Nordstrom has announced that it will be permanently closing 16 stores while restructuring during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The luxury department store chain said in a press release that it will shutter 16 of its 117 largest department stores. This does not apply to the 250 Nordstrom Rack locations and smaller boutiques.
The closures are “based on the needs of each market,” the company said in the release. The company is also restructuring its regions, support roles and corporate organization for an expected savings of $150 million.
Nordstrom did not specify which locations are slated to close, but the decision will most likely impact malls, where the department stores are often anchor locations.
The company’s stores have been temporarily closed since March 17, when many stay-at-home orders went into effect in states across the United States. Erik Nordstrom, the company’s CEO, said that the changes aren’t all due to the pandemic.
“We’ve been investing in our digital and physical capabilities to keep pace with rapidly changing customer expectations. The impact of COVID-19 is only accelerating the importance of these capabilities in serving customers,” he said.
As the biggest mall operator in the country plans to reopen 49 malls in 10 states and large retailers like Best Buy reopen their doors, Nordstrom said in its release that it will be reopening stores in a phased approach in each market when allowed by local authorities.
Nordstrom’s protocol will include health screenings for employees, providing face coverings for employees and customers, limiting customers and employees in the store in order to follow social distancing guidelines, increased cleaning, modifying fitting rooms, altering hours of operation, curbside service and keeping merchandise that has been tried on or returned off the sales floor.
Nordstrom has not released a full list of the closing locations, but confirmed most of the closures to local media outlets. Here are the closing stores that the company has confirmed to media so far:
- Chandler Fashion Center, 3199 W. Chandler Blvd., Chandler, Arizona
- Arden Fair Mall, 1651 Arden Way, Sacramento, California
- Paseo Nuevo, 17 W Canon Perdido St., Santa Barbara, California
- Montclair Place, 5015 N Montclair Plaza Ln., Montclair, California
- 3601 The Galleria at Tyler, Riverside, California
- Stoneridge Shopping Center, 1600 Stoneridge Mall Rd., Pleasanton, California
- FlatIron Crossing, 21 W Flatiron Crossing Dr, Broomfield, Colorado
- Waterside Shops, 5489 Tamiami Trail N., Naples, Florida
- 1800 Annapolis Mall, Annapolis, Maryland
- Freehold Raceway Mall, 3710 U.S. Highway 9, Freehold, New Jersey
- Clackamas Town Center, SE 85th Ave., Happy Valley, Oregon
- North East Mall, 1101 Melbourne Rd, Hurst, Texas
- Short Pump Town Center, 11812 W Broad St., Richmond, Virginia
- 4000 The Mall of San Juan Blvd., San Juan, Puerto Rico
Analysts praised Nordstrom’s decision to trim its store fleet.
Click here to read the full press release.
