Nordstrom goes small with “Local” stores
Nordstrom is scheduled to announce its first quarter earnings Tuesday. We’ll get some idea about how the retailer is doing, and possibly some insight into the performance of its newest category of store, Nordstrom Local.
The company debuted the service-only shops in Los Angeles in 2017. Nordstrom plans to open two in New York in the fall.
Nordstrom Local sells no clothes, no shoes and no accessories. Instead, the shops offer services like tailoring, walk-in manicures, in-store stylists and curbside pickup for online orders.
One reason Nordstrom is going in this direction? It has to do with the relatively small footprint of the service stories — about 3,000 square feet.
“Looking at the cost side, a smaller footprint is definitely more profitable than a 200,000-square-foot mall type of base,” said Theresa Williams, business professor at Indiana University.
The company says its LA stores are attracting younger shoppers and its online order pickup service has proved popular.
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