Nordstrom Rack readies for opening

EAST COUNTY — High-end fashion retailer Nordstrom Rack soon will open its doors to the public.

The new 35,000-square-foot location in The Shoppes at University Town Center, home to JoAnn Fabrics, Lee Roy Selmon’s and other restaurants and retailers, will open Nov. 7.

The store opening is one of four nationwide that day, including new locations in Jacksonville and Naples.

“We want our locations to be as convenient and accessible as possible, and, for the most part, we choose locations like The Shoppes at University Town Center that are surrounded by a mix of retailers and restaurants that customers might visit frequently,” said Kate DeToye, spokesperson for Nordstrom Rack.

Nordstrom Rack is the off-price retail division of Nordstrom Inc. and carries merchandise from Nordstrom stores and Nordstrom.com. The store will offer consumers trendy, of-the-moment fashion by top brands.

The closest existing Nordstrom Rack location is in Tampa, about 55 miles north of The Shoppes at University Town Center.

Across University Parkway from the new Manatee County Nordstrom Rack location, Taubman Centers and Benderson Development are building the Mall at University Town Center, an 880,000-square foot, two-level enclosed regional shopping center slated to open at the southwest corner of University Parkway and Cattlemen Road, in October 2014. Announced anchor tenants include Saks Fifth Avenue, Macy’s and Dillard’s.

John Eggert, director of development for the Mall at University Town Center, said a full-line Nordstrom store could be in the mall’s future tenant mix, but did not confirm the retailer was coming on board.

“They are a great department store,” Eggert said. “We would love to have them at the center. It’s certainly a possibility. We’d be interested in pursuing, if (Nordstrom) were interested. We talk to Nordstrom on a regular basis about a host of opportunities across the country.”

Eggert also said he was glad to see the opening of a Nordstrom Rack location near the mall and noted it is common to have full-line Nordstrom department stores in close proximity to their Nordstrom Rack locations.

Eggert said mall leasing is going well and a partial listing of tenants will be released at an unspecified time — possibly within a few weeks, but definitely by Dec. 31. More than half the tenants, he said, will be new to the area.

“Stay tuned,” Eggert said.

Nordstrom Rack Opening
WHEN: 9 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 7
WHERE: The Shoppes at University Town Center, 8551 Cooper Creek Blvd., Bradenton

OPENING DAY FESTIVITIES:
Rally at the Rack: 8 a.m. — Music and breakfast. Customers can enter to win one of 30 $100 gift cards and a $1,000 shopping spree.

Rule the Rack: 8:25 a.m. — Customers can enter a drawing to win a $1,000 shopping spree, plus exclusive entry 30 minutes prior to the 9 a.m. opening. The winner will be drawn at 8:25 a.m. and must be present to win.

Complimentary tote — The first 1,000 customers to make a purchase will receive a complimentary Nordstrom Rack tote.

Contact Pam Eubanks at [email protected]