YAKIMA, Wash. - January 3, 2001 - Seattle-based Nordstrom Inc. today announced it will close its Yakima, Wash., store due to the store’s declining sales and the uncertain future of the downtown retail district. While the company’s lease expires at the end of 2001, the deadline for extending the lease was Dec. 31, 2000. Nordstrom will continue to honor the remaining monthly lease payments through the end of 2001. The last day of business will be March 31, 2001.

"This was one of the toughest decisions we’ve ever had to make," said Blake Nordstrom, president of Nordstrom, Inc. "Yakima was one of our first stores in the company. Some of our longest term employees are there and they’ve done an outstanding job of delivering the best service they could to our customers." Nordstrom added, "Many of our company’s top leaders can trace their roots to the Yakima store. It’s been a training ground for some of our best managers."

The store’s last day of business will be March 31, 2001. Employees who stay through the closing will be offered a severance package that will include compensation based on the number of years they have worked, as well as an extension on various benefits. All employees will receive outplacement services as well. The store currently employs approximately 132 people.

Nordstrom said the store’s sales have declined 34 percent since 1994 with future declines predicted. The company looked at several options to keep the store open including reinvesting in its current location, moving to a different downtown site, or relocating to a suburban area.

The size of the market was also a factor. "We realized there weren’t enough customers to support a full size store," said Nordstrom. "Even if we were to build a new store here, we wouldn’t be able to offer our complete selection and in the end we would disappoint customers even more."

The company also expressed concerns about the overall health of the downtown retail district with the recent closing of JC Penney and expected departure of the Bon Marche.

The City of Yakima has approximately 60,000 residents and is located in South Central Washington. The Yakima store opened in 1960 when Nordstrom was a regional shoe retailer. Apparel and accessories were added after 1963 when the retailer purchased another regional apparel company.

Contact:

Paula Weigand or John Bailey,
Nordstrom, Inc.
(509) 453-3151
After Jan. 3: (206) 373-3036