Why Neiman Marcus Is Closing Its Hudson Yards Store

New York—Neiman Marcus is moving out of Hudson Yards, the slick, uber-chic development on the west side of Manhattan.

As the retailer moves through Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings, it’s taking a closer look at how many stores it has and where, weighing that against how consumer behavior has changed in recent months.

The retailer said it has analyzed the changes in the retail environment and believes customers’ new online shopping habits will stick.

“The COVID-19 pandemic reaffirmed the importance of our stores as a key place to build customer relationships in the context of our digital ecosystem,” a spokesperson said in a statement to National Jeweler.

In a court filing last week, the department store chain listed a total of four locations that are on the chopping block, including the 188,000-square-foot store in the Hudson Yards shopping center.

Opened in March 2019, the location is spread across three levels in the high-end mall, featuring four restaurants and trendy offerings including a spa, a pop-up florist, a leather care station and personal shopping services.

The location also houses a stage for live performances. Academy Award-winning actress and singer Liza Minelli performed at the store’s opening party.

The other Neiman Marcus stores closing for good are in Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach, Florida and the store in Bellevue, Washington.

The department store chain has been struggling under a mountain of debt followed by the disruptions related to the coronavirus pandemic, including temporary store closures and the furloughing of 14,000 employees.

“A physical location in Hudson Yards is no longer an ideal space for us given the preponderance of restaurants and future office space in that mall,” Neiman Marcus said in a statement.

As of Tuesday, Hudson Yards was open at 50 percent capacity with several tenants offering curbside pickup.

The retailer said it will focus on the luxury customers it has through its Bergdorf Goodman store, and will serve its Neiman Marcus customers both online and at its other physical locations.