Scottsdale Fashion Square continues luxury evolution, popular stores close

SCOTTSDALE, AZ (3TV/CBS 5) - If you’ve visited Scottsdale Fashion Square recently, you’ve likely noticed new high-end stores and lots of construction.

It appears those changes mean some popular stores like Williams Sonoma are closing. A shopper snapped a now-viral photo inside the store over the weekend. It shows a sign that says “store closing- mall did not renew lease. Mall wants to be a “luxury center.”

Longtime tenant Crate & Barrel also closed earlier this year. Other stores like Ann Taylor have also left Scottsdale Fashion.

Over the last few years, Scottsdale Fashion Square transformed the northwest section into a luxury wing with designer stores and fancy restaurants like Nobu. Now, the mall is renovating the area by Nordstrom.

“We see great opportunity to further extend our luxury presentation into the south wing to welcome more of the world’s best brands and experiences,” Tom O’Hern, CEO of Macerich, the mall’s owner, said in a press release.

ASU professor Hitendra Chaturvedi says Scottsdale Fashion Square is smart for pivoting and capitalizing on the city’s wealth even if that means some long-time stores are leaving.

“So it’s a very smart play on the life stage of the consumer, the affluence of the consumer, the city’s status as the hip and affluent city and they are, they are capturing that pivot at both their hands and you have started to see results on some of the actions that they’re taking,” Chaturvedi said.

Arizona’s Family reached out to Scottsdale Fashion Square for a comment on the Williams Sonoma photo and the changes happening at the center, but haven’t heard back yet.

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