Commodi...huh?

 

incommodious, adj., inconvenient or uncomfortable, 

as by not affording sufficient space.

Well, those beautiful Nordstrom stores are more than 20 feet wide now, that's for sure!

Nordstrom is far and away my favorite place to shop.  Not because the prices are so good, or because I always find what I want there, but because, well...it smells good.  The employees are kind and helpful.  The store restaurant has good food and excellent service.  And, somehow, the atmosphere and attitude at Nordstrom makes me feel good about myself.  That fact alone makes it my favorite store EVER.

Fun facts to know and tell your friends about Nordstrom:

• Nordstrom was my daughter's first word.

• When I was a small girl, Nordstrom was the only place Mom would buy my shoes.

• I got my Nordy's charge card when I graduated high school in 1983.  The number was crazy low and I quickly memorized it (I'm sure I wasn't the only one!).  This made it incredibly easy to purchase things without needing the actual card. 

• Nordstrom's mission statement: "Reinvent Yourself"

And a few more interesting tidbits about Nordy's, from the Gloss:

• What a lot of people don’t know is that all Nordstrom sales associates make commission only. So next time you are thinking about taking back that *whatever* item you wore to death but can still return due to Nordstrom policy, remember that the person who sold it to you will then lose the commission they earned (oh yes, very careful track of all sales and who sold it exist). By all means return if you have a real reason. But so many return in dishonest ways just because they can. That is someones paycheck you are messin’ with…..

• Nordstrom prices are a wee bit lower than Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdale’s and Barneys New York. So if you are watching your budget but still want to look drop dead gorgeous, Nordstrom might be your store.

• While many stores during the Great Depression closed their doors, in 1930, the original shoes stores made $250,000 in sales. That is a lot of shoes!

• I wonder if the owners of Nordstrom in the 1980s were a huge fan of the movie Miracle on 34th Street, because the store became famous for the same reasons as the store in the movie.  Any of these sound familiar?

• clerks were known to pay shoppers’ parking tickets

• rush deliveries to offices

• unquestioningly accept returns

• lend cash to strapped customers

• lend tailors to customers’ homes

• many stores had free coat check service, concierges, and piano players who serenaded shoppers.

• And my favorite… the legend about the man who walked into Nordstrom to return two snowtires. Although the store specialized in shoes and apparel, the man was given his money back. So is this story just one of those urban myths that seems to circulate and make us wonder if there is anything to them?? Some say yes, but some say NO… it really happened.

For many years, new employees were given a copy of the famous Nordstrom's Employee Handbook – a single 5-by-8-inch gray card containing 75 words:

Welcome to Nordstrom
We're glad to have you with our Company. Our number one goal is to provide outstanding customer service. Set both your personal and professional goals high. We have great confidence in your ability to achieve them.

Nordstrom Rules:
Rule #1: Use best judgment in all situations.
There will be no additional rules.
Please feel free to ask your department manager, store manager, or division general manager any question at any time.

Well, that employee handbook may have been small, just like the humble shoe-store beginnings, but Nordstrom has certainly overcome it's incommodious past!