To draw in fashion-conscious customers and those on their lunch breaks, Nordstrom is gearing up to open its inaugural, full-line store in Manhattan. The location will stock men’s clothing along with shoes and grooming supplies in Midtown, The New York Times reported.
“We know a market like New York doesn’t need just another place to buy a pair of pants,” Peter Nordstrom, a company co-president, told the Times.
The store, which will be near many luxury apartments under construction, will feature both shoe shiners and digital screens that can show custom-made jackets on a shopper’s avatar. In addition, the store will have 16 tailors on staff. Shoppers can even make returns through digital kiosks without interacting with a staff member.
For inventory, the store will stock items at a variety of price points, including Samuelsohn suits, starting at about $1,000, and Vans sneakers at around $50.
The news comes as Nordstrom debuted a new store design, Nordstrom Local, in early October in West Hollywood. At 3,000 feet, the location is less than 25 percent of the size of a regular Nordstrom. Clothes and accessories are available to try on, but the store won’t actually have them in stock. Instead, after perfecting a customer’s look, Nordstrom can either send a personal shopper to retrieve the goods from nearby locations in L.A. or arrange to have the goods shipped directly to the customer’s home.
“Shopping today may not always mean going to a store and looking at a vast amount of inventory,” Shea Jensen, Nordstrom’s SVP of Customer Experience, said. “It can mean trusting an expert to pick out a selection of items.”
The store also features a bar and functions as a pick-up and drop-off station for consumers. Orders placed before 2:00 p.m. can be picked up on the same day. Tailors are available to make alterations or to help members of Nordstrom’s Trunk Club.