Nordstrom launches Nordstrom Local retail concept

By

Cassidy Mantor

Published
Sep 12, 2017

Nordstrom is the latest retailer experimenting with downsizing its brick and mortar footprint, introducing a small branded store on Melrose in LA that will offer free stylists and wine.

Nordstrom Local is a new service-oriented concept designed to make in-store shopping more convenient for customers. The new Nordstrom Local occupies 3,000 square feet which is a fraction of the size of Nordstrom's standard 140,000 square feet stores.

Nordstrom Local will offer free styling and on-site tailoring, and will function as a location to pick up online orders and process returns. It has one styling suite, eight fitting rooms and a central sitting location where customers can chat with their personal stylists over a glass of wine or a beer.

The impetus behind Nordstrom Local is to keep up with a changing retail landscape. Nordstrom has not yet fallen victim to the retail apocalypse and plans to keep ahead by focusing on consumer service and convenience.

Downsizing retail footprints is one of the trends large department store retailers are following to stay afloat. Kohl's recently launched a handful of small scale concept shops featuring similar perks of increased service, online order pickup, and an overall quicker shopping experience in a smaller physical space.

Shea Jensen, Nordstrom SVP of Customer Experience, who led the Nordstrom Local initiative said, "We wanted to offer our best services in a convenient location to meet [the consumer's] shopping needs. Finding new ways to engage with customers on their terms is more important to us now than ever." 

Jensen pointed to "great service, speed and convenience" as the three core values that will continue to engage consumers today.

In addition to beer, wine and styling, Nordstrom Local will offer nail services where customers can get manicures. Customers can interact in real life with a Nordstrom Trunk Club stylist. They also will be offered an integrated experience with style boards of looks pulled specifically for them that can be purchased on their phones.

Nordstrom Local will be on the corner of Melrose and Melrose Place at 8401 Melrose Place, Los Angeles. It opens on October 3rd, which is the same day that Nordstrom will also relocate its Westside Pavilion store to Century City.