Permits indicate Nike Factory Store planned for old downtown Macy’s building

There’s no sign of a swoosh. Yet.

A Nike Factory Store will be the major tenant in the old Macy’s building in downtown Spokane, according to permits filed with the city Tuesday.

The store is the first confirmed tenant for The M building, 618 W. Main Ave., which is being converted into residential, retail and office space. Work on the main-floor Nike apparel store is valued at more than $750,000.

The retail space will be more than 12,000 square feet, and plans show an 18-foot-high ceiling on the first floor with a mezzanine on the second floor.

Rumors of a potential Nike store have circulated among developers for weeks and have been called downtown’s “worst kept secret.” Still, developers of the project would not confirm a Nike tenancy even after the permits were filed with the city.

The renovation of the building is being done by Centennial Properties, a subsidiary of Cowles Co., which publishes The Spokesman-Review.

Bryn West, general manager of Centennial Properties’ River Park Square, said Wednesday she could not confirm Nike was taking the space at the building.

Permits indicate the store will not be a Niketown, which sells the company’s latest products, but rather a factory outlet store.

Nike has a number of outlet stores in Washington located on the West Side.

Renovation of the building has been fast-paced since the project began. Macy’s closed the historic downtown store in 2016 as part of a series of store closures nationwide. Before it was Macy’s, the store was home to Bon Marche for more than 50 years.

When complete, the building will have 105 apartment units and include underground parking. Retail and residential units are expected to be open in May or June.