After much persuasion from Dallas officials, the iconic downtown location of luxury department store Neiman Marcus will stay open — for now.

According to a release, Saks Global will continue operations of the Neiman Marcus Downtown Dallas store at 1618 Main St. through the 2025 Holiday season while it explores a reimagination of the location in collaboration with the City of Dallas.

This includes the Zodiac Room, the restaurant's beloved in-house cafe.

It's a big last-minute turnaround, following the retailer's decision in February to close the store on March 31 after more than a century as a style leader for the city of Dallas as well as a bedrock for the downtown community.

That decision prompted Dallas officials and downtown stakeholders to form a committee to persuade Saks to reconsider, even persuading one of the landlords of the property to donate the land to encourage the store to remain. As of the end of February, Saks maintained it would still be closing the store, but with a commitment to invest in the NorthPark Center store — one of three other Neiman Marcus locations in DFW along with the Shops at Willow Bend in Plano, and the Shops at Clearfork in Fort Worth.

But on March 27, Dallas city officials met with Saks Global leadership to suggest other formats to serve its customers and the community while supporting the resurgence of Downtown Dallas.

Potential concepts for the reimagined space include a luxury retail experience, a curated art exhibition, and a fashion and event center.

Other proposals for the space also include an incubator for fashion design and manufacturing in Downtown Dallas.

“We deeply admire the city's passion and unwavering dedication to Neiman Marcus’ storied legacy in Dallas. The potential reimagination of this iconic shopping destination reinforces Saks Global’s commitment to redefining the luxury shopping experience,” said Marc Metrick, Chief Executive Officer of Saks Global. “As we explore opportunities for the Downtown store, along with the planned renovation at the NorthPark store, we will evaluate the opportunity to utilize both locations to serve different customer needs in the Dallas market.”

“We are excited that Saks Global has decided to keep Neiman Marcus open downtown, as we explore the opportunity to unlock the potential to transform downtown into an international beacon and economic engine for fashion - just as the Neiman Marcus founders intended when they opened the store more than 100 years ago,” said Dallas City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert. “We look forward to exploring what‘s on the horizon and are committed to continuing our conversations with the Saks Global team.”

The Zodiac Room and the Bridal Salon will remain open during the exploratory period.

The Neiman Marcus brand has been an integral part of Dallas for over a century, serving as a cornerstone of the community and a symbol of style and innovation. Since 1907, Neiman Marcus has shaped the city’s fashion landscape while fostering connections through charitable giving, cultural contributions, and civic engagement.