The empty store front in Shoppers World on Rt. 9 W where Linens N Things was has signs announcing that Nordstrom Rack will be opening there.

Nordstrom Rack is the company's off-price retail division offering discounts on products from their mainline stores, Nordstrom.com, and special purchase items.  A big focus is name brand shoes.  Sounds a bit like what Filene's Basement started out as, an outlet for the upstairs, upscale store.

According to their website, and press releases appearing in various business news outlets, Nordstrom Rack will open in the spring of 2010 in the Shoppers World location.

With so many large retail spaces vacant, this is a boon to Framingham, and to Developers Diversified Realty which owns the Shoppers World property.

This store will provide jobs and will probably attract more shoppers from the wealthier communities, especially to the east of Framingham.

For those curious about the store, this is the second Nordstrom Rack in Massachusetts.  You check it out in the Liberty Mall in Danvers.