Nordstrom sets NYC reopenings

On Wednesday Nordstrom will become the first nonessential department store to open in New York City opening all of its New York stores. Nordstrom has been phasing in reopenings around the country for several weeks as coronavirus lockdowns have been lifted. The reopenings include the Nordstrom men's store and the Nordstrom women's store at 57th Street, along with the Nordstrom Rack stores in Union Square and and on Sixth Avenue, as well as the two Nordstrom Local Service Hubs at Third Avenue and Seventh Avenue.

“We’ve been paying close attention to guidance and directives from local and national authorities, taking steps to ensure our stores and operations remain in alignment with those,” the company said in a statement on Thursday. “We’re continuing that approach with our reopening and are only opening stores where it’s allowed by state and local governments, where we’re prepared with the proper safety measures and protocols, and where we have confidence we can ensure the safety and well-being of our employees and customers.”

On Monday, New York is expected to enter phase two of its reopening plan which includes restaurants and bars for outdoor dining, office spaces, in-store retail, barbershops, hair salons, car dealerships, and houses of worship. City playgrounds will also reopen as part of phase two. Approximately 300,000 employees are expected to return to work in phase two.

To ensure the safety of its customers, Nordstrom will be conducting health screenings for employees before they come to work, providing face coverings for employees and customers, limiting the number of customers and employees in the store, increasing cleaning and sanitization, modifying the fitting room experience, continuing contactless curbside pickup, pausing and adapting high touch services and customer events, keeping tried-on or returned merchandise off the sales four for periods of time, and altering hours of operation.

photo: courtesy of Nordstrom