Saks Global’s bankruptcy is enabling the luxury department store conglomerate to accomplish something it failed to do last year: shutter the Neiman Marcus location in downtown Dallas.
Neiman Marcus opened the sprawling edifice, which has been designated a historic landmark, in 1914 after a fire destroyed a previous location in the city. The decision to close it was made after “a thorough evaluation,” a Saks Global spokesperson said in an emailed statement Tuesday.
“As we continue to take steps to secure a strong future for Neiman Marcus, our optimized store footprint is aimed at aligning our go-forward presence with customer demand and preferences,” the spokesperson said.
The store will close Sept. 30. Most of the 20 or so full-line stores that Saks Global is closing as part of its bankruptcy are Saks Fifth Avenue locations. The company is also keeping open just a handful of its off-price stores.
Early last year when Saks first announced the closure, city officials and business leaders rallied to keep it open. The department store has remained so despite getting a reprieve that wasn’t supposed to last much longer than the recent holiday season, at least as a retail destination.
Shawn Todd, founder and chairman of commercial real estate firm Todd Interests, who served as a spokesperson for the city group last year, didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. The city didn’t respond to a request for comment.
Saks Global first blamed one of the store’s landlords for its decision, but stuck with it even after city leaders resolved that dispute. The closure and the contentiousness around it were a symbol of the struggles at Saks Global, a combination of Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman formed in December 2024. Bankruptcy followed about a year later, in early January this year.
A year ago, Saks Global announced plans to invest $100 million in a nearby Neiman Marcus, an anchor at the upscale NorthPark shopping center. The retailer’s Dallas customers “consistently choose to shop” there, the spokesperson said Tuesday. Elements of the downtown store will appear at that location, including the iconic Zodiac Room restaurant. The eatery will replace the Neiman Marcus Café at NorthPark.
The downtown Dallas store is also a traditional destination for brides, and Neiman Marcus will continue to fulfill active orders, provide alterations and make new appointments for Dallas-area brides until the long-term fate of the bridal salon is worked out.
