Here's a first look at the brand new Simons store at Toronto's Yorkdale mall

Canadian department store chain Simons is boldly eschewing the doom-and-gloom narrative that's dominated the shopping mall landscape in the GTA lately, entering a phase of ambitious expansion at a time when competitors like Hudson's Bay, Saks Fifth Avenue and Nordstrom (and before them, Sears and Eaton's) no longer exist in the market.

The Quebec-based retailer, known as purveyors of stylish choices under both exclusive house labels and well-known designer names, has just officially opened a new location in Toronto's Yorkdale Shopping Centre, with another coming to the CF Eaton Centre this fall.

And, we got an early peek at the store on Thursday morning before it launched to the public.

Taking over the two-level anchor space formerly held by a Nordstrom, the outpost is the eighteenth store for Simons, and its biggest one outside of Quebec. But if you're expecting anything like the standard department store, or even like any other Simons location, you can think again.

CEO Bernard Leblanc explained to reporters gathered at the store at 7 a.m. that every element of each shop is thoroughly intentional, reflective of the local milieu, as well as the company's focus on putting the shopper experience first and foremost.

The floor plan is divided up in a way that makes each section feel like a different room in a cohesively outfitted home, complete with thoughtful colour palettes, creative uses of ample natural lighting, well-appointed bespoke furnishings, and a flow that leaves you enough room to breathe and, as Leblanc says, discover.

Whether you're looking for the most on-trend items, office attire, more simple and timeless pieces, accessories, or home goods, Simons has it all, aiming to cater to customers across demographics and life stages.

An impressive 70 per cent of the store's merchandise comes from in-house and is only available at Simons, while the remainder is a curated mix between other brands, many of them Canadian.

Stock from established labels like Ganni, Ralph Lauren, Lacoste, Obey, Carhartt, Vans, Marimeikko, Coach and others abut more up-and-coming or newer-to-Canada lines (they even have tote bags from beloved Montreal staples like St.-Viateur Bagels), with something for truly everyone, from the more value-conscious shopper to someone looking for the most high-end designer finds.

Part of what the store offers also goes beyond the shopping, with art from 24 different artists (most of them homegrown, some of them international) scattered throughout the store, each with a QR code to learn more about them.

"We believe that the inspiration from the arts, from architecture and from beauty comes through fashion, so it's very core to how we create product and put it to market," Leblanc says of Simons' art initiatives and these scannable artistic journeys that shoppers can embark on.

The fixtures help to shape each themed corner of the store, which naturally transition into one another.

Despite such a wide scope and 118,000 square feet of space, Simons manages to have somewhat of a boutique vibe, which here includes a full-service tailor shop with pant hemming in 30 minutes, a well-staffed customer service area, said custom art, and apparel and goods that feel unique — especially being so uniquely Canadian, and selected for Toronto.

As Leblanc says, "The industry has seen a few elements of turbulence in the past little while, but we feel very positive about the Toronto market. We've curated this store especially for Torontonians."

You can visit Simons Yorkdale at 3401 Dufferin St., North York.