Nordstrom is the latest big-name retailer to leave San Francisco.
The department store announced on Tuesday it will close its downtown San Francisco locations — one in Westfield Mall (which will close at the end of August) and a Nordstrom Rack nearby on Market Street (closing on July 1).
“Decisions like this are never easy, and this one has been especially difficult,” said Nordstrom’s Chief Stores Officer, Jamie Nordstrom, per NBC Bay Area. “But as many of you know, the dynamics of the downtown San Francisco market have changed dramatically over the past several years, impacting customer foot traffic to our stores and our ability to operate successfully.”
While NBC Bay Area was reporting on the closure, police were called to the Nordstrom Rack for a disturbance.
#More: Safe to say, shoppers are stunned.
“San Francisco without these Nordstroms???? .. that’s crazy!”
“What’s going on in this city??!!??”And, while covering the story .. police are called to a disturbance here. pic.twitter.com/PZzdntE9yC
— scott budman (@scottbudman) May 2, 2023
Nordstrom’s exit comes mere weeks after Whole Foods announced it would close its downtown location due to safety concerns and drug use in the neighborhood. A Westfield Mall spokesperson told CNN that Nordstrom’s departure from the mall emphasizes the “deteriorating situation” in downtown San Francisco.
“A growing number of retailers and businesses are leaving the area due to the unsafe conditions for customers, retailers, and employees, coupled with the fact that these significant issues are preventing an economic recovery of the area,” the mall said.
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Since 2020, at least 20 retailers have closed up shop in San Francisco’s Union Square area, 11 of which closed in 2023 alone, according to The San Francisco Standard.
Westfield Mall owner, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, told the outlet that he has expressed concern to city officials for years and has “urged the city to find solutions to the key issues and lack of enforcement against rampant criminal activity.”
Nordstrom’s Westfield Mall location occupies 312,000 square feet on five floors.