1954

$500 Down Payment

After working in a clothing factory and in a quality menswear store, Harry Rosen and his brother Lou open a small made-to-measure store on Toronto’s Parliament Street with a $500 down payment.

1961

Harry Rosen Relocates

Success allows Harry to relocate to larger premises closer to his clientele on Richmond Street in Toronto’s Financial District. With little retailing in this area, skeptics criticize the move, but the store soon becomes a destination for customers from across Toronto, Canada, and the United States.

First Ad Agency

Harry establishes a relationship that lasts for 35 years with Stann Burkhoff and Reid Bell to develop advertising. The company’s first newspaper ads appear and their initial premise of ‘If you shop at Harry’s, you’ll always be appropriately attired’ has not changed to this day.

1981

National Growth

West Edmonton Mall becomes home to the first Harry Rosen store outside of Toronto. Cross Canada growth continues over the following seven years as locations open in Vancouver, Ottawa, Montreal, Calgary, Quebec City and Winnipeg.

1984

Launch of Zegna

Advertisement of Ermeneglido Zegna, an Italian designer, first introduced to Canada by Harry Rosen.

1987

Flagship on Bloor

Harry opens a three-level, 32,000 sq. ft. flagship store on Toronto’s Bloor Street. A masterpiece of selection and presentation, the store quickly becomes known for housing one of the world’s most exclusive collections of fine menswear. That same year, The Retail Council of Canada presents Harry Rosen with its first Retail Marketer of the Year Award.

1996

Award Winning Ads

Harry Rosen introduces the award-winning newspaper ad campaign featuring such celebrities as David Cronenberg, Norman Jewison, Christopher Plummer, Remy Shand, Rick Mercer and more.

2000

Appointment

Three years after being named President, Larry Rosen is appointed Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Harry Rosen Inc. Larry, who holds both an MBA and a law degree from Western University, first joined Harry Rosen in 1983 following a short period practicing law.

Montreal Flagship

Harry opens a 22,000 sq. ft. Montreal flagship store at Les Cours Mont-Royal at Peel and St. Catharines.

2001

Lifetime Award

Harry Rosen receives the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Retail Council of Canada.

2003

Make a Statement

Our advertising campaign continues to feature prominent Canadian gentlemen.

Vancouver Flagship

Harry Rosen relaunches a 20,000 sq. ft. Vancouver flagship store in Pacific Centre, including a free-standing BOSS Hugo Boss shop.

2004

The First 50 Years

Harry Rosen Inc. turned 50 years old on February 4, 2004. Begun with only a small store in Toronto, today there are 15 Harry Rosen stores across Canada in addition to a Harry Rosen outlet store.

The Order of Canada

Harry Rosen received the Order of Canada in celebration of his contribution to retail in Canada.

2005

MR Magazine

MR Magazine chooses Harry Rosen as the first-ever winner outside the US.

Building the Best

Harry Rosen featured in “Building the Best: Lessons from Inside Canada’s Best-Managed Companies”.

2008

Re-Launch of 82 Bloor Street West

Harry Rosen's flagship location in Toronto offers more than 50,000 square feet of menswear – tailored clothing to intimate apparel – from around the world, including shops featuring BOSS Hugo Boss, Tom Ford, Ermenegildo Zegna, Canali, and more.

2009

E-Commerce site launch

HarryRosen.com launches online presence with the same principles that have guided our retail experience since the very beginning. Our ultimate goal is to provide online shoppers with service, knowledge, trust and immediate access to some of the very best men’s garments in the world.