Nordstrom coming to Mayfair Mall in fall 2015

WAUWATOSA -- Seattle-based Nordstrom announced on Thursday, November 29th that it plans to open its first full-line store at Mayfair Mall in Wauwatosa by fall 2015.

The company plans to open an approximately 140,000-square-foot, three-level store. By comparison, Boston Store is 210,000 square feet. So Nordstrom will not be the largest chain store at the mall.

The store is set to be built on the east side of the mall, and Mayfair officials hope the well-known high-end department store might draw other high-end stores to the mall, and new clientele.

"It's been a wish of a lot of our customers. The impact it has throughout the rest of the shopping center -- that's a huge plus for Mayfair," Mayfair General Manager Stephen Smith said.

Smith says he has been working to bring Nordstrom to Mayfair for two years. He says Nordstrom brings with it new clientele that will likely have a ripple effect throughout the mall. 

"In the year or two in advance of their opening, you`ll probably see other changes at Mayfair as a result of that -- to prepare for that, and other merchants who want to be here when Nordstrom opens, and not after they`re here," Smith said.

Plans are to begin construction in mid-2014 -- not only on the new store, but also on a new parking deck that will funnel foot traffic directly into Nordstrom and into Boston Store. 

Milwaukee is the largest market in the U.S. without a Nordstrom, and some shoppers said "it's about time!" 

"A lot of the mall stores nowadays tend to go towards the younger kids -- like, not even mid twenties and younger. Everybody`s dressing like they`re 12 years old. I think they need something for the businesswoman," Sandy Knodl said.

Others say they're not looking for a high-end type store.

"I'm young. I don't have a ton of money, so cheaper is better for me right no," Jennifer Buetow said.

Nordstrom expects to hire about 300 people locally to work in the new store.