Simpson's austerely handsome edifice on Ste. Catherine Street was built in stages from 1928 to 1930, and expanded in 1954.
Bedford limestone faced the store, with bronze deatils at the windows and entrances.
Detail of Simpson's street floor entrances.
Sketch of the store's street floor.
The Robert Simpson Montreal Limited
977 Rue Ste.-Catherine
Montreal, Quebec
VI 2-7221
DOWNTOWN STORE DIRECTORY
Street Floor
Power Tools (774) • Hardware (774) • Garden Shop (774) • Lawn Mowers (774) • Paints (772) • Home Comfort (771) • Automotive Accessories (713) • Honey Tree Restaurant
Simpsons Basement Store
Street FloorJewellery (703) • Watches (706) • Cosmetics (701) • Drugs and Vitamins • Scarves (709) • Gloves (708) • Street Floor Blouses (709) • Accessories (709) • Handbags (702) • Small Leather Goods (702) • Boutique Vendome (711) • Hosiery (707) • Wig Bar (711) • Candy (705) • Stationery (768) • The Book Shelf (768) • Gift Shop (767) • Canadiana Shop (767) • Notions (710) • Cameras (704) • Office Equipment (704) • Luggage (760) • Dubois Pastry • Men’s Furnishings (713) • Men's Razors (706) • Boutique Seigneur Shop (713) • Tobacco (706) • Men’s Sportswear (712) • Dunhill Humidor (717)
Second Floor
Children’s Wear (744) • Infants' and Childrens's (744) • Girls' Wear (745) • Children’s Shoes (722) • Women’s Shoes (721) • Boys' Clothing (714) • Men’s Shoes (723) • Shop for Young Men (715) • Men’s Clothing (712) • Men’s Tailored-To-Measure Shop (712)
Fashion Floor - The Third
Women's Sportswear (736) • Action Sports Shop (736) • The Beach Shop (736) • Dresses (734) • Coats and Suits (731) • Millinery (730) • Salon Perruques (730) • Salon Vendome (733) • Millinery Vendome (733) • Bride's Counsel (733) • Miss Simpson Shop (735) • Fur Salon (740)
Fourth Floor
Lingerie (742) • Intimate Apparel (741) • Corsets and Brassieres (741) • Fabric Centre (727) • Wool & Art Needlework (782) • White Sewing Machines (728) • Linens and Beddings (751) •
Vacuums (748) • Floor Coverings (750) • Rugs (750) • Lamps (754) • Curtains and Draperies (753 • Toytown 470 • Sporting Goods 469 • Credit Office • Customer Service
Fifth Floor
Silverware (746) • China and Glassware (757) • Rosenthal Studio • Wedgwood Room • Bride’s Gift Registry • Housewares (755) • "Bon Appetit" Shop (757) • Home Appliances (756) • Small Appliances (747) • Television Radio (770) • Records (770) • Elizabeth Arden Salon • Gift Wrapping • Toytown (759) • Sporting Goods (758) • Luggage (760)
Sixth Floor
Treasure House (743) • Personalized Stationery Shop (743) • Furniture (769) • Garden Furniture (769) • Mattresses (769) • Simpsons Picture Gallery (743) • Interior Decorating Service (769) • Pictures and Mirrors (769)
Seventh Floor
Credit Office • Customer Service • Portrait Studio • Simpsons Travel Service • Post Office • Optical and Hearing Aid Centre
Trans Canada Hwy. and St. Johns Road
153,000 sq. ft.
Café Vendome
Metropolitan Blvd. at Montée St.-Leonard
180,000 sq. ft.
Café Carrousel
120,000 sq. ft.
wow... that brought back memories!
ReplyDeleteDuring the early 1980s, the downtown store was used as the setting for the CBC children's show, "Today's Special".
ReplyDeleteAlso, Simpson's developed a relationship with Sears-Roebuck and Co. I remember my grandmother having a sewing machine that she stored in the box it came from (apparently made in Canada) stamped Simpsons-Sears.
The Simpsons's Store on St. Catharine now houses an impressive Maison Simons Store. While not as large as the old Simpsons, the store does give new life to this building.
ReplyDeleteJust found this site. I worked at Simpson's downtown Montreal store in the early 70's. Behind the scenes, not in a retail department. I loved the place. Always interesting. I worked for a wonderful man, Mr. Henson. He taught me a lot.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this site.
Bob B
Does anyone remember a restaurant across Simpson's serving British food?
ReplyDeleteI started work at Simpsons Montreal store in September 1963 as a Tracer for the Customer Service Department.This was my first job coming out of school.My manager was Mr Beauchamp. I met my wife there that same year as she started there in July 1963.We have now been married for 42 years.I have fond memories of the people I knew then.Claude Daoust
ReplyDeleteWouls it be Murray's Restautant ?
ReplyDeleteJC
bonjour je m'appelle yves pellerin j'ai travailler chez simpson's galeries d'anjou a comter de aout 1969 j'usque au transfert pour la baie ou j'ai continue a travailler j'usqua ma retraite en 2008 toujours dans le meme edifice.j'ai ete dans les departements du sport,jouet,quincaillerie comme vendeur ,assistant gerant,et gerant simpson's fut une tres belle epoque dans laquelle on sentait une appartence a ce non.si quelqun de cette epoque qui a travaille chez simpson's lit ce commentaire et qui desire communiquer cela me ferait plaisir. mon email est yves.pelletrin@hotmail.com
ReplyDeleteYes I remember you. I worked downtown until 1985 when it closed. I was in the electronic dept. with JR, JC,AL, AB, LZ, LR, Miss Cougeon and Mrs Loupret to name a few. This was the best time of my career. A lot of work but also a lot of fun.MP
ReplyDeleteI worked at Simpsons from 1970 to 1978 in the BBO, Boys, and Young Men. If you know me I would like to hear from you. Joe Spuhler email spuhler@comcast.net
ReplyDeleteI worked at Simpson's in the men's glove department in 1967! So many of us have found our way here thanks to Bak. What a good experience!
ReplyDeleteJ'ai travaillé chez Simpson dans le département de gants d'hommes en 1967! Donc, beaucoup d'entre nous ont travaillé là et nous voici grâce à Bak. Quelle bonne expérience!
isartor@verizon.net
I started to look into this building and was it not called Simpson Sears on the building and the store once they had acquired the SEARS label? The down town area was a place to go shop at Simpson Sears and then around 1988 they had no more the Sears and only called Simpson's and renovated the whole store with beautiful escalators and just an elegance to the store that was amazing. Shortly after that they closed and it looked like hell as they were selling everything off...that was a sad moment! Now it is a movie theatre and a store called Simons. Does anyone recall the Simpson Sears?
ReplyDeleteIt was most emphatically not Simpsons-Sears. In general, Simpsons-Sears, which allowed the US Sears, Roebuck and Co. chain stores access to the Canadian market, was separate from the more upscale and locally-oriented Robert Simpson Company.
ReplyDeleteSimpsons-Sears stores were most often located in suburban areas.
You are right that the store underwent a major renovation in the 1980s that opened up the basement floor to the street windows and included new escalators.
BAK
Prior to 1978 simpsons and sears were partners in Simpson Sears ftom 1952
DeleteSimpsons execs approach General Wood
Sears chairman and proposed a partnership with Sears for the catalogue division.
Ended when Pierre Elliot Trudea blocked the full merger of Simpson's Sears canada and the Robert Simpson company even tho the same number of canadian dollars involved prior to that merger would be same after.
Trudeau recruited the Hudson's B
ay for the competing Bid and Sears said adios.
I found your site looking for info on a chair that used to belong to my mom&dad purchased on the 7th floor of Simpsons in 1965 .. in the furniture dept. what fond memories shopping here with my mom & sister on Saturdays. We’d take the bus downtown shop and eat at Murray’s!! Fun times.
DeleteI remember the Toronto Simpson store,it was the highlight of an outing to go to the Aracadian Court for lunch, also I can remember going from Simpsons over to Eatons to see Santa.in the 30'sand 40's
ReplyDeleteThanks for the memories
I remember Simpsons on Queen Street in Toronto. The restaurant nearby was called Bowles Lunch according to my grandfather, now deceased. He ate lunch there every work day all through the Depression. Great memories.
ReplyDeleteHi ! I started to work at Simpson's in 1963 the INFO. desk on the main floor and giving change to the Dept. than to Credit dept. and later Cash Office .What good memories ,My 1st boss was Mrs. Parkinson (Scotish lady ,manager) and and Mr.Jewitt ,very nice man. Many years later I worked for a major Bank and had Mrs. Parkinson and Mr. Jewitt who were then married became my clients and a few of the nice people that I have known.I learned a lot there ,since it was my first job and very shy .To bad it isn't there anymore . Incidently this is also where I met my future husband. Gina
ReplyDeleteThe Montreal Simpsons started as John Murphy's in 1867, acquired by Simpsons in 1904, and renamed in 1928.
ReplyDeleteTORONTO store. Can you help please, does anyone have a contact address (email, telephone number, website) for Alf Walker, a 'geordie' from NE England who worked in the fishing tackle department. He also wrote angling books. I believe he showed customers how to fly cast on the roof of the store. I lost touch when he emigrated from the UK to Canada. peter@pb-pics.co.uk
ReplyDeleteHe was sporting goods buyer in 70's
DeleteI have also worked at Simpson's 5 years but my Mom worked there for 20years until it closed in Montreal on St-Catherine street. She worked in the offices I think she did all the floors, mezz, 3, 5 & 7, her name was Therese. I also did the second year of the Entre Amis Between Friends. Simpson was my first job and it is good memories. Beach_girl64@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteAwesome rendered illustration of the Simpson's in Fairview Pointe-Claire! That really takes me back.
ReplyDeleteHi,I worked at Simpsons' my first job, was on the main floor writing Christmas stockings up, loved it!!Later I worked part time, bounced around few departments, first one was the Linens in the basement, worked with the most nicest people, then became permanent on the main floor women's wear. My fondest memories are from their, I have met so many wonderful people,friends,that i cherish,I had a great time working their!
ReplyDeleteHi , I worked at Simpsons St. Catherine St from 74 to 76 in the calculators to start and then the cosmetic dept. I have very fond memories of the people I worked with and often wonder where they are today. My manager was Mr. Corso.
ReplyDeleteWorked a couple of years in the camera dept (704) 1963-1964 Many fond memories.... Would love to locate the manager, Mr Len Grierson.
ReplyDeleteJohn
I was surprised and pleased to see this comment. My Dad is Len Grierson - can you please send me some information about who you are and how to contact you and I will pass it on to him,
DeleteMy Dad is Len Grierson. Please send me some information about yourself and how you can be contacted and I will put you in touch with him.
DeleteHello; I started at the Simpson's Downtown Store in Montreal in October 74, and I left the company in June 89. I worked in the Sports Department 758, then Toiletries and Cosmetics 701, The Receiving Department, and back to Sports. Then I got transferred to the St. Laurent Warehouse for a few weeks where I assembled bicycles. Shortly after that, I was transferred to The St. James Warehouse where I worked in The Fur Storage Department for a few years. Several years later, they closed the St. James Warehouse and we moved into The Bay Fur Building on Hymus in Pointe Claire. A few more years passed and a company called The Fur Gallery came in and took over the Simpson's Fur Departments and The Fur Storage Department. We moved again shortly after that to Mill Street in Pointe St. Charles.
ReplyDeleteSimpson's was a great company to work for. I wish we would have stayed with Sears instead of going with The Bay.
I started a Facebook page a little while ago titled "Simpson's Department Store, Former Employees". Take a look if you want, and join the group.
Hi I worked for the Contract Division of the Robert Simpson Company from 1956 to 1958 and for a short time in 1963. Is there anyone out there who remembers those days?
ReplyDeletei just bought two mid century modern leather chairs that are stamped "Manufactured for SIMPSONS contract Division" my google searches have led me here. Any information would be greatly appreciated. The label is the OLD/Original branding... so before 1957 from what i can tell from my research.
DeleteDepartment Stores often had contract divisions that would furnish offices, hotels, restaurants, etc. While they were often located in the main store, on upper floors, they were marketed to other businesses and not in front of the public as much as the retail division would be. Perhaps your chairs came from a hotel, or office lobby. Anything more than that, I do not know.
Delete-Bruce
Hi I worked at Simpsons between 1975- 80,Basement dept. in Linens
ReplyDeletemain floor women's fashion ,part time in the China dept. I have to say this was one of my best times, meeting up with everyone in the basement cafeteria for break ,working during the Montreal Olympics
wonderful experiences, met a lot of really nice people to work with!
Some of my best days in the 70's were working in security at Simpsons. I worked in Laval, Anjou, St.Bruno, at Fairview. The best of all was Downtown- I had the privilage of seeing the St.Catherine store from the 9th floor penthouse to the sub basement. Places that not many people had access like the executive offices, the mezzanine on the mainfloor. Simpsons brings back a flood of good memories
ReplyDeleteCould anyone tell me about a cross stich picture of a old man smoking a pipem dated 1928.
ReplyDeleteI worked at the Simpson s store in Montreal when I was 16 years old...... I will never forget what joy this job brought to me especially that I worked on the switchboard.... 9 position board......and I worked there for 3 years....... and I am almost 74 years old...... What a tremendous souvenir of life........!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteMy favourite department store ever! These were my first years in Montreal and as we were living downtown, Simpsons was my daily escape, the place where I met my friends for tea after shopping for everything and anything I could ever need... I had tears in my eyes when they closed the store and kept walking by with so much sadness for months... I never had the same homey feeling in any other place... Thank you all for the good memories !
ReplyDeleteI worked at the store in IT 1971 until 1979,.. Great time and memories
ReplyDeleteHave you ever heard of the "Simpson's Department Store Former Employees" FaceBook page, you could share memories...
DeleteI worked in the camera dept (704) on the main floor 1963 & 1964 Anybody ellse here from that dept ?? John
ReplyDeleteHave you heard of the "Simpson's Department Store Former Employees" FaceBook page, you'd have a better chance of finding people.
DeleteMy father Len Grierson worked in the camera department at that time. Arlene
ReplyDeleteInteresting reads.Wonder is thereis a similar site for the Simpson Store that was in downtown Toronto,where i worked?
ReplyDeleteThere is. Most major Canadian and American department stores have a page on this site, including Simpson's in Toronto.
Deletehttp://www.thedepartmentstoremuseum.org/2010/05/robert-simpson-company-ltd.html
DeleteAs a numismatist I came to acquire a small token with inscriptions The Robert Simpson Co Ltd and a number 3 in the center (for 3d or 3 cents). Both sides the same. Was this ever used in the Canadian store? The original owner reckons it was from 1895 Ceylon. Was there a Simpson's in London too where they served Ceylon tea? I can send a scan if that helps.
ReplyDelete