Macy’s to shutter 3 Florida stores, including in Pompano. Follows Bloomingdale’s closing
The day after Bloomingdale’s announced it was closing at The Falls, its sister retailer, Macy’s, said Tuesday it was closing three stores in Florida, including one in Pompano Beach in Broward County.
The other two Macy’s to shutter are at the Indian River Mall in Vero Beach and the Seminole Towne Center in Sanford, according to Jacqueline King, a Macy’s spokeswoman.
A clearance sale will begin in January and run for approximately eight to 12 weeks, King added. The Indian River Mall Macy’s has been open for 24 years, the Seminole Towne Center Macy’s, for 25 years.
Macy’s Inc. is the corporate parent of both Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s, two of the country’s most storied department stores. Macy’s, which has 636 stores in 43 states, dates to its founding 160 years ago. Bloomingdale’s, with 38 stores in 13 states, was founded 146 years ago.
Bloomingdale’s will close its store at The Falls at the end of business on Saturday, after 35 years in the South Miami-Dade mall. When it opened in 1984, it was heralded as one of the retailer’s most beautiful stores, regaling customers with violins and champagne.
On Tuesday, customers and employees greeted news of the store closing with sadness and shock.
One woman shopper, buying an armful of designer clothing, said it was her go-to store, noting how it was never that busy.
The lack of traffic at The Falls — in part, the result of more people shopping online — has led to store closings. Williams-Sonoma is also shuttering its Falls store, and Crate & Barrel and Pottery Barn have closed at The Falls over the years. All three are in Merrick Park in Coral Gables.
At Bloomingdale’s, the retailer will hold a 25 percent-off sale starting on Thursday and continuing through Saturday.
After that, a liquidator will reopen the store and sell off the goods through March, according to employees at The Falls store. The employees said they are expected to work at the store during the liquidation.
Replacing Bloomingdale’s will be a Life Time Athletic Resort and Spa. Slated to open in 2022, the club refers to itself as a “modern country club” with amenities including dining, spas, and classrooms, in addition to upscale workout facilities.
Life Time said it plans to tear down the 225,000-square-foot Bloomingdale’s and build a 140,000-square foot facility. It’s unclear how the rest of the space will be used.
A spokesperson for Simon, the developer that owns the mall, did not respond to an email from the Herald.
Life Time, which will produce the Miami Marathon and Half Marathon on Feb. 9, is also slated to open a Coral Gables location in mid-2020. The company is based in Minnesota.
Many malls have been reinventing themselves as entertainment/destination centers to contend with the slowing retail traffic brought on by e-commerce.
On Monday, Pier 1 Imports said it would close up to 450 stores, half of its outlets nationwide.
“There is a huge problem; we are way over-stored,” said Cynthia Cohen, chief strategist for Impact 2040, a New York retail consulting firm.
To adapt, mall operators have been adding restaurants, movies, hotels, fitness centers, and in some cases, healthcare facilities — places that are destinations unto themselves.
Dadeland Mall, the giant mall on Kendall Drive, announced in July that an AC Hotel by Marriott would open at the northwest corner of the mall, near U.S. 1 and Kendall Drive. The 177-room, seven-floor hotel is scheduled to open this year.
Meanwhile, Macy’s did not say whether it would close any more stores. King, the Macy’s spokeswoman, said the company will have more information at its Investor Day on the New York Stock Exchange on Feb. 5.
This story was originally published January 7, 2020 at 7:31 PM.
