A three-story Bloomingdale’s department store will be opening at the Shops at Georgetown Park in August 2011, according to a Macy’s Inc. press release announced last week.
According to company spokesperson Sharon Bateman, the 82,000 square foot store will be modeled after the SoHo Bloomingdale’s in New York, meaning that the store will be smaller than normal and the merchandise is going to be “very tightly edited.”
“The concept of the [SoHo-style] store is to tailor it to the local market,” Bateman said. “We understand that the location at Georgetown is going to be a high-end, very urban fashion destination, and that’s exactly what the Bloomingdale’s customer is. We’re very excited.”
According to Ben Miller, president of Western Development Corporation, the concept design for the store has been approved by the Old Georgetown Board and was well received by area residents, but it still requires zoning modifications and approval from the mayor and Councilmember Jack Evans (D-Ward 2).
“Residents are excited to see Georgetown Park, which is today tired and antiquated, turned around and made an asset for Georgetown,” Miller said. “Every store [in The Shops] will be affected—some positively, some may move out.”
Miller anticipates that the Bloomingdale’s would force Victoria’s Secret, Intermix, White House/Black Market, and potentially other stores to be relocated.
The Georgetown Bloomingdale’s will be the chain’s fourth location in the D.C. area, with stores already located in Chevy Chase, Tyson’s Corner Center, and White Flint Mall.
