Nordstrom 2006 Annual Report Download - page 14

We will continue with a disciplined approach to real estate acquisitions, adding new stores when and where they pass our criteria.
Our current strategy calls for a 4–5% increase in square footage growth, with 26 new and relocated stores announced through
2011. We particularly want to take this opportunity to share with you how excited we are about the opening of our first store in
the Boston area this fall at Natick Collection. We have wanted to open a store in Boston for many years. Outside of Manhattan,
it is the last major market in the U.S. where we have not had a presence; now we’ll have four stores there in the next four years.
Also opening this fall will be new stores at Twelve Oaks Mall in Novi, Michigan; Cherry Creek Shopping Center in Denver, Colorado;
and a new Nordstrom Rack at Southcenter Square in Tukwila, Washington.
Growth opportunities are a direct outcome of a strong performing store base — therefore, our number-one priority is to make
Nordstrom the best it can be, both in terms of overall shopping experience and achieving sales potential. We believe the
significant progress we’ve made is just the beginning of a tremendous opportunity to build even more relationships with our
customers. By focusing on the initiatives we’ve laid out, we know there is more market share to be gained.
Our companyis unique in many ways. We are especially fortunate to have the diversity of talented individuals who bring their
energy and ideas every day. There’s Eulia Saurwein at our Southcenter store in Tukwila, Washington, who’s been a top-selling
”Pacesetter“ a remarkable 31 years in a row. There’s Kimberly Lucas, a 2006 graduate of our Future Nordstrom Leaders program,
nowthe “via C” manager at our Houston, Texas store. And there’s Kristie Brousseau who, at 100 years of age, continues to bring
smiles tothe customers at our Nordstrom Cafe in downtown Seattle.
We’d also like to thank Ray Ahana of Hawaii, our longest tenured manager, and Hazel Martin, a shoe salesperson from
Oregon, who both retired this past year after successful careers of 39 and 51 years respectively. Our summer internship
program continues to grow, with about 400 energetic and diverse college students joining us this past year. Ana Jimenez,
aformer intern and University of Washington graduate, was recently promoted to be our Northwest Diversity Affairs
Assistant. Kimiko Saito, another intern and U.C. San Diego graduate, is now our Women’s Active Manager
at University Towne Center in San Diego. As our company grows, we continue to take pride in the many
people excited to build on the traditions of service and product that define Nordstrom.
As you can see, there is a great deal of optimism on our end for the future of our company.
If we focus on being the best Nordstrom we can be — as we continue to evolve — there’s
tremendous upside ahead.
On behalf of our executive team, we’d like to thank you for your continued support.
Sincerely,
Blake W.Nordstrom
President,Nordstrom, Inc.