Saks Off 5th is planning to close its only Wisconsin location later this year.
Employees were notified this month that the store plans to close in September, however the date may be adjusted depending upon the Wauwatosa store’s ability to sell its merchandise, a representative for HSA Commercial said.
The retailer announced plans to close 20 stores in February. The company expected most of these closures to be in the Midwest, according to the Milwaukee Business Journal.
The closing store is Saks OFF 5TH’s first and only Wisconsin location. The retailer currently operates five stores in the Chicago area.
“I believe this is symptomatic of not only the general retail challenges that face higher end department stores, but this particular brand has struggled to present a value proposition in the Midwest, and in Milwaukee in particular, that resonated with their customers,” Tim Blum Managing Director for HSA Commercial Real Estate, told the Milwaukee Business Journal.
Saks OFF 5TH is owned by the Canada-based Hudson’s Bay Company, which also operates Saks Fifth Avenue, Lord + Taylor, Galeria Kaufhof and Home Outfitters. The retailer operates 129 locations, according to its website.
