Bloomingdale's closing flagship San Francisco store

Bloomingdale's is closing its flagship store at the San Francisco Centre Mall on Market Street.

What we know:

Company spokeswoman Jennifer Chadroff said Bloomingdale's is "saddened" to say that the store will officially close its doors in San Francisco as the "vibrant city" has been home to the brand for nearly 20 years. 

Chadroff said this location will close in late spring. 

And she directed Bloomie's lovers to head to Bloomingdale’s Stanford in Palo Alto and Bloomingdale’s Valley Fair in San Jose, which are still open. 

What they're saying:

San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie said he didn't take the news lightly, but he added in a statement that he is "confident San Francisco’s best days are ahead."

Although the closure is disappointing, Lurie said he is "energized every day by businesses of all sizes opening and growing in our city. San Francisco has green shoots everywhere, and we continue to work towards the revitalization of the city."

Shoppers we spoke with struck a somber tone. 

"It's very depressing' actually a lot of downtown is very depressing and that's why I don't come as often as I used to," said Mena Farakos. 

Some recalled the area when it was thriving. 

"Before Covid, this place used to be just super vibrant and active. So, disappointing to see so much leave the city," said Alan Tidwell.

Others were nostalgic. 

"I have been here since I was like a little kid, two or three years old. I remember coming to San Francisco used to be the thing to do, especially during like Black Friday and the holidays, 
you know? Everyone coming here for shopping and all that," said San Franciscan Juan Danganan.

Billy Riggs teaches management and urban planning at University of San Francisco. "Another blow in a series of blows," said Riggs. "A lot of these big boxes have not changed their business model in the last 50 years, shifting consumer habits to some of the post-pandemic economic shifts and I think we're still kind of feeling some of the shift towards more e-commerce."

Some shoppers think exactly that. "It was really sad and it has to do with a lot of the Amazon stuff and probably, you know, people are stealing and we see quite a lot of them," said San Franciscan Clinton McCormick.

It will be a hard, long slog. "Retailing in San Francisco is not dead, but it's in a process of evolution," said Riggs. 

Riggs also said downtown SF must evolve into a safe, clean-friendly, mixed-use, experiential destination with entertainment, pop-up shops and ever-changing surprises, much like Tokyo, Paris, New York and Denver.

Bloomingdale's was founded in the 1860s by Joseph and Lyman Bloomingdale in New York's Lower East Side. 

Big picture view:

The closure follows on the heels of Macy's closures – Macy's owns Bloomingdale's. 

In February 2024, Macy's said it was closing 150 stores, including its flagship location, also located in Union Square. 

Macy’s said it plans to close approximately 150 "underproductive stores" through 2026 – including stores in Los Angeles, San Mateo and elsewhere across the state, to "return the company to sustainable, profitable sales growth." .

San FranciscoBusiness