Nordstrom to open at Yorkdale Shopping Centre, anchoring a $331 million expansion

After almost a year of speculation, Yorkdale Shopping Centre has finally confirmed that U.S. department store retailer Nordstrom will anchor a 298,000 square foot expansion. Set to open in the fall of 2016, the store will mark the first of Nordstrom’s planned four Canadian locations announced last summer.

While the brands carried in the 188,000 square foot store have yet to be announced, its likely to expect more of the same high-end labels carried in Nordstrom stores south of the border including Burberry, Alexander McQueen and Marc Jacobs in addition to budget friendly collections from Topshop, Aldo and MICHAEL Michael Kors. What it’s also likely to do? Bring on some major competition for the mall’s already existing anchors, Holt Renfrew and Hudson’s Bay, who carry many of the same brands, including Topshop, which is housed within a specialty shop-in-shop at Hudson’s Bay.

The $331 million expansion is just the latest in Yorkdale’s three-year spree of renovations and additions including 2013 additions from AllSaints, Mulberry and John Varvatos. “This isn’t a matter of ‘if you build it, they will come’. International brands and enthusiastic shoppers are flocking to Yorkdale and we’re growing to meet market demands,” said Anthony Casalanguida, General Manager, Yorkdale Shopping Centre. “The new expansion makes it possible for us to continue to provide the very best experience for our shoppers by bringing in the most in-demand retailers from around the world.”