Several tenants in the Northgate Mall are scrambling to clear out their stores to make way for a practice facility and headquarters for the yet-to-be-named Seattle NHL team. Phased closures of the mall will go into effect in August.
Simon Properties, which owns the mall, has proposed a new vision for the decades-old facility, with NHL Seattle as an anchor tenant.
Several existing businesses, including Nordstrom, are leaving this summer to allow for demolition.
At 73 years old, Alana Fornoni knew retirement was close -- she just hoped it would be on her own terms.
In 10 days, her 27-year run as a store owner of an antique jewelry store inside Northgate Malls comes to an end.
“I have enjoyed this too much to really want to retire. I have felt that I have the world’s best job. I get to buy and touch beautiful beautiful things that are thrilling,” Fornoni said.
"We’re scrambling. We’re reducing prices every week. We’ve slashed them an additional percentage until we’re just close to the melting price of the gold,” Fornoni said.
Fornoni said mall management terminated her lease and she's packing up shop.
NHL Seattle will anchor a massive redevelopment of Northgate Mall. It’s part of a major overhaul of the complex. Come 2021, plans call for a state-of-the-art practice facility, complete with several ice rinks surrounded by bars, restaurants and retail.
“When we recruit players to tell them that right in our training center is a world-class, state-of-the-art care facility lead by the best in the business, it’s a good piece,” said Tod Leiweke the CEO of NHL Seattle
In a written statement, Northgate Mall manager Steve Heim said: “(The mall is) working full steam ahead to prepare for the NHL Seattle facilities. We recognize the short-term challenges this creates for our shoppers and tenants, and are working to alleviate construction issues as much as possible.”