NORFOLK, Va. — Nordstrom is getting ready to leave MacArthur Center Mall in Norfolk.
Your last chance to shop there is Friday, April 5.
The high-end department store made the announcement to leave back in January. Nordstrom had been an anchor for MacArthur Center since the mall's grand opening 20 years ago, back in March of 1999.
"It's sad to me, very sad," said shopper Chris Caton. "Tidewater can't support the stores that are leaving - the higher end stores. It says a lot."
But in recent years, business has struggled. Information from Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority showed that sales at the MacArthur Center location dropped by $4 million between 2016 and 2017.
Nordstrom is just one of many stores to leave the downtown mall in recent months. Chico's, Yankee Candle, Zales, and several others have already closed their locations.
Shopper Kia Hardy said she does most of her shopping online, but goes to Nordstrom frequently for its cafe.
"I don't shop there as much but I do love the food, we go for lunch often and it's just a good break from work to just go over and escape," said Hardy.
"Times are changing, a lot of people don’t shop in the mall anymore," Granby Street Pizza owner Peter Freda recently told 13News Now. "Unfortunately, it’s a very nice mall but times have changed."
MacArthur Center released the following statement about Nordstrom's closing:
"We are excited about the future of MacArthur Center and the plans we have for the future development of the pad site. MacArthur Center is great real estate and in the bullseye of a cultural and tourism hub of Hampton Roads. Transforming the shopping center takes creativity and time…time to redefine and reimagine the center to meet the changing needs to the consumer. We are excited about the momentum in downtown and look forward to being part of it."