Two years after Nordstrom’s dramatic flight from downtown San Francisco, the retail brand is taking a small step back into the city.
A Nordstrom Local hub — where customers can pick up and try on online orders, make returns, or get clothing alterations — will open Thursday at 1919 Fillmore St. in Pacific Heights, the company said.
Neighborhood residents this summer tried to block the Local concept from opening, leaning on the city’s precautions against chain retail to raise concerns about traffic congestion and a lack of parking. They also argued that the hub wouldn’t increase foot traffic to the retail corridor in the same way that another small business would, given that Nordstrom Local won’t carry inventory.
Nordstrom says it will offer validated parking at the nearby Japan Center annex garage, sell the work of local artists (starting with abstract painter Patricia Sonnino), and allow people to drop off clothing donations to the St. Anthony Foundation.
Some residents still aren’t satisfied.
“I love Nordstrom, don’t get me wrong. But I find it offensive that they abandoned the city and then want to put their name on a marquee street where they’re going to do nothing but cause traffic jams,” said Ditka Reiner, a Pacific Heights resident who advocated for the Nordstrom Local to open elsewhere, like Laurel Village.
The 1,750-square-foot Fillmore hub will be Nordstrom’s only location in San Francisco since closing its five-floor San Francisco Centre flagship, as well as its Rack location on Market Street, in 2023.
Nordstrom’s departure marked the beginning of the end for the beleaguered San Francisco Centre. Shortly afterward, its owner, Westfield, surrendered the mall to its lenders, spurring an exodus of retailers. The mall is now 90% vacant, and its value has plunged to $195 million, a stunning $1 billion less than in 2016.
In 2019, Nordstrom closed an anchor location in the Stonestown Galleria that remained vacant until the Japanese arcade and entertainment company Round1 opened last year.
Nordstrom has not announced plans for other stores in San Francisco. Other retail brands, however, have started to creep back to downtown. Uniqlo will open on Market Street next year, while luxury menswear brand John Varvatos reopened in Union Square after leaving the SF Centre this summer.