NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) – Two days after the city of Norfolk’s Economic Development Authority voted to buy Dillard’s at MacArthur Center, signs have gone up saying the store – which had recently announced a change to a clearance model – will be shutting down.
Dillard’s officials have not returned multiple requests for comment.
The sign outside the store says, “STORE CLOSING: Thanks for the Memories,” and then points people to other area stores at Greenbrier Mall in Chesapeake, Lynnhaven Mall in Virginia Beach and Patrick Henry Mall in Newport News, as well as to its website.
Multiple Dillard’s employees, not authorized to speak publicly, confirm they have been told by management that the store is now closing, but were given no reason as to why the change in plans.
No date is indicated on the signs outside, but they were not there as recently as Thursday.
The Norfolk EDA voted Wednesday to set aside no more than $4 million to buy the 250,000-square-foot, three-story store. The exact price has yet to be determined.
Dillard’s opened to much fanfare along the mall in 1999 and has been the Arkansas-based upscale department store’s largest location in Virginia.
The company had announced that its MacArthur Center store was to convert its three-story store into one of the company’s clearance models. A spokesman had confirmed late last month that “once the existing merchandise at MacArthur location is liquidated,” the store would become Virginia’s sole clearance center.
