Introduction

OUR START

In 1887, 16-year-old John W. Nordstrom left his home in Sweden for the promise of New York City. He arrived with $5 and not a word of English to his name.

The first years in the land of opportunity were hard. John labored in mines and logging camps while crossing the country to the west coast of Washington. One morning in 1897, he saw a newspaper headline: "Gold Found in the Klondike in Alaska"; he made the decision that day to leave for Alaska. The very next day he bought his ticket. With the hard labor, rough terrain and overabundance of eager workers, things were no easier there. John persevered and within two years earned $13,000 from a gold-mine stake.

John returned to Seattle eager to invest his money. He reunited with Carl Wallin, a friend from his Alaska days who owned a shoe-repair shop in downtown Seattle. In 1901, they opened Wallin & Nordstrom, a small downtown shoe store and the humble beginning of what was to become Nordstrom, Inc.

From the start, John's approach to business was to provide exceptional service, selection, quality and value. The idea resonated with a devoted customer base, and in 1923 the partners added a second store. In 1928, John retired and sold his share of the company to his sons Everett and Elmer. Carl Wallin retired a year later and also sold his share to the Nordstrom sons. John's third son, Lloyd, joined the team in 1933.

A GROWING REPUTATION

By 1960, the downtown Seattle shoe shop had become the largest shoe store in the country, and the company, now with eight locations in Washington and Oregon, was the largest independent shoe chain in the United States.

Looking for new ways to spread its wings, Nordstrom ventured into the women's clothing market with the purchase of Seattle-based Best Apparel in 1963. With the purchase of a Portland, Oregon, fashion retailer three years later, Nordstrom now offered Northwest customers a selection of shoes and apparel under the new name Nordstrom Best. Men's and children's wear were added in 1966; business prospered and two new Washington stores followed soon after.

In 1968 the three Nordstrom brothers handed the company over to the third generation: Everett's son Bruce, Elmer's sons James and John, Lloyd's son-in-law Jack, and family friend Bob Bender.