It's a temporary closure - if you consider four years temporary.

In fall 2011, Nordstrom will open a new, 124,000-square-foot store as part of the LDS Church's City Creek Center, which will replace the Crossroads Plaza and ZCMI Center malls.

Macy's, which hasn't announced its closure date, also will open a new downtown store - 150,000 square feet - in the mixed-use project, and Dillard's announced this week it will become the third anchor with its own 150,000-square-foot venture.

Until then, Nordie junkies will have to get their fix at Murray's Fashion Place Mall or Orem's University Mall. They also can snatch up discounted goods at Nordstrom Rack in Sugar House.

"It is sad to see one kind of store come to the end of its era," said Nordstrom spokeswoman Brooke White. But "we're so thrilled we can offer Salt Lake a new store. This store has aged considerably."

The upscale chain hasn't put any money into upgrading its Salt Lake City digs with redevelopment looming.

"Even though it's a long wait, we hope customers will love their new downtown Nordstrom," White said.

Bargain hunters won't find any beat-down-the-door, arrive-early-or-risk-losing-out sales Saturday, since the merchandise simply will be moved to other Nordstroms.

Customers are taking the closure in stride. Once Macy's shuts down, the hundreds of office workers who frequent the two department stores - and their lunch counters - on their breaks will have to find new diversions. Sears is near downtown but, at 700 South, it's too far away for a lunchtime jaunt. The Gateway is four blocks west of the department stores.

"It's not a big deal. There's always going to be somewhere else to go," said Lacey Warren, who was shopping at Nordstrom earlier this week.

But Connie Deianni said Nordstrom provides a nice distraction. "If you need an afternoon break, it's just so close to run over here to find something and shop."

Kara Kamerath, Terry Christensen and Kelly Keith work downtown and like lunches at Nordstrom's deli.

"I'll miss it," Kamerath said.

"It's getting depressing downtown. There's no place to go," chimed in Christensen.

"Are you kidding me? It's going to save me money," Keith said.

For locally owned retailers near the downtown malls, the department-store closures will hurt - and help. Bill Bennion said most of his business at Bennion Jewelers, 70 percent, comes from destination shoppers, people who seek out his store. The rest are walk-ins.

"I'm sure that will go down a little bit. Our business should be fine. The sky isn't going to fall."

He and Richard Wirick, owner of the Oxford Shop Shoe Store, will continue to rely on visitors to the Salt Palace and Temple Square to browse their stores.

"Adaptability is the key to success," Wirick said. "They will eliminate for [four] years my major competitor for shoes. That's the good way to look at it."

hmay@sltrib.com

* The downtown Salt Lake City Nordstrom store will be open Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Then it will close until a new store opens in fall 2011.