Nordstrom to close Santa Monica store

Retail giant Nordstrom is closing its sprawling Santa Monica Place store as it restructures its network to try to better target customers who have moved to online shopping.

The last day of business of the store at 220 Broadway in Santa Monica will be August Aug. 26, a spokesperson said in a statement. The store was opened about 15 years ago.

Although the spokesperson didn’t give the reason for the decision, safety has become an issue in downtown Santa Monica and Third Street Promenade, once known as a signature destination for shopping and dining.

Santa Monica has struggled with high-profile robberies in recent years and an increase in the number of people living on the street.

Last week, the police arrested a man accused of opening fire at a police officer at the Santa Monica Place mall and shooting at a Waymo vehicle. Another officer was attacked and injured there last year.

Nordstrom started as a shoe store in 1901 in Seattle. Currently, it operates more than 370 Nordstrom, Nordstrom Local and Nordstrom Rack locations. In 2024, the company opened 23 stores, including seven in California.

“We believe we’ll be best able to serve customers in the area by leveraging our surrounding stores and through our digital channels,” the spokesperson said. “Decisions like this are never easy, and we understand the impact they have on our team members.”

Other retailers have also been restructuring their store networks across the country. Macy’s announced last year that it would shut down 150 stores by 2026, which include the one in San Francisco’s Union Square. Walmart shut the doors to its West Covina store in March.