Dillard’s store in Towne West to become clearance outlet

Dillard’s is converting its Towne West Square store to a clearance center, offering discounts of at least 60 percent off regular retail prices.

Dillard’s has been a fixture as a high-end retail store in Towne West since 1981; it’s about to become a Dillard’s clearance outlet.

“It’s true. In fact, we’re already starting to move stuff out,” an employee at the store said on Wednesday.

No Dillard’s layoffs are planned. “No one is losing their job because of this conversion,” said Julie Bull, a Dillard’s corporate spokeswoman based in Little Rock.

“That market is very important to us,” Bull said. “Customers will have the best of both worlds, a top-of-the-line store at Towne East and the outlet store.”

The company will retain the Dillard’s store in Towne East Square the way it is but is converting the 230,000 square feet, in two separate Towne West locations, to the new purpose, Bull said.

The change is happening now, Bull said. “The store will begin receiving clearance merchandise immediately,” she said. The conversion will likely be complete in 30 to 60 days, she said.

The outlet store at Towne West, at the northeast corner of Kellogg and I-235, will sell to customers “at deeply discounted rates,” with the goods coming from Dillard’s stores from areas surrounding Wichita, Bull said. By “deeply discounted,” she said, “most merchandise when it reaches an outlet store is sold at at least 60 percent off.”

The store is one of the anchors of Towne West and sells clothing, accessories and home goods. Brands include Georgio Armani, Estee Lauder and Ralph Lauren.

Dillard’s was open for business in Towne West on Wednesday.

The parent corporation has 300 stores, with 25 of them being clearance outlets, Bull said.

“We just decided that would be the best format for the Towne West location,” Bull said.

Dillard’s opened its Towne East store in 1975 and the Towne West store in 1981, Bull said.

This story was originally published January 4, 2017 at 4:00 PM with the headline "Dillard’s store in Towne West to become clearance outlet."