Last Day of Business for Horton Plaza Nordstrom

Friday is the last day of operations for the Nordstrom location at downtown San Diego’s Horton Plaza.

After 31 years, the store location is shuttering at 6 p.m., citing declining sales as department stores like Nordstrom try to compete with online shopping and new consumer habits.

"I was here with my dad when we opened the store, and let me tell you, the hopes we had for this store were as high as we've had for any location,"  said Jamie Nordstrom, great-grandson of the founder of Nordstrom.

He says that even after it was remodeled 10 years ago, the store has not done well at the Horton Plaza.

It’s not clear what will happen to the space, which sits prominently at the center of the longtime shopping plaza. Rumors have ranged from another major retail store to a nightclub or condos going in.

The building will now belong to Westfield, which will decide what to do with the property.

Westfield representatives declined to comment on the future of the space.

The closure impacts about 180 employees, most of whom will transfer to other San Diego County Nordstrom locations. If they don’t secure a role at another store, employees will be given a separation package, officials said.

There are three Nordstrom locations and four Nordstrom Rack locations in San Diego. Shoppers can head to Nordstrom stores in Fashion Valley, Escondido and University City, and Rack stores in Mission Valley, Carmel Mountain, Plaza Bonita and San Marcos.

In the last three years at Horton Plaza, several smaller businesses, including the Sunglasses Hut, a florist and toy store, have closed up shop.

Several people who spoke to NBC 7 on Friday said they felt that Nordstrom was a big draw to Horton Plaza and now with it gone, there isn't as much reason to head to the shopping mall.

"I think Horton Plaza is out of step because everywhere downtown there's cool craft breweries, a new boutique store that draws you in. But just looking around the mall today, I don't feel like there's any draw now that Nordstrom is gone," said Judy Beth Tropp, who works in East Village.

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