Nordstrom’s Annapolis, Maryland, location is one of 16 the company announced will close in August after assessing the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on its nationwide chain of department stores.
“Based on the needs of each market, the company plans to permanently close 16 full-line stores,” Nordstrom said in a news release.
CNBC reported that the store in Anne Arundel County, and another in Richmond, Virginia, are among those slated for closure.
The Nordstrom at Westfield Annapolis has been in that location for 20 years, Capital Gazette reported.
The company said that it has been investing in digital and physical capabilities to keep pace with changing customer expectation.
“The impact of COVID-19 is only accelerating the importance of these capabilities in serving customers,” company CEO Erik Nordstrom said.
The Seattle-based company has closed its stores since March 17.
It plans to reopen stores in “a phased, market-by-market approach where allowed by local authorities and with the health and safety of employees, customers and communities as a priority,” the company said.
A report by the Commerce Department found that U.S. retail sales went through an unprecedented collapse in March, plummeting 8.7% as the coronavirus outbreak forced an almost complete lockdown of businesses nationwide, The Associated Press reported.
Recently Neiman Marcus and J. Crew have filed for bankruptcy,
Another major retailer that could be next is J.C. Penney, which is reportedly preparing to file for bankruptcy protection as soon as next week, Reuters reported.
