Bruce Nordstrom, Former Department Store Head, Dies at 90

Bruce Nordstrom, a retail executive who was instrumental in transforming his family’s department store chain into a prestigious national brand, has passed away.

The Seattle Times reported that Nordstrom was 90 years old at the time of his passing. He was part of the third generation of family leadership that expanded the family-owned business across Washington, Oregon, Alaska, and California in the 1970s.

According to a statement from his sons Pete Nordstrom, the store’s current president, and Erik Nordstrom, its CEO, Bruce Nordstrom will be remembered for his significant contributions to Nordstrom and his unwavering dedication to his family and friends. His passion, integrity, and tireless work ethic served as an inspiration to those around him. His greatest achievement, however, was being an exceptional father, husband, and grandfather.

The Nordstrom chain can be traced back to a Seattle shoe store founded by Swedish immigrant John Nordstrom and a partner in 1901. Bruce Nordstrom and other family members took over the business in 1968.

Subsequently, Nordstrom went public in 1971 and introduced its lower-priced Nordstrom Rack stores within the downtown Seattle Nordstrom store in 1973. The first standalone Nordstrom Rack opened in Clackamas, Oregon in 1983.

Time Magazine reported that Bruce Nordstrom was born on October 1, 1933, in Seattle to Libby and Everett Nordstrom. In 1963, under Bruce Nordstrom’s leadership, Nordstrom acquired Seattle-based Best Apparel and merged the stores under the name Nordstrom Best, expanding into men’s and children’s apparel.

Bruce Nordstrom retired from his executive role in 1995 and stepped down as chairman of Nordstrom’s board of directors in 2006.

A company statement from 2023 revealed that Nordstrom continues to operate 360 stores in the U.S., including 93 Nordstrom stores, 258 Nordstrom Rack stores, two clearance stores, and six Nordstrom Local service hubs. Additionally, in 2023, Nordstrom and Nordstrom Rack closed a combined total of 15 stores in the U.S. and Canada, with 13 closures in Canada and two in the U.S.

Bruce Nordstrom is survived by his sons, wife Jeannie, sister Anne Gittinger, and seven grandchildren.