Von Maur bucks retail trend, plans new store at Jordan Creek mall

Von Maur, the Iowa-based department store chain known for its customer perks and live piano music, plans to build a store at the Jordan Creek Town Center mall in West Des Moines.

The two-level store will debut in the fall of 2022 near Younkers on the north side of the mall. It will mirror the Scheels store.

It's a space that mall owner General Growth Properties Inc. has long designated for a fourth anchor store.

The 140,000-square-foot, $25 million store will offer the same departments as other Von Maur locations, but with an updated look, said Jim von Maur, president of the family-owned chain. Flooring, color schemes, and some displays in cosmetics and jewelry will be different than in existing stores, he said.

Jim von Maur was in West Des Moines on Wednesday to make the announcement about the company's second metro location.

"There's so much excitement at Jordan Creek and I think we are missing out on sales there," he said.

Jordan Creek already offers another Von Maur brand, a contemporary women’s clothing store called Dry Goods. Von Maur operates 28 Dry Goods stores in eight states, with several more planned.

Still in question is whether Von Maur will keep its store at Valley West Mall in West Des Moines.

Building a store at Jordan Creek and closing one at Valley West are separate decisions, von Maur said. He is in discussions now with Valley West owners Watson Centers Inc. about the future of the store there.

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"We've made no concrete decisions but we'd like to see improvements in leasing and more restaurants on the property," he said. "I don't see a lot of growth at the mall."

The Valley West Von Maur was one of the department store's first branch locations and has been successful for the company, but it's time for updates at the shopping center, he said.

Valley West has struggled to fill vacant spots and has lost some tenants, including, most recently, Gap and GapKids.

The Minneapolis-based owner is making plans to upgrade the property, said Brad Henning, Watson property manager. He declined to be specific, but said the company is working to redevelop the property over the next three years.

To survive, malls need to create reasons and excitement for people to come, said Ron Friedman, a retail analyst at accounting and advisory firm Marcum. "They have got to be entertainment sites with cafes, restaurants, theaters, bars or concert venues," he said. "That is where the youth are. And they don't go to the mall just to shop."

Von Maur’s growth is an anomaly in a challenging retail landscape. The privately held company is bucking industry trends that have seen longtime chains like Bon-Ton, Macy’s and Sears close stores while struggling to maintain sales.

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It sets itself apart from competitors with interest-free credit cards, free gift wrapping and free shipping in the United States. It doesn't use coupons or promotional sales. Its expansive shoe departments, wide aisles, clean restrooms and marble floors are signature draws for the company.

Jim von Maur said the company philosophy of putting customer service first has helped it grow while competitors fall to the wayside.

"We run a really good store," he said. "If you offer a really exciting store with exciting merchandise, you'll be successful."

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Von Maur offers clothing lines from Europe, a huge shoe department and an online shopping business that rivals its in-store sales, he said. Free shipping and in-store returns make the company's online sales convenient, he said.

"And when you call in with a problem or a question, you get someone over the phone," he said. "It's important to us that customers get the same service online as in the store."

Store sales have continued to grow, said Melody Wright, Von Maur's chief operating officer. "We track 2 to 3 percent above the industry."

Retail analyst Bernard Sosnick said department stores that provide customers with interesting shopping experiences will survive in the endangered department store market.

"There is a place for stores that cater to customers who want personal attention in an elegant atmosphere," he said.

The von Maurs opened their first store in downtown Davenport in 1872. They forged a partnership in the early years and bought out another department store. The stores were named Petersen Harned von Maur for decades, until the early 1990s, when they were renamed Von Maur.

The company now includes 32 stores in 15 states stretching from Kansas to New York and Minnesota to Alabama.

Von Maur hasn’t strayed far from its Midwest roots, von Maur said. “No matter how far we’ve come over (the) years and the new markets we’ve entered, for myself, our family and our associates, Iowa has always been home.”

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