16 Nordstrom Stores To Close, Company Says

NORTH BAY, CA — Nordstrom closed all department stores and Nordstrom Rack outlet stores in March because of coronavirus. Now the retail giant has announced its plans to permanently shutter 16 stores.

West Coast-based Nordstrom was founded in 1901 in Seattle as a shoe store. It currently operates 379 retail stores in 40 U.S. states — 116 full-line department stores and 247 Nordstrom Rack outlet stores — including in Santa Rosa, Novato, Corte Madera and Vacaville in the North Bay.

The locations of the stores slated for closure were not immediately announced to the public, as employees were still being notified that their jobs were eliminated.

The company says the 16 full-line store closures are a result of both the coronavirus, and market trends pushing more shoppers online.

"We've been investing in our digital and physical capabilities to keep pace with rapidly changing customer expectations," said CEO Erik Nordstrom. "The impact of COVID-19 is only accelerating the importance of these capabilities in serving customers."

According to Nordstrom, more than half its sales now come through its website.

In the COVID-19 business update from Nordstrom, the company also touted a restructuring of support roles and corporate organization, which it says should cut expenses by $150 million — or 30 percent. The company says the move allows for "greater speed and flexibility" but did not outline exactly how certain roles may be affected.

Nordstrom's Anniversary Sale event has also been pushed back. The annual sale normally takes place in July. Company officials now say they're shifting the sale to August to account for stores that may remain closed through July.

Nordstrom closed all its retail locations March 17. The company has not yet said when any of its stores may reopen, just that they will be phased back in on a market-by-market basis.

When stores do reopen, Nordstrom says they'll implement several new precautions to protect customers and employees from the coronavirus, including health screenings for employees, free face coverings for shoppers and employees, and limiting the number of visitors allowed in stores to maintain safe social distancing.

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— Patch editor Charles Woodman contributed to this report.