Nordstrom closing its location at the Mall of Georgia
In a move that should surprise no one, Seattle, Washington-based Nordstrom made official today that it will close its 172,000 square foot, two-level department store within Mall of Georgia in Buford. Nordstrom's off-price nordstrom rack at nearby Mall of Georgia Crossing will remain open.
Nordstrom's Mall of Georgia location has struggled basically since it opened in 2000. The store's core demographic (upper income, fashion forward consumers) failed to make the trek to Mall of Georgia from surrounding areas, and the store never gained a serious following.
According to an official statement made available earlier today to employees of the Mall of Georgia location, the store will close February 28th, affecting 175 non-seasonal employees.
The closure will leave Atlanta with full-line Nordstrom department stores in Phipps Plaza and Perimeter Mall. Nordstrom has grown its nordstrom rack presence from one, at Mall of Georgia, to now four (adding North Point, Buckhead and Perimeter)
If rumors related to this closure are true, the replacement anchor store is Davenport, Iowa-based Von Maur. Nordstrom store President Jamie Nordstrom was quoted to have said "We had the opportunity to end our lease..." which seems to suggest that another department store is taking over their lease at the Simon Property Group-managed mall.
Von Maur entered the Atlanta market in late 2011 with their first store at North Point Mall in Alpharetta (a former Belk which was originally Lord & Taylor). Von Maur added a second store in Dunwoody at Perimeter Mall in late 2012 in a former Bloomingdale's which was originally Macy's.)
With what will be three stores OTP, Von Maur reportedly plans to enter the Buckhead market in the coming years.