SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS RADIO) – The departure of two Nordstrom stores from San Francisco is yet another blow to the city, but some see it as an opportunity to re-imagine the city's Downtown.
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Nordstrom's decision doesn't come as a surprise. It's the latest in a series of retailers that have opted to leave San Francisco.
The two stores undergoing closure are located in Downtown S.F. — a five floor department store at the Westfield Shopping Center and a discount outlet across the street.
"Unfortunately, online shopping has its advantages as being convenient," Mayor London Breed told KCBS Radio. "It's been very difficult for our various retail establishments to stay afloat."
Jim Wunderman, President and CEO of the Bay Area Council, explained it can be difficult for the average shopper to fight traffic and pay for parking to shop at 5th and Market streets. Overcoming the narratives of safety and cleanliness in San Francisco also poses a challenge.
Wunderman said the Nordstrom locations are close to his heart. He worked with then mayor Dianna Feinstein to help create the opportunity for Nordstrom to have a place in the city.
"To see it come to a close is obviously a downer," he said.
Moving forward, Wunderman believes the area is a great opportunity for revitalization, similar to New York's redevelopment of Times Square.
"It doesn't happen on its own, it has to be driven in a public/private partnership," he said.
Breed said that the city has already introduced legislation that would allow for pivotal changes to take place in Union Square, including dedicating room for housing.
"We need to start looking at being more creative and diversifying the use of a space like where the Westfield mall controls the Bloomingdales, Nordstrom and that whole area," she encouraged. "That needs to be more than just a retail space."
The issue of closing retailers isn't solely a San Francisco problem. Claire Tassin, lead retail analyst at Morning Consult, told KCBS Radio retailers are increasingly moving away from sprawling brick and mortar department stores towards more efficient, smaller spaces that better meet customer needs.
"A lot of the role of the physical store is also becoming more about showrooming and not necessarily just about fulfilling orders," she said.
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