With demolition work well underway for the massive redevelopment project at Northgate Mall, some holiday shoppers are uncertain which, if any, of the mall’s stores are still open.
“We’re getting a lot of calls from people who thought the whole mall is closed,” says Jeff Thomas, manager at the Northgate Bed Bath & Beyond. “We’re definitely still open.”
Old Navy assistant manager Josh Bourgeois says the store has received “probably 30 calls a day” ever since crews began knocking down the old Macy’s to make way for a development that will include housing, office space, and training facilities for Seattle’s new professional hockey team. As for Old Navy, “We have zero plans of closing.”
The loss of Northgate anchor tenants Macy’s, Nordstrom and JCPenney and the closure of the mall’s middle section all likely make it a less-attractive shopping destination. But according to the mall’s website, about 40 merchants, restaurants and other businesses are still in operation.
Even so, some merchants say the demolition is hurting store traffic.
The silver lining? Smaller crowds and better selection. “We’re open and we’ve got a bunch of product,” said Old Navy’s Bourgeois.
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