Nordstrom closing two metro (Portland, OR) locations, affecting hundreds of jobs

[Redfairen]

Source: KATU

PORTLAND, Ore. – Nordstrom announced on Wednesday that it will close two stores in the metro area early next year.

The chain’s stores at Lloyd Center and the Vancouver mall will close in January 2015.

Hundreds of jobs will be affected. There are about 220 non-seasonal employees at the Lloyd Center location and 164 in Vancouver.

“This was a tough decision to make because we’ve been doing business at Lloyd Center and Vancouver Mall for a long time and we care a great deal about the community, our customers and our employees here,” said Erik Nordstrom, president of stores for the company, in a press release. “These two locations just haven’t performed to the level we need them to and investing in remodels to possibly make them more successful doesn’t pencil out.”



Read more: http://www.katu.com/news/local/Nordstrom-closing-two-metro-locations-costing-hundreds-of-jobs-243726581.html?mobile=y

[JDPriestly]

1. People buy a lot of stuff on the internet. It's putting some of the retail stores out of business.

This leaves a big hole in the economy of cities and towns. It means a loss in sales taxes where they are collected. But buying on the internet is so convenient that stores just can't compete.

[madrchsod]

2. nordstrom is an upper middle class store

i`d rather imagine their customer base is shrinking. there`s a nordstrom near where i live and when ever i go to that mall they are not as busy as the stores one tier below them.

[Sherman A1]

3. It's never just one thing, but

a combination of factors such as rental costs, location, loss of business to the internet and disposable income of their customer base all come into play. I am sorry for the job loss involved here and hopefully some of those folks will be able to transfer to other locations in the area if there are any.

[Swede Atlanta]

4. I lived in Seattle from the mid 70s to late 80s.....

Nordstrom stores were always very, very busy wherever you went - downtown or to a suburban mall.

Having moved to Atlanta with my job there was great expectation when they opened their first store here.

Over the years my visits to go shopping have decreased in number to where I hate having to fight traffic to get to/from any of the malls. I happened to go into Nordstrom's last year to look for replacement loafers that had lasted me for over 20 years.

I was so disappointed with the store. My job, church, etc. no longer require shirts, ties and jackets so my closetful of those clothes is unworn. So I didn't need anything in that department. Their sportswear section is a bit young for me now.

As for the shoes, they had nothing I would purchase. They no longer offer the tried and true weejun loafers, etc. (at least not in this store).

The store was very empty and this was on an average Saturday early afternoon.

So I think the change in clothing styles (e.g. businesses are more and more casual) and changing demographics including erosion of the middle class are fundamentally changing purchasing patterns.

Nordstroms was the store of choice for upwardly mobile upper middle class. The very wealthy have their own stores - Neiman Marcus, Saks, etc.

Agree the ability to shop online is also having its effect on brick and mortar stores.

[marions ghost]

6. You point out something

that I think is often overlooked in this discussion about the problems retail stores are having.

In addition to the recession, the effects of online buying, less demand for more expensive business clothes--
you say:

"I hate having to fight traffic to get to/from any of the malls..."

Really this is a bit part of the problem for me. It is such an unpleasant shopping experience to go from shopping center to shopping center, especially when you are trying to look for bargains and have to stretch a buck as far as it will go. The design of these places is a nightmare. You can waste a serious amount of time in the car and then on foot covering wide expanses of warehouse-sized stores. And then you take your life in your hands crossing parking lots where people are careening around trying to get to the next shopping target. It's really a disaster in car-oriented sprawl. I also tend to avoid this, and will even do without whatever it is.

The way I see it:

1. Urban planning in general has failed us
2. Distribution systems benefit the seller and not the consumer
3. Public transit has been denied to the millions who would use it and take the pressure off

Shopping could be a productive experience--but it no longer is, when you have to fight the parking lots for the corralling of every little thing.

[Bluenorthwest]

5. I used to shop at Nordstrom all the time. Recently I went to one of these stores ready to spend.

I had a very, very negative experience. In every way. I bought nothing. I will never return. I was a regular, known customer. I will never return.