Two big-name stores are closing in Minneapolis' Uptown district.
Columbia Sportswear will close on Jan. 20, and The North Face may close by the end of the month according to the Uptown Association.
“In reviewing our portfolio of stores, we determined that the Uptown Minnesota location no longer fits with our strategic direction. The Columbia brand remains very strong in Minnesota, and we will continue to invest in our omnichannel businesses there," wrote David Lawner, Columbia’s Senior Vice President, North America Direct to Consumer, in a statement to KARE 11.
Representatives from The North Face have not confirmed with KARE 11 when its store will close, but Maude Lovelle, executive director of the Uptown Association said she believe the store will also close by the end of the month.
She said that both stores have been in Uptown for a decade and said the association is sad to see the stores go. But, it will create a new opportunity for those spaces.
"When businesses leave or move onto somewhere else, the excitement is what is coming next and that's always fun for not only us at the Uptown Association but for the visitors as well," Lovelle said.
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