Rack May Be Heading To Northtown

Will Nordstrom open a Rack store at the NorthTown Mall? Maybe.

That rumor - circulating throughout Spokane real estate circles - is particularly intriguing because of its myriad ironies.

A Rack at NorthTown would place Nordstrom in a mall whose prior owner, David Sabey, was a vocal critic of the retailer’s lease at the downtown River Park Square project. It would also allow Nordstrom to hedge its downtown bet with a North Side presence.

And while it may not dull the luster of River Park Square, for which Nordstrom is one of the largest attractions, it could siphon off some bargain-hunting customers who love the Rack’s discounted merchandise.

Thus far, it’s still a rumor. But there are indications that the rumor is based in fact.

While Spokane’s current Rack is located in Nordstrom’s basement, it is one of only three out of 25 Rack stores nationally that still share space with the mainline store.

For the past 20 years, Nordstrom has been moving Racks into their own stores, all larger than Spokane’s 10,000-square-foot Rack, said company spokeswoman Shasha Richardson.

There won’t be a Rack in the new Nordstrom, which opens Aug. 20, but that doesn’t mean Nordstrom thinks Spokane isn’t Rack-worthy.

“We would like to have a Rack in Spokane, and we’re reviewing our options,” said Richardson. Those options could include other downtown properties, free-standing buildings or mall locations, she said.

However, indications are that it is headed to NorthTown, said John Morrow, a Spokane-based mall developer.< “I know that has been the discussion,” Morrow said.

River Park Square project manager Bob Robideaux would not comment on Nordstrom’s Rack plans.

“In retail, all sorts of rumors go around,” he said.

River Park Square is being developed by subsidiaries of Cowles Publishing, owner of The Spokesman-Review.

If the Rack does land at NorthTown, it might be in space yet to be built.

JP Realty, which bought NorthTown from Sabey last summer, is apparently still planning to expand the mall, a project initiated by Sabey.

The expansion plans called for an additional 250,000 square feet of space, including a new movie theater, restaurant, bookstore and 21,000 square feet devoted to an undisclosed clothing store.

How much of those plans remain intact is unclear. Officials at the Salt Lake City-based JP Realty could not be reached for comment.

While a Rack store may lure some customers from Nordstrom, the company believes they complement each other, said Richardson.

“Customers like to shop in both locations,” she said.

Moving them out of the basement allows the Rack to have a wider assortment of goods, Richardson said.

Nationally, Nordstrom’s Rack division has given the retailer an easy way to move goods without resorting to embarrassing sales, said Mary Ann Quarton, a lecturer at the University of Washington business school. “Nordstrom is a high-end store and they don’t want a lot of cheap merchandise,” Quarton said. “They don’t want a lot of evidence that everything doesn’t sell well. They’re going to have some buying mistakes they have to get rid of.” < Developer Lanzce Douglass has received Spokane County permission to build the first three of five planned apartment buildings on the Palouse Highway.

The Hilby Station development will be at 55th and Palouse Highway and will eventually incorporate 114 apartment units.

The first phase will include three 24-unit buildings each valued at approximately $1.3 million. In the second phase, two more 21-unit buildings will be added.

Casey’s is back.

The North Monroe restaurant is expected to open Thursday, with new ownership and perhaps better luck. Casey’s Bar and Grill, which was closed by owner Frank Lewis in June, has been bought by Bob Lipe.

Lipe, who owns the nearby Moezy Inn, said he’s confident he’ll be able to reinvigorate the 53-year-old restaurant.

“We’ll make it work,” Lipe said. “It will just take some time. It looked like a wonderful opportunity to show that Casey’s could be like it was 30, 40, 50 years ago.”

In keeping with his pledge of loyalty, Lipe will keep the Casey’s name. He also said he will rehire Rosie Brunner, a waitress of 37 years.