Click for Original Story (NJ 101.5)
Another major retailer in Central Jersey has closed its doors for good.
Nordstrom this week said in a release it would close 16 stores as part of its post COVID-19 market strategy to make sure it’s able to continue serving customers “well into the future,” according to spokeswoman Emily Sterken.
One of those stores is at Freehold Raceway Mall. The store will not reopen and will leave the mall by August, Sterken told New Jersey 101.5. It is the company’s only New Jersey store that will close.
The rest of Freehold Raceway Mall has been closed since March per an executive order by Gov. Phil Murphy closing non-essential businesses during the pandemic.
“Our goal is to best position ourselves to serve customers in each market where we operate. Because of the impacts COVID-19 has had on our business, we need to take a critical look at the physical footprint of our stores to determine which we will continue to operate,” Sterken said.
She said the stores that are closing were selected based on “the unique needs of the market, the current state of our business and real estate agreements.”
“These types of decisions are never easy because we realize what this means for our employees,” she said. “We’re committed to taking care of them as best we can, including providing support and resources through this transition.”
An online petition hoping to keep the store open collected nearly 1,800 signatures late Thursday afternoon after just a few hours of being posted.
Lori Bursey Schleiffer told New Jersey 101.5 that she had been with the store for eight years and said the news came via a conference call.
“All of my and the store’s customers are very sad we are closing,” she said.
According to its website, the store had been open for curbside pickup of items ordered online. Murphy’s executive order allows retailers deemed non-essential to offer the pickup service.
Nordstrom opened in 1992, two years after the mall opened, and is the mall’s second department store to close this year. Sears shut its store at the mall in February.
Messages to the mall’s front office were not returned on Thursday afternoon.
Nordstrom has stores at the Cherry Hill Mall, the Menlo Park Mall in Edison, the Mercer Mall in Lawrenceville, Garden State Plaza in Paramus and the Mall at Short Hills.
Contact reporter Dan Alexander at [email protected] or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ
Read More: Nordstrom to close store at Freehold Raceway Mall | https://nj1015.com/nordstrom-to-close-store-at-freehold-raceway-mall/?fbclid=IwAR3NFRmB-8JY8xBaMWCTkDnHvW10zAg587cak9T2T2lm3l60uxrgFhVblcA&utm_source=tsmclip&utm_medium=referral
Lori Guida Springer ok now I’m sad lord and Taylor whatever but not Nordstrom’s ????
Brittney Springer yep both
What the heck where will I buy my dresses from now?!
Melissa Guida was our go too for dresses!
Renee Mastrangelo-Jaichner
Matt Smith
This mall is done as we know it…
Dana Beth
Meg Kelly
Katie Martini ????????
Christine Giaco Nardi
Chrissy Marie Warren sale time
Im sad I can’t go
I dont really shop in there. Bery expensive i love Lord & Taylor . I get all my dresses there.
Jane Wozniak DeCastro
Maryann Wozniak Brady awww makes me so sad, we have so many Nordstrom memories ????
Jane Wozniak DeCastro ????
Oh no!
Kimberly Schaffer
Nicole Recchia omg NO!
Kimberly Schaffer ????
Nicole Recchia so not cool!
Kimberly Schaffer well that’s just freehold. U can go too another one
Nicole Recchia I know but then I have to go Over the bridge ????
Kimberly Schaffer ugh
Lindsay Taft
Cody Cochran yes it’s a terrible terrible day
Kristin D’Agostino
Nichole Alberts say it isn’t so!
Kristin D’Agostino I’m really upset …
Carmine Sica another one bites the dust
Diane Losowski Celiano Sears, Kirkland’s, Nordstrom… Who’s next???
Carmine Sica j crew
Angelica Stohl
Lisa Tropiano NOOOO my home land ????????♀️
Couldn’t afford their prices anyway
Cali Purul
Stephanie Grant
Renee Keisha omg no
You people want the world shut down this is what we get. Expect termination notices and to come for many of your friends and family members. The unemployment hit after this is all over is going to be staggering.
Dayna Maleton
Theresa Hagen
Jamie Maushardt wow
Denise Esteves
Rochelle Trembly I know, found out today ????
Denise Esteves I’m so sorry. Hopefully once the lockdown ends you can find another job.
Rochelle Trembly thanks mama ❤
too expensive anyway
Throw the whole mall away
Dawn Hermann-Passaro
Renee Kallai I know. Sad.
Lisa Clark Cin Dee Lauryn Valia Elle Bee ????
Kristin Valia well can they at least put the shit online on sale so we can buy it lol
Elle Bee for real
Kristin Valia ????
Kristin Valia I’m so sad! ????That’s the only place I go to get the kids’ feet measured!
Nooooooooo
But at least the big scary virus didn’t get us!
Only store I liked there.
Cassie Greves Filomena Vastola Greves Nicole Marie
Kristy Greves Hazard i lnow i saw
Julia Iannacone
Cheyenne Alexis so sad!
So many people out of a job now????
Ugh… ????♀️