Nordstrom to permanently close downtown Vancouver store

Mar 2 2023, 11:43 pm

Prior to the pandemic, Nordstrom’s Canadian division showed immense strength, with the flagship store in downtown Vancouver being one of the chain’s best performers in terms of sales.

But a decade after entering the Canadian market with its first store in Vancouver, the Seattle-based luxury department store chain has called it quits in Canada — completely. The company made a stunning announcement today on its decision to withdraw from Canada completely by Summer 2023.

While the Vancouver store was a strong performer, the company notes that its Canadian division has been in the red financially every single year since its first Canadian store opened in Calgary’s CF Chinoook Centre in 2014.

As of today, Nordstrom has shut down its Canadian online e-commerce business.

Its physical store locations — both Nordstrom and Nordstrom Rack — will close by no later than the end of June 2023. Any food and beverage services inside the store will close by no later than March 15.

“We are disappointed to see Nordstrom leave Canada, as a great retailer, and despite the Vancouver store performing amongst the best in the chain,” Martin Moriarty, the senior vice president of investment and leasing for Marcus & Millichap, told Daily Hive Urbanized when asked to react to Nordstrom’s sudden announcement.

“It’s a tough blow for Canada but more locally, we have seen great momentum in downtown Vancouver’s retail environment, especially in the last six to 12 months as we enter a post-COVID-19 world with vacancy rates plunging to historic lows. In terms of impact, it’s early to say but this may prove to be the opening needed for several new market entrants to land in Vancouver.”

Sears Canada at CF Pacific Centre’s department store building in 2012:

cf pacific centre sears canada

The CF Pacific Centre building occupied by Sears Canada just before its 2012 closure. (Google Maps)

Nordstrom at CF Pacific Centre’s department store building since 2015:

cf pacific centre vancouver nordstrom

The existing condition of the CF Pacific Centre building, with a Nordstrom department store. (Google Maps)

The forthcoming closure of Nordstrom’s Vancouver store represents the loss of one of the largest retail and general destinations in downtown Vancouver. It provides downtown Vancouver with added foot traffic, given that this is the only Nordstrom department store location in Metro Vancouver.

“We’re shocked and saddened at the news of Nordstrom closing all of their Canadian locations, and empathize with Vancouver locals who will lose their jobs as a result of this,” Jane Talbot, the interim president and CEO of Downtown Van (the local business improvement association), told Daily Hive Urbanized.

“We were thrilled when they opened at Pacific Centre in 2015 and revitalized an anchor location within the downtown core. Nordstrom was a welcomed addition to our district, and we hope another business will take over the beautiful space soon.”

It marks the shortest conclusion of the latest department store chapter in the storied retail history of this building. Nordstrom is located within a building that is part of CF Pacific Centre mall, owned by Cadillac Fairview.

Prior to Nordstrom’s occupancy, the entire seven-storey building was occupied by Sears Canada, which operated in the CF Pacific Centre space from 2002 to 2012.

nordstrom vancouver pacific centre

2015 condition inside the Nordstrom at CF Pacific Centre. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

nordstrom vancouver pacific centre

2015 condition inside the Nordstrom at CF Pacific Centre. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

After Sears Canada’s departure, Cadillac Fairview provided the seven-storey building with a complete renovation, including a complete reskinning of the building’s previously dated exterior, and introducing mixed uses — a reimagined, downsized department store space that allows for the introduction of additional office uses.

Nordstrom’s downtown Vancouver flagship store first opened in September 2015 within 230,000 sq ft of space on the bottom three floors of the building. The cosmetic, handbag and footwear departments occupy the main floor, women’s clothing on the second floor, and men’s and children’s apparel on the third floor. Bistro Verde, Nordstrom’s casual sit-down restaurant, is located on the third floor, overlooking Robson Square.

The upper four levels were turned into office space for Microsoft Canada, Sony Pictures Imageworks’ global headquarters, and Vancouver law firm Miller Thomson LLP, with the office lobby located at the north end of the building — next to TD Tower and the public plaza with SkyTrain’s Vancouver City Centre entrance.

nordstrom vancouver pacific centre

Bistro Verde restaurant on the third floor of Nordstrom at CF Pacific Centre. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

nordstrom vancouver pacific centre

Bistro Verde restaurant on the third floor of Nordstrom at CF Pacific Centre. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

The basement level of the building, previously the menswear department of Sears Canada, was turned into a seamless expansion of CF Pacific Centre’s main underground mall corridor, with the addition of over a dozen stores and a new Robson Street mall entrance.

Prior to Sears Canada, the building was the longtime location of the Eaton’s department store. The building was first constructed for the needs of Eaton’s in 1971.

Daily Hive Urbanized has reached out to Cadillac Fairview for comment on the impact of the closure of Nordstrom Vancouver.

Sears Canada at CF Pacific Centre’s department store building in 2012:

cf pacific centre sears canada vancouver

The CF Pacific Centre building occupied by Sears Canada just before its 2012 closure. (Google Maps)

Nordstrom at CF Pacific Centre’s department store building since 2015:

cf pacific centre nordstrom vancouver

The existing condition of the CF Pacific Centre building, with a Nordstrom department store. (Google Maps)

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