Nordstrom Inc. will celebrate the opening of its department store at Mayfair Mall in Wauwatosa by hosting a charity gala.
The gala, which will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 21, will benefit three nonprofits: Ronald McDonald House Charities Eastern Wisconsin; United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County; and the Milwaukee and Cream City chapters of The Links Inc., which works to combat educational, social and financial challenges facing children and families.
Seattle-based Nordstrom opened a Rack store at the Mayfair Collection in April 2014. The high-end department store operator announced in December 2012 its plans to open a 140,000-square-foot full-line department store at Mayfair. The department store, which opens on Friday, October 23, is the company’s first full-line store in Wisconsin.
“We believe in giving back to the communities where we have stores,” said Brent Harris, vice president and Midwest regional manager for Nordstrom. “The three organizations we’re partnering with for our gala do great work and we’re inspired by their dedication to the Milwaukee community. We are honored to join them in their efforts to make a difference.”
Tickets to the gala are $100 and include appetizers, cocktails, live entertainment and an early chance to shop at the department store. They go on sale in June.
Nordstrom’s opening gala is expected to raise $150,000, to be distributed among the three charities.
“It is an honor to partner with Nordstrom,” said Deidra Edwards, president of the The Links’ Cream City chapter and Marie Michel-Tucker, president of the Milwaukee chapter. “We can’t begin to express our excitement at Nordstrom’s opening and the gratitude we feel for the very generous ways Nordstrom plans to support the Milwaukee community.”
“The Ronald McDonald House is honored to be one of the three local charities chosen to benefit from the proceeds of ticket sales to Nordstrom’s grand opening gala celebration,” said Ann Petrie, president and chief executive officer of RMHC Eastern Wisconsin. “Having a national retailer like Nordstrom in our community, that is committed to partnering with local charities, benefits us all as we strive to lift up the people we serve and make Milwaukee a city we can all be proud to call home.”
“United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County is always about the ways that we can empower both our youth and adults to lead healthier lives though our focus on education, income and health,” said Mary Lou Young, president and CEO of United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County. “We are pleased that Nordstrom has chosen United Way to be a recipient of funds raised from their store opening gala. Their generosity will make a lasting impact here in our community. We look forward to a long-lasting partnership between Nordstrom and United Way.”
Nordstrom operates 292 stores in 38 states and Canada.
