Mixx Marketing

Seattle-based Nordstrom Inc. has signed a letter of intent with General Growth Properties Inc. to open a new store at Ridgedale Center in Minnetonka, Minn. The new two-level Nordstrom will be approximately 172,000 sq. ft. and is scheduled to open fall 2011. The Nordstrom at Ridgedale Center will be the retailer’s second store in Minnesota. Nordstrom at Mall of America opened in 1992, and Nordstrom also operates a Rack at Mall of America. “We’ve been in the Twin Cities area since 1992 and have been fortunate to have great customer support at our Mall of America store,” said Erik Nordstrom, president of stores for Nordstrom. “We have long wanted to expand our presence here and are thrilled about this opportunity at Ridgedale.” The two-level Ridgedale Center is home to more than 120 top specialty retailers and now, with Nordstrom, four department stores.

The environment is increasingly on consumers’ radar screens, according to the 22nd Annual Holiday Survey of retail spending and trends, commissioned by Deloitte. The survey revealed that almost one in five consumers (18 percent) will purchase more “eco-friendly” products this holiday season than in the past, and 17 percent will shop at more “green” retailers. Additionally, almost one-third of consumers (27 percent) surveyed will use fewer plastic bags from supermarkets and other stores this holiday season, and one in five (20 percent) will consider not wrapping holiday gifts to conserve paper. These responses concerning the environment and holiday shopping intentions were consistent across gender, age and income groups. “Most importantly, a significant number of people–17 percent–are willing to pay more for green gifts or supplies, which tells us that this issue is on shoppers’ minds this year and is becoming more central to consumers’ purchasing decisions,” said Stacy Janiak, Deloitte’s U.S. retail leader. “Savvy retailers are taking concrete steps to become more environmentally friendly, and are incorporating this sensibility into their operations, as well as their customer communications. At the same time, they should be cautious about promoting their eco-initiatives too early, before they’ve made real progress, due to the potential for consumer backlash.”