Aritzia has confirmed that it will open a new retail flagship at CF Pacific Centre in downtown Vancouver, securing one of the most anticipated retail spaces in the country. The Vancouver-based fashion company will launch a four-level, 40,000 square foot store in 2027 at the corner of Robson Street and Howe Street, taking over part of the former Nordstrom premises that have remained vacant since mid-2023.
The announcement ends widespread speculation about who would occupy the high-profile corner within the 230,000 square foot former department store footprint. Cadillac Fairview has spent the past year preparing the space for subdivision into four major retail units, and Aritzia is the first tenant formally confirmed for the property. The new Aritzia Vancouver flagship will occupy over 17% of the entire former Nordstrom store’s retail space.
“Vancouver is where our story began, and we’re thrilled to bring an even more impactful Aritzia experience to the heart of the city with our new Pacific Centre Flagship,” said Jennifer Wong, CEO of Aritzia, in a statement. “Expanding our collection of iconic flagships, this boutique represents an exciting step in our growth strategy as we continue to build our presence in North America and beyond.”
A Significant Addition to Aritzia’s Flagship Portfolio
The upcoming location represents one of the company’s largest investments in physical retail to date. Aritzia has been expanding its flagship program in major North American cities, including large-format openings in New York and Chicago. The company’s Chicago store on North Michigan Avenue currently stands as its largest, measuring approximately 46,000 square feet. Several of Aritzia’s New York locations, including boutiques in SoHo and on Fifth Avenue, range from 30,000 to 40,000 square feet.
The new Aritzia Vancouver flagship will exceed the brand’s current downtown presence at 1100 Robson Street, (corner of Thurlow) which totals about 13,000 square feet including the adjacent Wilfred unit. The CF Pacific Centre store will be nearly three times larger, allowing the retailer to showcase a significantly expanded product offering and introduce experiential elements that match its largest American flagships.
Aritzia has also been growing its local footprint. Earlier this year, the company opened major new stores at Guildford Town Centre in Surrey and in Vancouver’s Kitsilano neighbourhood on the same day. The Guildford location, at roughly 22,000 square feet, is currently the largest Aritzia store in Canada.
A Prime Corner Undergoing Major Redevelopment
The flagship will occupy one of the most visible corners in downtown Vancouver. Robson Street has long functioned as the city’s leading shopping corridor. The site also benefits from transit access via both the Expo and Canada Line SkyTrain stations.
Cadillac Fairview has been conducting extensive redevelopment work within the former Nordstrom building. Demolition began earlier this year to remove existing finishes, fixtures, and layouts, allowing the landlord to create new, large-format units tailored to incoming tenants. Aritzia’s multi-level space is positioned at the southwest corner of the building, facing both Robson and Howe streets.
A rendering of the new store shows significant modifications to the exterior. The redesign features a series of tall arched openings framed in light stone along the building’s base, with greenery integrated into several of the archways. Above the corner, a large digital screen wraps around the upper facade. This approach reflects exterior treatments Aritzia has introduced at other flagship locations, including its Bloor Street and Yorkdale boutiques in Toronto.
No further tenant announcements have been made by Cadillac Fairview for the former Nordstrom, though interest in the remaining space has been strong. The subdivision of the former Nordstrom footprint is one of downtown Vancouver’s most significant retail redevelopment efforts since the property’s previous overhaul for Nordstrom’s arrival in 2015.
Store Design and New Dining Component
Aritzia has indicated that the Vancouver flagship will incorporate design themes inspired by the Pacific Northwest. The interior will serve as the backdrop for what the company describes as its most comprehensive range of apparel, accessories, and brand concepts.
The store will also introduce a “casual-yet-elevated dining concept” which expands on the A-OK Cafe offerings already present in select locations. Although the company has not released details about the menu or layout, the site includes infrastructure that could support a full-service food operation. When Nordstrom occupied the space, the corner area housed Bistro Verde, which featured a large dining room, kitchen facilities, and even a dedicated elevator that enabled after-hours access for restaurant guests.
Food and beverage programming has become an increasingly important feature within flagship retail environments. In Aritzia’s case, the decision to include dining signals the brand’s intention to create an immersive experience that goes beyond traditional fashion retail.
A Strategic Move in a Changing Downtown Landscape
The arrival of the Aritzia Vancouver flagship comes at a time when large-format retail in downtown Vancouver is adjusting to several significant closures. Besides the former Nordstrom, the city’s historic Hudson’s Bay building nearby now sits empty following the retailer’s exit earlier this year. Market observers have been closely watching how landlords respond to the challenge of repositioning large downtown spaces in a post-pandemic retail environment.
Aritzia’s decision to invest heavily in a prominent, multi-level corner at CF Pacific Centre sends a signal of confidence in the long-term strength of Vancouver’s core retail district. It also highlights the company’s ongoing commitment to physical retail, even as digital channels continue to play a central role in its business model.
For the landlord, the flagship represents a major anchor for the broader redevelopment of the former Nordstrom footprint. Large-scale tenants with strong brand equity and destination appeal are viewed as essential for maintaining foot traffic and supporting the overall tenant mix at CF Pacific Centre, which remains one of Canada’s most productive shopping centres.
The Nordstrom building has been at the centre of Vancouver’s retail landscape for more than five decades. The structure originally opened in 1971 as an Eaton’s department store, later operating as Sears Canada from 2002 until Sears exited the space in 2012. Cadillac Fairview then undertook a comprehensive redevelopment that created new office levels above the retail floors and constructed an expanded mall corridor on the basement level. Nordstrom opened in 2015 and operated for eight years before closing all Canadian stores in 2023.
Darn I was hoping for Simons to open here – too bad!
By no means is Simons out of the running to open a store within this building — an entrance from W. Georgia Street will welcome guests into a 3 level retail space that will span in excess of 100k sq ft.
Agreed. Hoping for Simons. There is still space and opportunity.
Another Aritzia? Boring…We want Simons, we want Uniqlo, we want Eataly or IKEA downtown. We already have so many Aritzias.
Agree 100 %
Will the other one on Robson close?
That would be my best guess — it will be interesting to see who replaces it. Who remembers the diagonal Starbucks coffee shops at the corner years ago?