre locations, which will be big if true. Canadians across the country are no doubt looking forward to future stores as the company continue to expand.
I really hope they open at Masonville – London needs something!
My hope is that Simons focuses on strengthening its Western Canadian presence. It’s already well-regarded where it has locations but there hasn’t been any new stores in almost a decade. Calgary could use a second location, perhaps Southcentre or Chinook. I hope the Downtown Vancouver rumours are true — Park Royal is quite out of the way for most Lower Mainlanders. But someplace like Richmond Centre, Brentwood, Metrotown, Coquitlam Centre, or Guildford would make a great 3rd location for Metro Vancouver. I’d also love to see them expand to Winnipeg and maybe Saskatoon or Regina. The Eastern Prairies region is pretty far from existing Simons stores so would be a new market to tap not unlike the recent Halifax store.
I sincerely wish Simons would apologize for their dangerous pro-assisted suicide ‘film’ ad campaign of 2022. I do not demand apologies from private companies or citizens and they are (ideally) free to do what they want, but I wish they genuinely regretted the film and wanted to apologize. The shopping landscape in Toronto is quite limited at the moment, so I wish I could shop there in good conscience. They are a lovely store that I would be happy to shop at or support, but the lingering revulsion from that awful marketing choice puts doubts as to the ethics of the people running the company. Peter Simon spoke of the film/ad as “focused on inspiration and values that we hold dear”. If euthanasia is a value that Simons holds dear, that makes it very difficult for many people to support. Instead of spending the money on a film, they could have put the film budget towards the care that the subject of the film was seeking, or towards advocating for better care for her.