Nordstrom

Nordstrom, Inc. () is an American upmarket department store chain headquartered in Seattle, Washington, and founded by John W. Nordstrom and Carl F. Wallin in 1901. The original store operated exclusively as a shoe store, and a second location opened in 1923. The growing chain began selling clothing in 1963, and became the full-line retailer that presently exists by 1971. The company founded its off-price Nordstrom Rack division in 1973, and grew both full-line and off-price divisions throughout the United States in the following years. The full-line division competes with department stores including Bloomingdale's, Dillard's, Neiman Marcus, and Saks Fifth Avenue, while the off-price division competes with retailers including TJX and Ross Stores. Previous expansions beyond the contiguous United States include Puerto Rico (2015–2020) and Canada (2014–2023).

== Early history == John W. Nordstrom was born on February 15, 1871, in the village Alvik near Luleå in Northern Sweden. In 1887, Nordstrom immigrated to the United States at the age of 16. His name at birth was Johan Wilhelm Nordström (), which he later anglicized to John W. Nordstrom. After landing in New York, he began working in Michigan and was able to save enough money to purchase a potato farm in Arlington, Washington. In 1897, he joined the Klondike Gold Rush in Canada's Yukon Territory. After two years of prospecting, he finally struck gold, but sold his disputed claim for $13,000. Returning to Seattle with his newfound wealth, he married Hilda Carlson in 1900 and searched for a business venture.