Nordstrom is preparing to open its three level, 199,000 square foot store at Yorkdale Shopping Centre — the retailer’s second location in Toronto. It follows the opening of the CF Toronto Eaton Centre store last month, which saw huge crowds line up to check out the new flagship. The Yorkdale store will feature a pre-opening charity gala as well as a number of events, and will also feature a number of brands unavailable at the downtown store.

Yorkdale’s Nordstrom opens to the public on Friday, October 21. The store will also host a number of pre-opening events, as described below. According to Nordstrom’s website, the Yorkdale store will feature several prominent women’s designers and shop-in-store, including Burberry, Céline, Chloé, Dries Van Noten and Valentino. As with the CF Toronto Eaton Centre store, the Yorkdale Nordstrom will feature the edgy ‘SPACE’ department — making Toronto the only city in the world to boast two of them.

On Wednesday, October 19 between 7:00pm and 10:00 pm, Nordstrom is hosting its Yorkdale opening gala in-store, featuring celebrity DJs Russell Peters, Hannah Bronfman and Brendan Fallis as well as DJs, DJ JazzyJeff and Sophie Jones. Attendees will also be treated to cocktails, gourmet bites, desserts, shopping and a performance by Sean Jones. There will be an in-store fashion show highlighting resort collections from top designers. Canadian designers Aurora James of Brother Vellies and Steven Tai will also make special appearances. Tickets are $150 per person and 100% of tickets proceeds will benefit Covenant House Toronto, Humber River Hospital Foundation, Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario (POGO), SickKids Foundation, St. Michael’s Foundation and Women’s College Hospital Foundation. Complimentary valet parking will be provided. To purchase tickets or for more information, please visit nordstromrsvp.com/Toronto.

Video of the CF Toronto Eaton Centre Nordstrom opening (gala and opening day)

On Friday, October 14 & Saturday, October 15, Nordstrom will be hosting its Yorkdale 'BFF (Beauty + Fragrance + Friends)' event between 11:00 am and 7:00 pm. Attendees will get to see Yorkdale's Nordstrom location a full week before the store opens to the general public. At the beauty and fragrance event, you can get your makeup done by an artist, take a master class and explore some of the department's special services. To schedule an appointment, sign up for a class or for more information, you may call 1 (800) 967-0592 or email: eventrsvp834@nordstrom.com

Immediately prior to the 10:00 am public grand opening on Friday, October 21, Nordstrom is hosting an opening Beauty Bash between 8:00 am and 10:00 am. Attendees can examine new products from the top names in beauty and learn the latest tips and enjoy free consultations. The first 2,000 customers to sign up for a beauty consultation will receive an exclusive Nordstrom Beauty Bash tote (one per customer; while supplies last). Nordstrom is proud to partner with Rethink Breast Cancer on this event and to support their work on behalf of young people affected with a $5,000 donation.

According to Nordstrom, the Yorkdale store will employ about 850, which is about the same number of staff working at the CF Toronto Eaton Centre flagship. Yorkdale's Nordstrom will feature the following services and amenities:

Personal Stylist
Beauty Stylist
Beauty Concierge
Mobile Checkout
Certified Shoe Fitters
Certified Bra Fitters
Family Restrooms
Mother’s Lounge
Complimentary Gift Boxes
Nordstrom Gift Cards
Debut Rewards
Free Wi-Fi

The Yorkdale Nordstrom will feature three restaurant concepts: Bazille restaurant, Habitant lounge, and coffee concept 'Ebar'. Bazille is the restaurant provider for Nordstrom's Calgary and Ottawa stores, and Habitant lounge is featured at Nordstrom's CF Pacific Centre flagship in Vancouver, as well as at the CF Toronto Eaton Centre flagship. Coffee concept Ebar is located in all Nordstrom stores.

*Nordstrom will be located in Yorkdale's new 'Nordstrom Wing', circled in red. Uniqlo will anchor the north end of the new wing, as per the Oxford Properties lease plan above.*

Nordstrom's Yorkdale store manager will be Brynn Herthel-Conn, who has extensive experience with the company's California operations.

The Yorkdale store (as well as all Canadian Nordstrom stores) is being designed by Seattle-based Callison Architecture, and it will feature clean, single-surface flooring throughout to provide flexibility to adjust and evolve departments. Natural light will flood the store through ample windows.

Yorkdale's Nordstrom store will span 199,000 square feet, making it the company's third largest Canadian store. Nordstrom's largest Canadian store, which opened in September of 2015 in Vancouver, measures about 230,000 square feet. Nordstrom's CF Toronto Eaton Centre flagship spans about 220,000 square feet over three floors.

The excitement will continue in the fall of 2017, when Nordstrom opens its third Toronto store at CF Sherway Gardens, measuring about 138,000 square feet. Nordstrom entered the Canadian market in September of 2014 with a 140,000 square foot CF Chinook Centre location in Calgary. A second Canadian location, measuring 157,000 square feet, opened in March of 2015 at Ottawa's CF Rideau Centre.

Canadian Retail News From Around The Web: October 4, 2016