Business

Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Nordstrom unveils its plans

By: Staff Writer

Posted: 09/14/2012 1:00 AM | Comments: 0

MICHELLE SIU / THE CANADIAN PRESS Cadillac Fairview�s John Sullivan (left), Blake Nordstrom hold symbolic keys. (CP)

TORONTO -- High-end U.S. retailer Nordstrom is moving north of the border starting in fall 2014 with the opening of its first four Canadian stores in Toronto, Ottawa, Calgary and Vancouver.

The expansion, Nordstrom's first beyond U.S. borders, will create 1,000 new jobs and could see five more Canadian locations added in the years to come, the company said Thursday.

"We're just really excited for the opportunity to get our doors open here and prove ourselves," company president and CEO Blake Nordstrom said during an announcement in Toronto. "This is a significant milestone for us as a company."

The upscale department store joins a growing list of foreign chains that have recently announced they will vie for coveted Canadian consumer dollars.

The Seattle-based retailer will move into renovated space vacated by Sears Canada at the Pacific Centre in Vancouver, Chinook Centre in Calgary and the Rideau Centre in Ottawa. A new store will be built at Toronto's Sherway Gardens.

The tentative timeline for the Nordstrom stores opening is fall 2014 in Calgary, spring 2015 in Ottawa and Vancouver and fall 2016 in Toronto.

Vancouver will get the largest Nordstrom store, with three levels and 230,000 square feet planned.

The Ottawa store will be two levels and about 157,000 square feet, the Calgary store two levels with about 140,000 square feet, and the Toronto store will have two levels with about 138,000 square feet.

The openings will result in 1,000 new jobs, said Karen McKibbin, Nordstrom Canada's newly installed president.

In March, Sears announced it would sell back leases for three of its stores to Cadillac Fairview, its landlord, for about $170 million as it works to revamp its struggling Canadian operations.

Nordstrom says it's only fitting the chain is coming to Canada. One of its co-founders, John W. Nordstrom, immigrated to the Yukon from Sweden during the Klondike gold rush in the late 1890s. After working as a lumberjack and miner, he took a risk and started panning for gold in the northern Canadian territory.

Two years later, he saved $13,000 and used that capital to open the first Nordstrom shoe store in Seattle in 1901.

-- The Canadian Press

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition September 14, 2012 B9

Fact Check

Have you found an error, or know of something we’ve missed in one of our stories? Please use the form below and let us know.

* Required

In which story did you find the error? *
Please post the headline of the story or the title of the video with the error.
What was the error? *
Please post exactly what was wrong with the story.
What should we have written?
Please indicate your source for the correct information.
Who else should we interview to improve this story?
Please include any contact information you may have.
Can we contact you in the future for advice on stories about this topic?
Yes

No
First Name: *
Last Name: *
E–mail Address: *
This will only be used to contact you if we have a question about your submission, it will not be used to identify you or be published.
Phone: *
This will only be used to contact you if we have a question about your submission, it will not be used to identify you or be published.
Colour:
Are you blue? If you can see this, leave it blank and get some CSS support.
Enter the words that you see: * This is to prevent our forms from being filled out automatically.
You have failed to correctly identify the words in the box above. Please try again.

More Business

Undock

You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is be a Winnipeg Free Press print or e-edition subscriber to join the conversation and give your feedback.

Have Your Say

New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.

Have Your Say

Comments are open to Winnipeg Free Press print or e-edition subscribers only. why?

Have Your Say

Comments are open to Winnipeg Free Press Subscribers only. why?

The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.