Saks Fifth Avenue closing men's store at Brookfield Place

By

Robin Driver

Published
Jan 31, 2020

One year after it shuttered its three-level women’s store in New York’s Brookfield Place, Saks Fifth Avenue is now closing its men’s store in the Manhattan-based shopping center.

 
The 16,000-square-foot store will close on January 31, but it seems that Saks isn’t leaving the location for good. The department store retailer is reportedly planning to use the space for a new concept that it is currently developing, although no specific details have been provided by the company.
 
“With this branch location, we determined that our customers’ preferred shopping experience is a combination of our digital channels and our iconic Fifth Avenue flagship, where we have created an unparalleled luxury shopping destination,” a Saks spokesperson told FashionNetwork.com. “The decision to close this location was not easy, and we intend to transfer as many sales associates to new roles as possible.”

The justification provided by the company echoes that given for the closure of its women’s store at Brookfield Place last year. At the time, Saks explained that the store had been a “test concept,” through which it had learnt that consumers preferred to shop on its e-commerce platform and at its Fifth Avenue flagship, where the company is still in the process of implementing a “Grand Renovation.”
 
Following a $250 million renovation, Brookfield Place opened in 2014 but soon found itself competing with the larger Westfield World Trade Center mall, which opened its doors nearby in 2016.
 
Reports have suggested that Brookfield Place is set to lose two tenants – Paul Smith and Monica & Andy – in the not too distant future.