Nordstrom Local - a shop where you can't buy anything

Nordstrom - the big American retailer - has opened up an interesting anti-shop in New York City, which they have branded Nordstrom Local. It's an anti-shop because it actually doesn't sell anything.

'Situated on the Upper East Side, it instead offers services like shoe, handbag and small leather goods repair and allows customers to pick up or return items, including online orders from other retailers. This is the first Nordstrom Local in New York. The retailer has opened three others in Los Angeles and plans another one in New York’s West Village later this month.

"Nordstrom Local is about giving customers more access to brands and styles they love, to try on or take home in a fast and convenient way. We hope to make shopping easy by being closer to where our customers live and work," says Jamie Nordstrom, President, Nordstrom stores. “We want to bring the added convenience of services such as online order pick-up, fast and easy returns, alterations, styling and more as close to customers as possible."' - via

According to Forbes:

'Nordstrom has become the first U.S.-based multi-line fashion retailer to offer an online shopping microsite dedicated to sustainable fashion. The Sustainable Style site features brands created from sustainably sourced materials, manufactured in factories that meet high social or environmental standards or that give back.'

The idea of a big retail brand - selling the virtues of being anti-establishment ties in perfectly with what we were talking about on the podcast this week.

As Susan suggested in the show - retailers are struggling to understand how to appeal to Millennial and Gen Z customers who are hyper-aware of the impact that their consumer behaviour has on the planet.

It's no secret that consumers [at least those in developed markets for now] are looking for options which tick the sustainability box - both for people and planet. Those brands that are bold enough to offer a transparent and accountable value creation process are well positioned to grow in the future.