A year after Bloomingdale’s opened its first “Bloomie’s” concept store, the department store chain has announced plans to open its second location – this time in the Chicago area.
Slated to open on Nov. 17, the new 51,000 sq.-ft. Bloomie’s store will be located at Westfield Old Orchard in Skokie, Ill.
Once Bloomie’s opens, the retailer said it will close its existing Bloomingdale’s Old Orchard location. The company added that the mainline location will begin a clearance sale on Sept. 6 and will close at the end of October.
In addition to men and women’s fashion, shoes and accessories, the new Bloomie’s store will feature fine jewelry and cosmetic departments, as well as an expansive home collection with an assortment across categories including luggage, tabletop, housewares, bedding, mattresses and more. Buy online, pick-up in store and a tech-enabled stylist service will also be offered at the store as well as a trendy dining experience at its new restaurant, bCafé.
According to Bloomingdale’s, consumers can expect to find apparel from brands such as Rag & Bone, Theory, Vince, Polo Ralph Lauren, John Varvatos, Canada Goose and more. As for footwear, the store’s brand mix will include AGL, Alexander Wang, Birkenstock, Ganni, See By Chloe, Staud, Sorel, Ugg, Sam Edelman, On Running, Veja and more.
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“Bloomingdale’s has always been a part of the Chicago area, and we are incredibly excited to introduce Bloomie’s to new and existing customers,” Tony Spring, CEO of Bloomingdale’s, said in a statement. “While Bloomie’s is a new take on Bloomingdale’s, our guests will still be offered an assortment of contemporary and luxury brands across men and women’s fashion, home and beauty, but with a fresh take on the shopping experience.”
To celebrate the grand opening, guests can stop in for “10 Days of Bloomie’s,” a series of holiday-inspired events and activations happening throughout the store, starting Nov. 17.
Following the official ribbon cutting and throughout opening weekend, Bloomie’s is partnering with No Kid Hungry to kick off the celebration. Shoppers will enjoy interactive food trucks and carts from Garrett’s Popcorn and No Kid Hungry, as well as a DJ, holiday-themed photo booth, festive fashion illustrations, shoe and apparel customizations, and a custom “Medium Bloomie’s Bag,” as a gift with purchase.
On Nov. 19, Bloomie’s will partner with the Kohl Children’s Museum for an exclusive Santaland experience. In addition to the interactive food trucks, DJ, and customizations, those in-store can find Santa at the photo booth, glam touch-up stations in beauty, and Brown Bear personalization at Santa’s workshop. The winter wonderland will return to Bloomie’s on Dec. 3 and Dec. 10.
In Aug. 2021, Bloomingdale’s opened its first Bloomie’s store in the Washington, DC suburb of Fairfax, Va. The 22,000 square foot, smaller format, store was a departure from the chain’s average department store size, which measures about 200,000 square feet.
When it opened, Bloomie’s featured a tightly curated assortment of contemporary and luxury brands across men’s and women’s apparel including denim, active, and intimates; along with shoes, handbags, beauty, accessories, and fine jewelry. It also featured a restaurant and a slew of tech-enabled services.
The concept is a product of Macy’s Inc.’s three-year turnaround strategy, which was announced at its investor day in Feb. 2020. The plan included trimming 125 stores from its total footprint, cutting 2,000 jobs — or about 9% of its corporate workforce — and ramping up investments in both higher-margin private labels and off-price through Macy’s Backstage.
