Holt Renfrew, Toronto

Holt Renfrew, Toronto

Holt Renfrew, a renowned Canadian luxury department store chain, was established in 1837 by William S. Henderson. Originally known as William Ashton & Co., the store in Quebec City specialized in fur products. In the late 1800s, the company expanded its reach by launching a mail order catalog, catering to customers across North America and Europe. Notably, from 1886 to 1921, Holt Renfrew held the prestigious title of Furriers in Ordinary to several members of the British royal family.

The name Holt Renfrew came into existence through the collaboration of business partner George Richard Renfrew in 1862 and company president John Henderson Holt in 1900. In 1937, with the opening of the Sherbrooke Street store in Montreal, the company transformed into a full-line retailer, offering a wide range of products.

In 1986, Holt Renfrew was acquired by the Weston family and partnered with European department stores Selfridges, Brown Thomas, and de Bijenkorf. But in 2022, the Weston family sold their shares in the Selfridges Group. Currently, Holt Renfrew runs seven stores in four Canadian provinces, including its flagship store in Toronto on Bloor Street West and the former Ogilvy store in Montreal on Saint Catherine Street.

Holt Renfrew stands in the league of prestigious American department stores like Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, and Saks Fifth Avenue. It competes with Saks Fifth Avenue as well as Canadian department stores such as Hudson's Bay and Simons.

The Bloor Street, Yorkdale, Montreal, and Vancouver locations boast the presence of Holts Café, an informal diner-style restaurant concept. One of the café's highlights is the tartine made from authentic Poilane bread directly imported from Paris, France.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Toronto. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

Download The GPSmyCity App

Holt Renfrew on Map

Sight Name: Holt Renfrew
Sight Location: Toronto, Canada (See walking tours in Toronto)
Sight Type: Shopping

Walking Tours in Toronto, Canada

Create Your Own Walk in Toronto

Create Your Own Walk in Toronto

Creating your own self-guided walk in Toronto is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Toronto's Waterfront Walking Tour

Toronto's Waterfront Walking Tour

It is more than obvious that the locals of Toronto, as well as visitors, cherish and admire the alluring views of Lake Ontario on the shores of which the city is located. Toronto's waterfront is one of the most picturesque places for walking, but it is also a great destination for those in search of entertainment.

At the heart of this waterfront area stands Queen's Quay Terminal, a...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.7 Km or 2.3 Miles
Toronto Introduction Walking Tour

Toronto Introduction Walking Tour

Sprawling on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario, the capital of the Canadian province of Ontario, Toronto, is a major metropolis renowned for its dynamic pace and high-rising skyline, incorporating both ultra-modern skyscrapers and historic architecture.

The area of present-day Toronto has been inhabited for thousands of years. Its first known settlers – the Wyandot (or Huron) people –...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.1 Km or 2.5 Miles
Historical Buildings Walking Tour

Historical Buildings Walking Tour

Once an Anglo backwater, today's Toronto is the cultural and economic hub of English-speaking Canada. The city's architectural beauty is supplemented by its historical richness, with some of the buildings dating back as far as the late 18th century. This self-guided tour invites you to explore the most prominent structures making up the historic heritage of Toronto.

The Gooderham...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.6 Km or 1.6 Miles
Toronto Islands Walking Tour

Toronto Islands Walking Tour

The Toronto Islands, otherwise simply known as “the Islands,” are a chain of islands in Lake Ontario, just off the coast of downtown Toronto. They include three major islands (namely: Centre Island, Algonquin or Sunfish Island, and Olympic Island) and several smaller ones. Collectively they are a great natural retreat set in a peaceful and joyful environment, which, apart from the panoramic...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.3 Km or 2.1 Miles
Distillery District Walking Tour

Distillery District Walking Tour

Toronto's Distillery District is a trendy neighborhood and an architectural treasure dating back to 1859. Once the largest distillery in the British Empire, today this former industrial complex is a National Historic Site of Canada and a unique pocket of Victorian-era architecture, featuring the continent's best-preserved collection of cobblestone pathways and historic buildings housing...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 0.8 Km or 0.5 Miles
Cabbagetown Walking Tour

Cabbagetown Walking Tour

Once a small community of Irish immigrants east of downtown and one of the poorest neighborhoods in Toronto, Cabbagetown is also one of the city's oldest districts, established in 1840. In 2004, it was declared a historic district and presently claims to be "the largest continuous area of preserved Victorian housing in North America". Attesting to this claim are the picturesque...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.8 Km or 1.1 Miles

Useful Travel Guides for Planning Your Trip


Traveler's Guide to Toronto: 15 Authentic Canadian Products to Bring Home

Traveler's Guide to Toronto: 15 Authentic Canadian Products to Bring Home

Toronto may well not be the whole Canada, but no Canada is whole without Toronto! By far too many things, quintessentially Canadian, associate with this bustling city, from Niagara Falls to Ice Hockey to... to mention but a few. To mention them all, check out the list of some not-to-be-missed...
The Epic Toronto Pub Crawl

The Epic Toronto Pub Crawl

There is no better way to see Toronto’s many different neighborhoods and get a literal taste of the Distillery District, the Esplanade, downtown, the Entertainment District and Yorkville. Plus you’ll learn a little about the bar and get its highlights at your fingertips so you’ll be in the...