Dillard’s Laying Off Workers at Nashville Distribution Center

A storefront in San Antonio is decorated for Christmas. credit/Wikimedia

Dillard’s is closing its distribution center in Nashville. The department store chain has notified the state that 125 workers will be let go by the end of the summer.

Dillard’s has six distribution facilities and the one in Nashville has handled purchases from the online store.

Spokeswoman Julie Bull says the company’s newest fulfillment center is closer to its headquarters in Little Rock.

“It is a business decision. We have a facility that opened up in Central Arkansas that we took a good hard look at. It’s got a lot more capacity, and it’s working out better for our vision for Dillards.com.”

Bull says employees in Nashville have been offered positions at other Dillard’s facilities. The rest, she says, will receive severance packages.

Dillard’s has operated a fulfillment center in Nashville since the company bought locally-based Castner Knott in 1998.

The Tennessee Department of Labor has scheduled what it calls a “rapid response meeting” on site. Spokesman Jeff Hentschel says the 125 affected workers will get help finding new jobs.

“Employees tend to be interested in what’s available as far as unemployment insurance. But we know that’s just a short term solution. We really want to get people back to work.”

Hentschel says there are distribution jobs available in the state, particularly in Middle Tennessee. Saks 5th Avenue is still hiring to fill 250 positions in its new facility in LaVergne.