Nordstrom Local Bolsters Its L.A. Presence
Two more Nordstrom Local service hubs are opening soon in Los Angeles, which happens to be the retailer’s largest-volume metro area.
The additions bring the Nordstrom Local count to five in L.A., and furthers the retailer’s evolving market strategy to bring greater conveniences to shoppers.
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The Nordstrom Local concept is designed to be a convenient service hub in neighborhoods where Nordstrom customers live and work, so trips to actual Nordstrom stores farther away can be avoided. Nordstrom Local provides such services as order pickups, returns, alterations, stylists and gift wrapping. It’s also a piece of the retailer’s overall strategy to get closer to customers, get them more engaged, and provide faster deliveries and more seamless shopping experiences, channel to channel.
They’re not mini-versions of Nordstrom stores and there’s no merchandise displayed, aside from a handful of items in the back of the store by a touch-screen for online shopping, or what Nordstrom stylists have gathered to show clients coming in.
The first Nordstrom Local opened on Melrose Avenue in L.A. three years ago. Subsequently, Nordstrom Locals opened in the Brentwood and downtown sections of L.A.
Coming up in L.A., a 1,193-square-foot Nordstrom Local at 2043 Westcliff Drive in Newport Beach is opening on Nov. 6, and a 1,886-square-foot Nordstrom Local at 451 Manhattan Beach Boulevard in Manhattan Beach is opening in the coming months.
There are also two Nordstrom Locals operating in New York City, in the West Village, at 13 Seventh Avenue between 11th and 12th Streets, and on the Upper East Side, at 1273 Third Avenue.
Before the pandemic, the company’s executives said the plan was to roll out the local market strategy with Nordstrom Locals to other major markets, including Chicago, San Francisco, Miami and Dallas. The timing of that is unclear.
“Opening Nordstrom Local service hubs in the Los Angeles area is part of the continuation of our market strategy in one of our largest markets to provide customers with greater access to merchandise selection and faster delivery while increasing convenience and connection through our services,” said Ken Worzel, the retailer’s chief operating officer. “Nordstrom Local customers who engage with our services at a Local including curbside pick-up, returns, alterations and styling spend more than two-and-a-half times compared to other customers.”
In Los Angeles, the Seattle-based Nordstrom operates 14 full-line stores and 30 Rack stores in addition to the Nordstrom Local locations. The two new Nordstrom Locals in L.A. will provide:
• Pickups from orders on nordstrom.com, nordstromrack.com and hautelook.com.
• Contactless curbside pickup.
• Dropoff points for returns from Nordstrom, Nordstrom Rack, Haute Look, Trunk Club and other online retailers.
• Alterations.
• Stylists.
• Gift wrapping.
• Drop off for empty beauty packaging to be recycled for free with Nordstrom Beautycycle.
• Drop off to donate “gently used” fashion.
