Nordstrom has announced the opening dates of its next three Canadian off-price Nordstrom Rack stores, as it continues with a national expansion that could see as many as 15 locations throughout the next several years. Nordstrom Rack’s first three Canadian stores are now open at Vaughan Mills in suburban Toronto, Deerfoot Meadows in Calgary, and at 1 Bloor St. E. in Downtown Toronto, which is considered to be the company’s Canadian flagship.
The next three Nordstrom Rack stores confirmed to be opening in Canada are in Ontario and Alberta.
On Thursday, Sept. 6 this year, Nordstrom Rack will open at Heartland Town Centre in Mississauga, just west of Toronto. The store will span about 35,000 sq. ft. in a massive big-box centre that includes anchors such as Walmart, Costco, Canadian Tire, Home Depot and grocery store Seafood City, which also houses a new location for Filipino restaurant chain, Jollibee. Heartland Town Centre will become the third Nordstrom Rack location in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), which means half of the six confirmed Nordstrom Rack stores in Canada will be located in the area.
On Thursday, Oct. 11 this year, Nordstrom Rack will open at the Ottawa Train Yards in Ottawa. The 750,000-sq. ft. power centre spans 110 acres of property which, when viewed on a map, is shown to be remarkably close to Ottawa’s urban core. Other anchors include Walmart, Golf Town, SAIL, DSW Shoes and a unit for the wildly popular Ottawa-based grocery chain Farm Boy. Nordstrom Rack will occupy about 35,000 sq. ft. over one level at Ottawa Train Yards.
On Thursday, Oct. 25 this year, Nordstrom Rack will open its Edmonton location at South Edmonton Common in Edmonton, Alta., which will become the second Nordstrom Rack location in Alberta. South Edmonton Common, which is considered to be Canada’s largest retail power centre, boasts an impressive roster of anchors such as Ikea, Canada’s largest Canadian Tire, and Canada’s first location for ‘The Rec Room’. Nordstrom Rack’s Edmonton store, as well as the other two, will span approximately 35,000 sq. ft. over one level.
Canada’s Nordstrom Rack stores feature fashions, accessories and shoes with savings of between 30 per cent and 70 per cent off regular prices. Merchandise includes a mix of product from full-line Nordstrom stores, as well as some items specifically purchased from top brands sold at Nordstrom.
Those at Nordstrom have said that the company plans to operate between 10 and 15 Nordstrom Rack stores in Canada, addressing a market that was arguably under-served. At the same time, TJX Canada’s off-price concepts Winners and Marshalls continue to open stores at a rapid pace Canada-wide, not to mention its off-price home concept, HomeSense. The Hudson’s Bay Company’s off-price Saks OFF 5TH concept is also expanding, with plans to operate approximately 25 stores across Canada by the end of this year.
Brokerage Northwest Atlantic represents Nordstrom and Nordstrom Rack for its Canadian site selections, and it has also been announced that Chicago-based Jones Lang Lasalle (JLL) has acquired Toronto-based Northwest Atlantic.
Nordstrom also operates six full-line stores in Canada and there are currently no plans for more, according to the retailer. Nordstrom opened its first Canadian store at Calgary’s CF Chinook Centre in September of 2014, followed by locations at Ottawa’s CF Rideau Centre in March of 2015, at CF Pacific Centre in Vancouver in September of 2015, and two Toronto stores in the fall of 2016 — at CF Toronto Eaton Centre, and at Yorkdale Shopping Centre. Nordstrom opened its sixth Canadian store at Toronto’s CF Sherway Gardens, in September of 2017.
