Saks Fifth Avenue plans to close its doors to walk-in clients in Union Square and move to appointment-only shopping, store officials announced July 22.
The luxury department store is the latest business to make changes in the city’s troubled shopping district that has recently seen a substantial uptick in crime, homelessness, and open-air drug use.
Saks Fifth Avenue on Post Street in Union Square will make the switch at the end of August, according to a company spokesperson. The company looks forward to serving their San Francisco customers with the new experience, the spokesperson said.
“We’re always looking for innovative ways to optimize our store experience to match luxury consumers’ evolving expectations, including by meeting our customers where and how they want to shop with us,” the spokesperson told The Epoch Times in an email.
“With that, beginning Aug. 28, we are transforming our Saks Fifth Avenue San Francisco store to operate by appointment only, enabling associates to offer customers more refined services tailored to their preferences.”
A coalition of Union Square businesses is optimistic about the change, according to a spokesman for the Union Square Alliance, which supports the district’s businesses and attracts new investments.
“We look forward to Saks continuing to be a part of Union Square’s luxury market as they find innovative ways to serve their customers and navigate through this transition,” David Perry, spokesman for the alliance, told The Epoch Times.
“We are seeing retailers with high-end clientele offering appointment service,” he added.
Saks Fifth Avenue’s parent company HBC announced July 4 it had agreed to purchase the Neiman Marcus Group for $2.65 billion. The transaction was approved by the boards of directors for both groups but requires federal regulatory approval before it is finalized.
Union Square Recent Departures
San Francisco’s Union Square has suffered several losses recently, including the closure of Shreve & Co.’s flagship store on Post Street, about two blocks away from Saks 5th Avenue. The jeweler closed the location in May after 172 years in the city.It first opened a store in 1852 during the California Gold Rush and moved to the 11-story “earthquake-proof” building on Post Street and Grant Avenue location after the 1906 earthquake that destroyed much of the city. The company moved to its current location down the street in 2015.
Shreve & Co. has relocated its flagship store to Palo Alto, which was set to open this summer.
The luxury jeweler specializing in silver and gold creations has sold its goods to presidents, business magnates, and prominent families, including a 10-inch tall solid gold Teddy Bear commissioned by the city’s citizens as a gift for Teddy Roosevelt.
Other major retailers to close in Union Square include Nordstrom, Old Navy, Adidas, and Westfield Mall, with some citing the increase in crime and homelessness in the area. Macy’s Department Store is also in the process of selling its building in Union Square.
In other districts, Elon Musk became the latest tech giant to announce plans to vacate X’s San Francisco headquarters last week, making it the latest corporation to pull up stakes.
Ms. Breed blames the spreading of disinformation about the city’s crime problem and the pandemic’s remote work policies for some of the city’s struggles.
“Work from home has really challenged our city like never before,” Ms. Breed said at a news conference in June. “[And] the perception and the challenges around crime and other issues have put a lot of information that isn’t entirely accurate.”
The city plans to introduce new ideas and investments to make downtown more exciting with more nightlife and entertainment, Ms. Breed added.
“We’re creating an environment, it is what people want,” she said.
