Published in the Puget Sound Business Journal
By Joey Thompson – Reporter
Nov 18, 2024
A home decor store that’s called downtown Seattle home for more than a decade will soon close its doors.
The Timothy De Clue Collection is closing its store on the ground floor of Pacific Place later this year, owner Timothy De Clue told the Business Journal. He cited the changing retail landscape and growing concerns for retail theft.
“It has been an incredible journey, one filled with so many unforgettable memories and wonderful relationships with our customers,” De Clue said. “This was not an easy decision, but as the retail landscape changes and new challenges arise, we are choosing to close this chapter on a high note.”
De Clue opened his first store in Georgetown in 2011, selling dinnerware, barware, decor and other home goods. He moved to First Avenue and Seneca Street in 2017. That store operated for three years before closing amid the pandemic.
The closure adds to the list of vacancies at downtown’s biggest mall, which in the past had been home to retailers such as Barneys New York, Lululemon and Williams Sonoma. The property’s new owners, Los Angeles-based BH Properties, are tasked with turning around the more than half-empty indoor shopping center — a task that many in Seattle believe is critical to the city’s retail recovery.
Issues with foot traffic, retail theft and changes to shopping habits have caused a number of retailers to leave downtown Seattle since the onset of the pandemic, as new brands to the market such as Bloomingdale’s opt to open stores in more suburban settings.
The Timothy De Clue Collection opened at Pacific Place in July 2023, filling 5,000 square feet. Anchor tenants at the mall include Din Tai Fung and an AMC movie theater.
At De Clue’s store, “big issues” with crime and retail theft started to arise last month, he said.
“That sealed the deal on going out of business,” he added.
De Clue hasn’t settled on a closing date. The store’s lease expires at the end of the year, and De Clue estimates the last day of business will occur in mid- to late December, depending on what inventory remains.
