Gold’s Gym will open in Westfield Vancouver mall in early 2016 in space vacated earlier this month by Nordstrom, mall officials said in a news release Wednesday.
The 29,000-square-foot fitness center will occupy the entire upper level of the former Nordstrom space, Westfield said. It described the gym as “a new lifestyle and convenience offering” for Clark County’s largest shopping mall.
Westfield Vancouver has not lined up tenants for the former Nordstrom’s first floor, said Chris Yates, the mall’s marketing director. “We are seeing quite a bit of interest on the other level from potential new arrivals but have no announcements to make today,” he said by email.
The 71,000 square-foot Nordstrom store had been an anchor at the mall since 1977. The Seattle-based retailer closed the Vancouver store, and a larger store in Portland’s Lloyd Center, on Jan. 10. The company said the stores were less profitable than its larger stores. In the Portland region, Nordstrom operates stores in downtown Portland and in the Washington Square and Clackamas Town Center malls.
The Gold’s Gym will be the only one in the Vancouver area. Its franchise owner is Mike Williams, owner of three Gold’s Gym franchises in the Puget Sound region.
“While we are the national brand Gold’s Gym, we are still local Washington residents and that does significantly differentiate us from other competitors,” Williams said. “We will be down there and we will be involved.” He said the gym would employ about 50 part-time and full-time workers.
Taylor Carrara, Gold Gym’s vice president for sales and club operations, said mall locations are not uncommon for fitness centers. The company has one gym in a Westfield mall in Los Angeles, he said.
“We feel there’s going to be synergies with shoppers and the space there,” he said. Carrara said the gym could open well before the scheduled date of early 2016.
Mall officials also said it would welcome two small retail outlets this fall. Michael Kors will open an approximately 2,600-square-foot store offering a wide variety of luxury design items including footwear, watches, jewelry, eyewear and fragrance products. Canada-based Aldo will open a 2,600-square-foot store featuring stylish footwear and accessories.
“We are always looking for opportunities to introduce new uses, and we are pleased to welcome these fine retailers which represent the best in fashion, fitness and lifestyle opportunities for our guests at Westfield Vancouver,” said J.B. Schutte, general manager of Westfield Vancouver.
