Nordstrom to replace Sears at the Eaton Centre

The Eaton Centre is going to get a flashy new flagship department store - one that's a little more glamorous than the current offering. U.S. department store Nordstrom had confirmed rumours it will take over the Sears' vast retail space at Yonge and Dundas, continuing its planned expansion into Canada.

Construction on the 20,000 square metre store, which will cover all three levels at the top of the mall, will begin in March and will take until Fall 2016 to complete, suggesting some major aesthetic changes are on the cards.

Sears took over the space in 1999 when Eaton's, the department store empire that built the mall, filed for bankruptcy. In October, the struggling U.S. retailer announced it was leaving downtown Toronto and Sherway Gardens in an effort to claw back $400 million in rent.

The new Nordstrom store will be the company's fifth in its foray into Canada. Stores in Calgary, Ottawa, and Vancouver are also in the pipes. Nordstrom has 261 stores in the United States, some of which operate under its "Nordstrom Racks" and "Jeffrey" brands.

The company hasn't released images of the Eaton Centre store but if plans for its Sherway Gardens and Yorkdale stores are a guide, the building could be in for significant alterations. What do you think of the announcement? Will Nordstrom be a positive boost for the Eaton Centre?

Chris Bateman is a staff writer at blogTO. Follow him on Twitter at @chrisbateman.

Image: Norstrom