Nordstrom.

• Author: Johnson, Kaylene
• Position: Corporate 100 Profile - Company Profile

From Klondike gold to a national retail legend.

It's a classic rags to riches story. In 1887, a handsome Swede set foot in America with $5 in his pocket and a dream for a better life.

Never mind that John W. Nordstrom couldn't speak a word of English. With the dream guiding his course, he worked his way west in mines and logging camps. On a Sunday morning in 1897, Nordstrom read blazing newspaper headlines announcing gold had been discovered in the Klondike. It didn't take him long to decide what to do. Nordstrom headed north the same day, joining other hopeful prospectors in the Alaska Gold Rush.

There is a nugget of truth to the claim that the Last Frontier launched this successful entrepreneur. Nordstrom struck enough gold during the adventure to begin a small business of his own. In 1901, he opened the door to his first shoe store in Seattle. Little did Nordstrom know that he had begun a legacy in retail that would one day span four generations and employ 40,000 people in 11 states.

The company survived the Great Depression under the management of John's sons Everett, Elmer and Lloyd. The company faced further challenges during World War II. Critical shortages left inventories depleted, and ration stamps were used to purchase the limited shoes available. Military needs claimed all leather supplies, and shoe manufacturers were forced to use rubber soles.

It was during this period that Nordstrom's nationwide quest for shoes earned the company a reputation for varied stock and a large inventory. In 1961, at age 91, founder John W. Nordstrom was honored as the "Shoe Man of the Century."

Not content to be the largest independent shoe chain in the country, the Nordstrom family expanded its dreams and enterprises. The company purchased Best's Apparel stores in 1963, diversifying into women's clothing. It wasn't long before the store's inventory included men's wear, children's wear, accessories and eventually cosmetics.

To this day, Nordstrom continues to be a family-owned business. The third generation Nordstroms assumed management of the company in 1970, and currently seven great-grandchildren are employed by the company.

A Legend in Customer Service. Over the years, Nordstrom has become famous for its customer service. The company's liberal return policy prompted a joke that has become a cliche -- the one about the man who went into a Nordstrom store wondering if he could return his wife ...

The company takes its reputation seriously...