The company was founded in 1901 as Wallin & Nordstrom by John W. Nordstrom, a Swedish immigrant who came to the United States in 1887, and Carl Wallin, the owner of a Seattle shoe store, whom Nordstrom had met during the Klondike gold rush. Twenty-two years later a second shoe store was opened.
By 1929 both Nordstrom and Wallin had retired and control of the company passed to Nordstrom's sons, Everett and Elmer.
Thirty-one years later Nordstrom had expanded to eight stores in two states, but still only sold shoes. Apparel came with its purchase of Best Apparel of Seattle in 1963. The company's name was changed to Nordstrom Best in 1966.
Five years later the company was taken public. (It currently trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol JWN.) In 1973 "Best" was dropped from the company's name.
1975 saw Nordstrom expand into Alaska, 1978 brought its stores to California, and in 1988 Nordstrom opened its first East Coast store.