Nordstrom Rack to replace Ace Hardware at Smoke Tree Village

A Nordstrom Rack discount department store is coming to Palm Springs, taking over the Smoke Tree Village space occupied by Ace Hardware, whose owners announced Wednesday that they will close their longtime location in February.

Nordstrom announced Thursday morning that it plans to open the new store in fall 2027 at 1785 East Palm Canyon Drive. It will be the second Nordstrom Rack in the greater Palm Springs area, joining an existing location in Palm Desert.

The announcement answers a question left unresolved by Wednesday’s news that Ace Hardware, a beloved local business known for its exceptional customer service and distinctive selection of gifts and accessories, would close its doors at Smoke Tree Village on the day its current lease ends, Feb. 28, 2027.

In a statement sent to The Post Wednesday, the staff at Ace said they are actively seeking a new location in Palm Springs and hope to reopen, although no agreement has been finalized and no reopening timeline has been announced. The store also plans to begin liquidating its inventory in the coming days.

“We are not giving up on our future!” the Palm Springs Ace Hardware team wrote. “We are actively working to secure a new location where we hope to return bigger and better than ever.”

The arrival of Nordstrom Rack is part of a broader revitalization of Smoke Tree Village, a shopping center that opened in 1965 and has long served as a retail hub for South Palm Springs. Another major addition is an In-N-Out Burger, which has been moving through the city’s development approval process.

Plans for the In-N-Out were first confirmed by The Post in January 2025 and approved by the Palm Springs Planning Commission that July. The project has since undergone an extended architectural review process, with committee members repeatedly criticizing the restaurant’s proposed design as incompatible with Palm Springs’ architectural character.

In October, the city’s Architectural Review Committee voted 3-2 to approve revised plans, on the condition that In-N-Out satisfy 18 design requirements imposed during an earlier review. The restaurant’s opening date has not been announced.

During that meeting, Tracy Conrad, chief operating officer of Smoke Tree Ranch, which owns the shopping center, described the restaurant project as an opportunity to breathe new life into the property.

“This is a development project that will lift the entire shopping center,” Conrad told committee members.

The additions represent a significant evolution for the six-decade-old shopping center, known for its low-slung buildings, shaded walkways and midcentury commercial architecture. Historically anchored by a Ralphs supermarket and a hardware store, Smoke Tree Village has long mixed everyday retail needs with smaller shops, services and restaurants.

Nordstrom Rack, the off-price retail division of department store chain Nordstrom, offers discounted clothing, shoes, accessories, beauty products and home goods from national brands.

“We look forward to being a part of the Palm Springs community and serving our customers with an amazing offering of great brands at great prices,” said Gemma Lionello, president of Nordstrom Rack, in Thursday’s announcement. “We’re excited to grow our footprint in the Palm Springs market and introduce new customers to the Nordstrom experience.”

The new store will also offer online order pickup and returns for purchases made through Nordstrom and Nordstrom Rack, the company said. Nordstrom currently operates 70 Rack stores and 28 full-line Nordstrom stores in California.

Conrad welcomed the retailer’s arrival.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Nordstrom Rack to Palm Springs,” she said in Thursday’s announcement. “This venerable company has a long history of exceptional quality. We look forward to the outstanding shopping experience Nordstrom Rack will offer in the city.”

Founded as Palm Springs Hardware in February 2000, the business moved to Smoke Tree Village in 2009, operating under the True Value name before switching to Ace Hardware in 2020.

Over the years, the store built a loyal following that extended beyond the Coachella Valley, thanks to an unusual combination of hardware supplies, home goods, Palm Springs-themed merchandise and personalized customer service.

At a 2023 ceremony celebrating the store’s anniversary and its transition to Ace, then-manager Erik Graham described what made it special.

“We are not just a hardware store, we are a destination, an experience for so many all over the world,” Graham said. “But what gives us the most pride is our community.”

For now, the future of that local institution remains uncertain, even as plans for its replacement move forward.

“We’re not saying goodbye to Palm Springs,” the Ace Hardware team said Wednesday. “We’re working toward saying, ‘See you at our new location!'”

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