It’s not unusual for folks in Cherry Creek to get a little work done now and then. But a new wave of primping is occurring as retailers prepare for the autumn arrival of new neighbor Nordstrom.
Saks Fifth Avenue this week will unveil a spruced-up look that has been months in the making. The store hasn’t had a major update since it debuted along with Cherry Creek Shopping Center 16 years ago, said general manager Kay Cline.
Across the street in Cherry Creek North, upscale clothier Andrisen Morton Women’s is undergoing an ambitious $1 million renovation scheduled for completion in May. Both retailers acknowledge that the coming of Nordstrom, which is taking over the mall’s former Lord & Taylor store, at least partly motivated the timing of their renovations.
“Anytime you have a new competitor coming into the market, you want to look at what you can offer,” Cline said. “You want customers to find something new in your store as well.”
The anticipated October opening of Nordstrom has created a buzz for many shoppers who previously had to travel to suburban FlatIron Crossing or Park Meadows malls to shop at Nordstrom, known by many for its expansive shoe department and focus on service. The Oct. 19 opening will make the Cherry Creek mall one of only six malls in the country to feature a Macy’s, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom and Saks under one roof.
“It is raising the bar everywhere,” said Cherry Creek mall marketing director Angela Baier. “It really solidifies us as the premier fashion destination in the metro area.”
Though she declined to name examples, Baier said the addition of Nordstrom has led some retail concepts and fashion lines that had previously passed on the mall to give it a second look.
She’s equally enthusiastic about the changes at Saks.
Some updates, including new paint and carpet, were completed over the past few months, but the most visible changes occurred last week when Saks’ 20-person visual team flew in to complete what store managers are calling an “extreme makeover” of the store.
Late last week, crews busily rearranged clothing displays, cosmetics counters and furniture. The result has created better-defined sections with boutique-like displays for many clothing lines. The visual crew has switched out nearly all the fixtures, ranging from the forms that jewelry is displayed on, to clothing racks, tables and chairs. They also have increased the number of mannequins and spread them through more places in the store.
Cline declined to say how much the company spent on the updates except to describe the cost as “significant.”
Saks staff also has added new lines including shoes by Chloe, Fendi and Giuseppe Zanotti. Cline said she expects the changes to help the store draw its share of the increased traffic expected at the mall.
“Women who like to shop don’t just shop at one store.”
Staff writer Kristi Arellano can be reached at 303-954-1902 or karellano@denverpost.com.
