Caplan's
Encyclopedia
Caplan's was a department store in Ottawa
, Ontario
, Canada
.
Caplan's began as a small dry goods shop in 1897, and operated over time at various locations throughout Ottawa. In 1916, the store moved to Rideau Street
, where it grew into a department store and went on to become a retail landmark in the city. Sam Caplan, born in 1898, ran the store for many years, and became a noted figure in Ottawa's business and Jewish communities.
Along with Ogilvy's
, Freimans
and Murphy-Gamble
, Caplan's was one of the local department stores that dominated Ottawa retailing for much of the twentieth century. In fact, Ottawa was unique among larger Canadian cities, as its local department stores were sufficiently successful to discourage the expansion of most national chains (including Eaton's
, the Bay
, and Simpson's
) into the city until the 1950s.
In 1967, Caplan's acquired Shaffer's Limited, a neighbouring clothing store on Rideau Street, and another longtime Ottawa retailer. The acquisition allowed for the further expansion of Caplan's premises and its customer base. However, retailing trends over the subsequent decade and a half did not favour independent department stores such as Caplan's. The construction of the Rideau Centre
across the street from the Caplan's store further reduced sales, and Caplan's closed on July 28, 1984 after more than 80 years in business. Sam Caplan had died one year earlier, and did not witness the closing of his eponymous store.
After the closure of the store, 1960s-era building extensions and design features were removed to reveal turn-of-the-century commercial façades that had been largely preserved. Shopping centre and office uses were proposed for the Caplan's site, but never reached the construction stage. In 2000, Ottawa City Council approved the construction of a cinema on the site, but that project also did not proceed. The city resisted subsequent efforts by the landowner to demolish the old Caplan's store façade, although neglect eventually lead to the fire marshall ordering its demolition in November 2003. As the site was located in a heritage conservation district protected under the Ontario Heritage Act
, the city was able to secure the condition that a replica of the Rideau Street elevation be reconstructed as part of any future redevelopment on the site.
The former Caplan's warehouse, built in 1920 on King Edward Street
, was transformed in 1969 into an off-site theatre studio of the National Arts Centre
. Today, it serves as "La Nouvelle Scène", a francophone
theatre venue.
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Caplan's began as a small dry goods shop in 1897, and operated over time at various locations throughout Ottawa. In 1916, the store moved to Rideau Street
Rideau Street
Rideau Street is a major street in downtown Ottawa, Ontario, Canada and one of Ottawa's oldest and most famous streets running from Wellington Street in the west to Montreal Road in the east where it connects to the Vanier district...
, where it grew into a department store and went on to become a retail landmark in the city. Sam Caplan, born in 1898, ran the store for many years, and became a noted figure in Ottawa's business and Jewish communities.
Along with Ogilvy's
Ogilvy's
Charles Ogilvy Limited, or "Ogilvy's", was a department store in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, founded in 1887. For much of the 20th century, Ogilvy's was one of Ottawa's higher-end department stores....
, Freimans
Freimans
A.J. Freiman Limited, or Freimans, was a landmark department store on Rideau Street in Ottawa, Canada, founded in 1918 by Archibald J. Freiman.Archibald Jacob Freiman was born in Lithuania in 1880, and emigrated to Hamilton, Ontario...
and Murphy-Gamble
Murphy-Gamble
Murphy-Gamble Limited was a long-time department store in the City of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.The store was located at 118 Sparks Street in a 1909 building designed by C.P. Meredith, and for years used the slogan "Ottawa's Smart Store"...
, Caplan's was one of the local department stores that dominated Ottawa retailing for much of the twentieth century. In fact, Ottawa was unique among larger Canadian cities, as its local department stores were sufficiently successful to discourage the expansion of most national chains (including Eaton's
Eaton's
The T. Eaton Co. Limited was once Canada's largest department store retailer. It was founded in 1869 in Toronto by Timothy Eaton, an Irish immigrant. Eaton's grew to become a retail and social institution in Canada, with stores across the country, buying offices across the globe, and a catalogue...
, the Bay
The Bay
The Bay is a chain of 91 department stores that operate across parts of Canada. It is the main brand of Hudson's Bay Company , North America's oldest company. It has its headquarters in the Simpson Tower in Toronto. In French, the chain is known as la Baie, short for "Compagnie de la Baie d'Hudson"...
, and Simpson's
Simpson's
The Robert Simpson Company, or Simpsons , was a Canadian department store chain, founded by Robert Simpson. The chain was eventually bought by the Hudson's Bay Company.- History :...
) into the city until the 1950s.
In 1967, Caplan's acquired Shaffer's Limited, a neighbouring clothing store on Rideau Street, and another longtime Ottawa retailer. The acquisition allowed for the further expansion of Caplan's premises and its customer base. However, retailing trends over the subsequent decade and a half did not favour independent department stores such as Caplan's. The construction of the Rideau Centre
Rideau Centre
Rideau Centre is a three-level shopping centre on Rideau Street in Downtown Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It borders on Rideau Street , the Rideau Canal, the Mackenzie King Bridge, and Nicholas Street....
across the street from the Caplan's store further reduced sales, and Caplan's closed on July 28, 1984 after more than 80 years in business. Sam Caplan had died one year earlier, and did not witness the closing of his eponymous store.
After the closure of the store, 1960s-era building extensions and design features were removed to reveal turn-of-the-century commercial façades that had been largely preserved. Shopping centre and office uses were proposed for the Caplan's site, but never reached the construction stage. In 2000, Ottawa City Council approved the construction of a cinema on the site, but that project also did not proceed. The city resisted subsequent efforts by the landowner to demolish the old Caplan's store façade, although neglect eventually lead to the fire marshall ordering its demolition in November 2003. As the site was located in a heritage conservation district protected under the Ontario Heritage Act
Ontario Heritage Act
The Ontario Heritage Act, first enacted on March 5, 1975, allows municipalities and the provincial government to designate individual properties and districts in the Province of Ontario, Canada, as being of cultural heritage value or interest....
, the city was able to secure the condition that a replica of the Rideau Street elevation be reconstructed as part of any future redevelopment on the site.
The former Caplan's warehouse, built in 1920 on King Edward Street
King Edward Street
King Edward Street is a street running between the High Street to the north and Oriel Square to the south in central Oxford, England.To the east is the "Island" site of Oriel College, one of the colleges of Oxford University...
, was transformed in 1969 into an off-site theatre studio of the National Arts Centre
National Arts Centre
The National Arts Centre is a centre for the performing arts located in Ottawa, Ontario, between Elgin Street and the Rideau Canal...
. Today, it serves as "La Nouvelle Scène", a francophone
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
theatre venue.