‘You have to be patient’: Why it took Simons so long to expand to Toronto

Simons’ chief executive Bernard Leblanc has been in no rush to bring the iconic Quebec retailer to Canada’s biggest city. Even as the company sets its sights on expansion in Canada, it waited patiently for the right opportunity in Toronto.

“Life is made in such a way, you have to be patient,” LeBlanc said in an interview with Yahoo Finance Canada.

After Nordstrom exited the Canadian market, opening up large retail spaces in two of the country’s busiest malls, that long-awaited expansion opportunity finally arrived for Simons. The retailer announced last week that it will spend more than $75 million to open two stores in Toronto in 2025 – one at the Yorkdale Shopping Centre and another at the Eaton Centre. Read more at Yahoo! Finance Canada.