I like your optimism...but I have said it before...I don't know how anyone could have ever thought Nordstrom would take over the Neiman's space. Downtown retail isn't healthy...the Macy's downtown has some of the lowest sales numbers of any of the locations in the market. I'd love to see another nice, large dept store, but I just don't see anything like that happening downtown in the near future.Well that didn't take long: Nordstrom will open in Ridgedale
I guess Macy's couldn't afford to pay double rent to keep the competition away any longer. Fingers crossed for Nordstrom to take over the Needless Markup space downtown, but this definitely makes it less likely. At some point Van Maur should increase their footprint in the Twin Cities, right? Currently they have a single store in Eden Prairie Center.
At least Target seems to do very well!
Hopefully I am wrong, and Herbergers or Von Maur will show interest in the space...I just don't see it happening though. More likely, I see it being broken up and partially converted to office. First, it will probably just sit there until the building has a new owner, because brookfield isn't going to put any money into it. I hope it doesn't just sit vacant with no activity forever...and that Brookfield will sell it to someone who actually wants to throw money at it, and reposition the space into whatever. But I digress, now I am talking downtown retail in the suburban thread! Oh dear!