What's that opening at Willamette Town Center in the old Sears?
Location: 827 Lancaster Drive NE
Description: More than four years after the Sears store shuttered at Willamette Town Center, a portion of the site will soon reopen as a store new to Salem.
The grand opening for Nordstrom Rack's 25,000-square-foot store is scheduled for Sept. 21. A pre-opening shopping experience, which promises "beats, sips and light bites" and up to 70% discounts, is also planned for Sept. 19 for those who RSVP.
Plans for the new Nordstrom Rack were announced last year.
Although it will be the first Nordstrom Rack in Salem, its parent brand previously had a presence at Salem Center Mall.
Nordstrom closed its store at the mall in 2018, with company officials citing the need to invest in markets other than Salem.
The store was demolished earlier this year and is being replaced by an apartment complex.
Nordstrom Rack is the off-price retail division of Nordstrom and offers customers up to 70% discounts on apparel, accessories, beauty, home and shoes from some of the top brands sold at Nordstrom stores as well as core services like online order pickup for Nordstrom.com and NordstromRack.com, returns and alterations at select stores.
Nordstrom Rack is the largest source of new customers to Nordstrom, according to the company.
The addition of Nordstrom Rack to Willamette Town Center, which was once known as Lancaster Mall, was followed by news of Salem's first Barnes & Noble bookstore opening in the other portion of the former Sears space. The bookstore is set to open in November.
Officials for mall owner C.E. John Co. said Willamette Town Center is becoming a draw for the entire Mid-Valley for shopping and dining.
Nordstrom Rack will join TJ Maxx, Best Buy, Regal Cinemas, Petco, Hobby Lobby, Home Goods, Sierra, Ulta Beauty, Footlocker, DSW, Famous Footwear, Bath & Body Works, Burlington, Red Robin, Panera Bread, Dave's Hot Chicken, and Jersey Mike's Subs at the mall.
The mall is now 100% leased — a far cry from the days as Lancaster Mall, when the changing economy of department stores, online shopping and more led to several big departures and vacant spaces.
"Adding Nordstrom Rack to our tenant mix only strengthens what we believe to be one of Oregon's most dominant shopping centers offering the county's strongest and most exciting tenants," company officials said.
Source: C.E. John Co.
Is there something under construction you'd like to tell us about or find out more about? Contact reporter Whitney Woodworth at wmwoodworth@statesmanjournal.com
This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: What's that opening at Willamette Town Center in the old Sears?
