Holt Renfrew

Holt, Renfrew & Co., Limited (doing business as Holt Renfrew and colloquially Holt's) is a Canadian luxury department store chain founded in 1837 by William S. Henderson. The original William Ashton & Co. store in Quebec City, Lower Canada (now Quebec) operated as a fur shop. The company serviced the greater North American and European markets with its mail order catalog beginning in the late 1800s, and was appointed Furriers in Ordinary to several members of the British royal family from 1886 to 1921.

The present-day Holt Renfrew name comes from the additions of business partner George Richard Renfrew in 1862, and company president John Henderson Holt in 1900. The company became a full-line retailer with the opening of the multi-level Sherbrooke Street store in Montreal in 1937. It was acquired by Wittington Investments (owned by the Weston family) in 1986, and was affiliated with the European department stores Selfridges, Brown Thomas, and de Bijenkorf until the Weston family divested of the Selfridges Group in 2022. As of 2024^[update], Holt Renfrew operates six department stores in four Canadian provinces, including the flagship store at the Holt Renfrew Centre on Bloor Street West in Toronto and the former Ogilvy store (now Holt Renfrew Ogilvy) on Saint Catherine Street in Montreal.

Holt Renfrew and Simons, both founded in the 1800s in Quebec City, are the only Canadian department stores operating as of June 2025^[update]. Holt Renfrew is comparable to American department stores Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue.

In 1837, William S. Henderson, an Irish-born merchant, bought his partners' interest in their Quebec City fur shop and went into business for himself, thereby marking the traditional founding date of Holt Renfrew. Three years earlier, Henderson had arrived by ship from Londonderry with a load of hats and caps. The merchandise sold well and other overseas crossings followed. Eventually, Henderson set up shop at Quebec under the name William Ashton & Co. An early company advertisement noted a line of wholesale and retail garments and accessories that included Ladies' fur muffs, boas and tippets, in addition to Buffalo Robes and Bear skins, procured as well as "manufactured on this premises." By 1847, the store, then renamed William S. Henderson & Co., had established itself at 12 Buade Street. Eventually the store moved to larger premises at 35 Buade where it remained for many years. Over the decades that followed, the store's ownership changed hands, as various partners came and went, and the firm's name underwent revision. W.S. Henderson eventually sold the store to his brother John, a Montreal businessman, and it became John Henderson & Co. In 1862, with the addition of business partner George Richard Renfrew, the store's name changed to Henderson, Renfrew and Company. By the time of Confederation, in 1867, Henderson had retired and Renfrew and V.H. Marcou, whom Henderson had sent to Quebec to manage the business, had become the new principals, with the firm renamed Renfrew & Marcou.

By the middle of the 19th century, the company had begun promoting its fur garments beyond Quebec to a larger North American and European market. An 1890 mail order fur catalogue listed nine different medals and diplomas won at London, Paris, and Philadelphia exhibitions from 1851 to 1888. During its history, the store served many notable patrons. Admirers of John A. Macdonald, Canada's first Prime Minister, had decided the coat he had worn during an 1883 visit to Quebec City was not befitting his status as first minister and bought him a new fur coat from the company. Then, in 1886, G.R. Renfrew & Co. received its most prestigious honour, being named "Furriers in Ordinary" by Her Majesty Queen Victoria. The Queen had purchased a number of fur items from the company's display at the Indian & Colonial Exhibition held that year at London, England. The Quebec Daily Telegraph wrote at length about the appointment:

Visitors to the late provincial exhibition in this city will remember that lithographed copies in duplicate were shown of the royal letters patent from the Mistress of the Robes at Windsor Castle, notifying Messrs. G.R. Renfrew & Co. of their appointment as furriers to the Queen. At the same exhibition this firm exposed a duplicate set in sable to that purchased from them by Her Majesty the Queen in person, at the Indian & Colonial Exhibition in London. In common with many of our readers, we are not of opinion that a firm, any more than a private individual is the better individually, for rubbing against royalty, but we are speaking of business affairs in a business sense, and there is no doubt that Queen Victoria would not have patronized Messrs. G.R. Renfrew & Co. when she wanted a new muff, nor appointed them as her special furriers, unless she was satisfied that their articles were the very best of the kind manufactured, and that she could not do as well elsewhere. It is upon the knowledge of these facts that we congratulate Messrs. G.R. Renfrew & Co., and feel a legitimate pride in the success of our fellow citizens abroad. At home their success is exemplified by the large number of awards made [by] their exhibits, and also by the splendid stock which they always keep on hand in the mammoth establishment.

It was, in fact, the first of a series of royal warrants issued by members of the British Royal Family. In 1901, Holt, Renfrew & Co. was appointed furriers to Her Majesty Queen Alexandra and then to His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII, in 1903. In 1910, the company was appointed by royal warrant furriers to His Majesty King George V. The last of the royal warrants was issued by the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VIII, in 1921.

In 1889, the company established its first store outside of Quebec City with a new retail outlet at 71 and 73 King Street East, Toronto. William Henderson had by this time retired and his nephew, Allen E. Renfrew, had become partner.