Von Maur to open first Pa. location

Midwest department store chain moving to South Hills Village

It’s surprising for any department store to be expanding in 2022. Staying afloat is difficult enough. Amazon has gobbled up much of the retail market. Malls across the country are shuttering in record numbers.

But the Davenport, Iowabased department store chain Von Maur is in the midst of what it calls a “strategic national expansion” nonetheless.

On Tuesday, the company announced plans to open its first location in Pennsylvania: a 118,000-square-foot space in South Hills Village. The twolevel store will take the place of what once was Sears — another department store that bit the dust, in 2018.

In a statement, company President Jim von Maur acknowledged the store’s opening “may be the first time customers have heard about or experienced Von Maur.” But Von Maur stores are well known in much of the Midwest.

The company has multiple outposts in several states — Iowa, Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan, Kansas, Nebraska and Minnesota — and 36 nationwide. Its easternmost store is just outside of Rochester, N.Y.

Mr. von Maur said the slow, careful rollout of Von Maur stores in smaller markets has been key to the company’s success, as other department stores have closed.

“Where other retailers are focused on rapid, near-term expansion to satisfy shareholder demands, we can be patient and analyze new markets to ensure we find the ideal location for us to grow our brand,” Mr. von Maur told the Post-Gazette.

The first Von Maur opened in 1872, which makes it older than J.C. Penney and (slightly) younger than Macy’s.

Stores such as Macy’s have struggled to differentiate their offerings from the often more convenient shopping experience of Amazon. Von Maur, however, has prioritized the in-store shopping experience and a Midwestern-nice standard of service, which includes an unusually flexible return policy and free giftwrapping.

The South Hills Village location will feature something other Von Maurs are known for: a grand piano at the center of the open-floor plan. Customers can expect to hear the store’s own pianist on the keys as they shop.

Grand piano and a brick

facade aside, Von Maur is similar to other department stores, just with a touch of old- fashioned flair. The chain sells nationwide brands shoppers are just as likely to find at Macy’s (think Lilly Pulitzer or John Hardy).

And though customers say they love the music, there’s a catch: Von Maur is also known for never offering storewide promotions. Unless a particular brand insists, Von Maur sells at full price.

The South Hills Village store isn’t projected to open until 2024.

Renovations are scheduled to begin this fall on the old Sears.