Report: Nordstrom To Close Inland Empire Locations In Wake Of Coronavirus Pandemic

RIVERSIDE (CBSLA) — Curbside service was officially up and running Monday at Nordstrom stores across Southern California in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

After nearly two months of mall closures over the coronavirus pandemic, Victoria De La Rosa was happy to get back to shopping close to home at the Tyler Galleria.

"I've been doing a lot of curbside shopping," De La Rosa said. "It went great. It was super smooth."

But she might never set foot back inside that Nordstrom location after the company announced it would be closing 16 of its full-line department stores.

In a coronavirus business update, the company's CEO said:

"We've been investing in our digital and physical capabilities to keep pace with rapidly changing customer expectations. The impact of COVID-19 is only accelerating the importance of these capabilities in serving customers."

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A Business Inside report said Nordstrom confirmed to them that it will be closing locations at the Tyler Galleria and the Montclair Plaza — the only two full-line Nordstrom locations between Riverside and San Bernardino Counties — meaning customers in the Inland Empire would have to drive to locations in Orange or Los Angeles counties.

"So I guess it's going to be a drive to try to go to Nordstrom," De La Rosa said.

Riverside Ward 6 City Council Member Jim Perry said he was trying to talk with Nordstrom's corporate office to convince them to keep the anchor store at the Galleria.

"At least give us a second look, give us an opportunity to address their concerns," he said.

Perry said he understands that it is a business with a bottom line that has been impacted by COVID-19 closures, but that the local economy is in the same boat — slowly sinking with every lost sale.

"That's all sales tax revenue that's generated to help provide community services," he said.

Nordstrom said the restructuring would save them $150 million in expenses and retail analysts predict other big retailers may follow their lead — cutting costs to adjust to dips in revenue.

"I feel like it's probably gonna affect a lot of businesses," De La Rosa said.

Riverside County reported it has already lost $100 million in revenue during stay-at-home orders.