Upscale Nordstrom wary of Target's failure as it prepares to open in Calgary

It’s one of the largest retail chains in the United States, but upscale giant Nordstrom Inc. is striking a decidedly humble tone in the lead-up to the opening of its first Canadian store at Calgary’s Chinook Centre.

The store opened its doors to media Thursday for a sneak peek in advance of the Sept. 19 opening, and Nordstrom representatives talked up everything from the chain’s legendary customer service, to its selection of luxury brands, to its contemporary light-filled interior design.

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Nordstrom bets on a slow, cautious entry into Canada

For Karen McKibbin, getting it right is more important than doing it fast in her latest assignment at upscale U.S. chain Nordstrom Inc.

The president of Nordstrom’s Canadian division has been gearing up for two years for the launch of its first store here on Sept. 19 in Calgary’s Chinook Centre. She watched another U.S. retail giant – discounter Target Corp. – stumble in rapidly introducing its first 124 outlets in this country in 2013 amid customer complaints of empty shelves and overhigh prices.

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Nordstrom to open new restaurant concept in Canada?

Nordstrom representatives won't yet reveal what restaurants the retailer will operate in its Canadian stores. An astute Toronto-based lawyer may have found an answer, however. Anjli Patel noticed that in the April 16th Canadian Trade-Marks Journal (PDF), Nordstrom registered the Bar Verde name for use in Canada. Bar Verde is a new restaurant concept for Nordstrom, and currently operates within two California Nordstrom locations. 

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Five minutes with Nordstrom’s Vice President of Customer Experience

Since hearing Pat Ogawa speak at Shop.org’s Annual Summit last year, I’ve been following innovation at Nordstrom quite closely. It’s been refreshing to see the historic brand, known for its in-store customer experience, thrive both online and off while bringing digital to the physical store experience (I’m sure you remember the coverage of their Pinterest initiative). And while it may be a top buzzword this year, innovation – beyond making Nordstrom a compelling place to shop – also makes it an exciting place to work. From the introduction of an Innovation Lab and Customer Experience Center to a full-blown tech talent recruitment plan, it’s clear that the Nordstrom leadership team recognizes that great ideas come from all types of employees in any area of the company – and value their contributions on how the brand can continually improve the customer experience.

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