High-end shopping in Annapolis is about to get a makeover. Nordstrom Inc. is renovating its Westfield Annapolis Mall store -- one of the mall's anchor tenants -- for the first time since it opened in 1994.
New light fixtures, merchandise displays, restrooms and dressing rooms will greet Annapolis customers of the Seattle department store chain known for its designer brands and unique customer service gestures, such as sending thank-you cards to clients after purchases.
"We're improving the store experience at the Annapolis location," says Nordstrom spokesman Colin Johnson. "The store is ready to be refreshed."
Johnson declined to say how much the company will spend on the renovation, which will also include new carpeting and paint. The 162,000-square-foot store will remain open during the renovation, to begin next month.
Nordstrom completed a similar makeover of its store at Towson Town Center a few years ago.
"We know we have a lot of great customers in this area," Johnson says. "It's important to continue to invest in existing stores as well as open new stores. We're trying to do a better job of creating a great store experience."
To prepare for the Annapolis store renovation, the company has signed a lease for a 36,000-square-foot warehouse space in Rosedale with Merritt Properties LLC. The temporary property at 8993 Yellow Brick Rd. will supply the company with materials and equipment to refurbish the Annapolis store and to build a new store opening next year in Wilmington, Del.
Nordstrom operates 184 stores in 28 states. The company pulls in about $8.4 billion in annual sales.
Source: Colin Johnson, Nordstrom
Writer: Julekha Dash