Simons, Quebec City

Quebec's native department store has only recently branched out from this flagship location to downtown Montreal, but it remains an unique and essential stop on any shopping tour of Quebec. Focusing primarily on women's fashion, Maison Simons is broken down into various boutiques: La Guêpière sells hosiery and undergarments, formal wear, and so on. A smaller men's department shares an uncompromising commitment to good taste with many European-influenced flashes of panache. Considering the location and the quality, the prices are astoundingly reasonable.