SACRAMENTO, Calif — The Nordstrom in Sacramento's Arden Fair mall is one of 16 stores closing permanently due in part to the coronavirus forcing the company to make a faster shift to increasing online sales, the mall and company officials announced on Thursday.
The clothing retailer said in a press release on Thursday that it had been shifting its business model to bolster its online sales, which accounted for one-third of its total sales in 2019. The coronavirus pandemic, which forced businesses across the United States to close indefinitely, accelerated that model, the company said.
"We've been investing in our digital and physical capabilities to keep pace with rapidly changing customer expectations. The impact of COVID-19 is only accelerating the importance of these capabilities in serving customers," Erik Nordstrom, CEO of Nordstrom, Inc., said in the release.
The Arden Fair mall, along with other across the country, closed its doors last month to meet state stay-at-home orders to slow coronavirus spread. On Friday, the mall is expected to reopen to allow retailers to do curbside pick-up.
Mark Friedman, the mall's owner, told The Sacramento Bee on Wednesday that the retailer's closing will eliminate about 375 workers.
Mall officials told ABC10 in a statement that they are "saddened by Nordstrom's departure." The store was one of Arden Fair mall's anchor stores for more than 30 years, along side JcPenney, Sears and Macy's.
The current public health crisis is accelerating a wide variety of challenges that department stores are facing globally," mall officials said.
The Seattle-based retailer has 378 stores across the country that include Nordstrom and Nordstrom Rack.
There is a Nordstromin the Galleria at Roseville, and three Nordstrom Racks in Howe Bout Arden in Sacramento, the Palladio in Folsom and at Creekside Town Center in Roseville.
The company did not say which locations will be affected by the closures.
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