Department Store shopping in Canada
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A
Honest Ed’s
A visit to a quirky Toronto institution, Honest Ed’s is always a laugh. Plastered across this gaudy, light-bulb-encrusted discount emporium are signs saying ‘Don’t just stand there, buy something!’ and, ‘Come this way you lucky people!’ It’s quite a spectacle, and the queues before opening time are insane. The recently deceased owner Ed Mirvish also earned kudos as Toronto’s most beloved theater impresario.
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B
Simons
One of the city’s business success stories, Simons was started by the son of a Scottish immigrant who set up a dry-goods store in Québec City. By 1952 his descendants had turned the business into a successful clothing store. It’s popular all over Québec for its trendy Twik label and for stocking items more cutting-edge than those at competing department stores. There’s been a Simons at this location since 1870.
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C
Ogilvy
Once a Victorian-era department store, Ogilvy has transformed itself into a collection of high-profile boutiques. When it was remodeled in the late 1920s the owner had a concert hall built on the 5th floor called ‘The Tudor’ that’s still open for viewing. Ogilvy’s front window displays mechanical toys that are a Montréal fixture at Christmas.
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D
Holt Renfrew
This Montréal institution is a godsend for label-conscious, cashed-up professionals and upscale shoppers. From fragrance to cosmetics, jewelry and men’s and women’s fashion, ‘Holt’s’ is the go-to spot for prestigious brands like Gucci and Prada. Services include personal shoppers and concierges, and an on-site café.
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E
Hudson Bay Co
La Baie, as it’s called in French, found fame three centuries ago for its striped wool blankets used to measure fur skins. Pass the legions of perfumery stands on the ground floor and take the escalators to the clothing boutiques on the 2nd floor, or make a strategic move for the cut-price garments on the 8th floor.
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F
Simons
This Québec City chain is a phenomenon of which everyone, no matter their age or style, seems a fan. The selection runs from $15 T-shirts to $5000 designer coats, with the former (cheap, fashionable creations and basics with which you can’t go wrong) a hit with basically everyone.
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G
The Bay
The world's oldest incorporated trading company, HBC, has a modern department store that still sells wool blankets reminiscent of when Winnipeg was a trodden trading post.
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