WALNUT CREEK, CALIFORNIA – When Neiman Marcus closed at Broadway Plaza, it was a huge blow to downtown Walnut Creek.
Major department stores are the “anchors” that bring people into a downtown shopping district. Or at least they used to be–today, department stores aren’t the big draw they used to be.
Instead, Walnut Creek is getting tons of other kinds of new stores and restaurants, from the much-loved Original Joe’s to “throwback” stores like Hollister.
Case in point: there’s a new tenant coming into Neiman Marcus’ former anchor space.
RH (the luxury home furnishings brand formerly known as Restoration Hardware) has signed on to turn the space into a new RH Design Gallery.
That means the big, highly visible box that has sat quiet since Neiman Marcus exited is poised to come back to life — but with a very different kind of retail concept than a traditional department store.
What do we know about the deal so far?
The clearest confirmation to date is from Macerich (Broadway Plaza’s owner), which said it signed a 50,000-square-foot RH Design Gallery for the former Neiman Marcus box at Broadway Plaza in Walnut Creek.
Local retail brokers tracking downtown Walnut Creek have also pointed to the same outcome — describing an agreement between Macerich and RH to replace the former Neiman Marcus building.
So what goes into an RH Gallery store? They’re basically gigantic, luxury furniture showrooms in architecturally dramatic spaces (like the Neiman Marcus store, which has a soaring glass facade). Sometimes they have extras like a cafe or even a restaurant inside.
Here’s what Broadway Plaza’s owner said about the future Walnut Creek space:
“This is just another great example of transformational leasing and the repurposing of a vacant anchor store within our portfolio. RH Gallery will be an inspiring integration of food, wine, art and design with an immersive retail experience. The deal is being finalized — the design is being finalized but will include six contemporary Venetian-plastered Mediterranean buildings. These buildings will be connected by four gated courtyards leading to a 30-foot-high glass atrium garden restaurant surrounded by fireplaces, fountains, and an outdoor wine experience.”
And when can we expect these things?
“RH Gallery at Broadway Plaza is expected to open in 2026,” the company said.
You can bet we’ll be following this one closely here at the Bay Area Telegraph! Make sure to join my free 925 News newsletter so I can keep you in the loop.
