Retail wars escalate with opening of Simons in West Vancouver

Simons opened its doors on Oct. 15. 2015, in West Vancouver’s Park Royal Mall, and the Canadian company is planning on going head-to-head with the U.S. giants.

Metro Vancouver's department store war is heating up again with the opening of another super-sized retailer.

Simons opened its doors Thursday in West Vancouver’s Park Royal Mall, and the Canadian company is planning on going head-to-head with the U.S. giants.

The fashion and home retailer was founded in Quebec City in 1840, and it’s among the oldest family-owned businesses in the country.

But other than its location at the West Edmonton Mall, the Canadian presence of Simons has traditionally been concentrated in Quebec.

Peter Simons, the retailer’s president, admits that name recognition could be a challenge.

The newly opened Nordstrom in downtown Vancouver could be stiff competition, but Simons is counting on shoppers wanting to support a Canadian retailer.

“They’re going have to come up with a marketing strategy that makes them different, disinct and get through the clutter,” said BCIT marketing instructor Anne Marie Webb-Hughes.

With a report from CTV Vancouver’s Shannon Paterson