Nordstrom’s N.Y.C. Flagship Just Doubled the Size of Its Men’s Shoe Department. Here’s a Look Inside.
Nordstrom is continuing to invest in its men’s footwear business with the unveiling of an expanded shoe offering at its N.Y.C. men’s store.
According to the retailer, it has doubled the size of its men’s shoes department on its lower level to provide New York customers with an expanded selection of styles including 15 new-to-Nordstrom N.Y.C. brands.
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Jason Jarrell, VP, and DMM for men’s and active shoes at Nordstrom, told FN in an interview that new shoe brands to the NYC men’s store include AllSaints, Asics, Axel Arigato, Craft, Ecco, Frye, Karhu, Mephisto, Merrell 1trl, New Balance, Polo Ralph Lauren, Puma, Saucony, and Wolf & Shepherd. Expanded assortments from brands including Magnanni, Santoni, To Boot New York, and Cole Haan were also added. “These brands resonate with our customers and play a role in discovery,” Jarrell said.
In addition to these new labels, the expanded shoe floor also sees the debut of the newly redesigned Nordstrom x Nike shop, a new permanent On shop-in-shop, and Jason Markk’s very-first East Coast retail store and shoe care service location. According to Jarrell, the Jason Markk area will feature a mix of local, seasonal beers on tap that will allow customers to enjoy a pint while they get their sneakers cleaned.
However, the biggest addition to the floor is seen in the store’s sneaker selection, the executive said.
“We’re really excited about the revival of iconic sneakers, like the Adidas Gazelle and Nike Cortez,” Jarrell said. “You’ll also see a robust assortment in the active performance running and training space. We’re also really excited for the built-up Oxford this season from brands like Bottega Veneta, Vinny’s, Allen Edmonds, and Dr. Martens, as well as dress-sneaker-hybrids from brands like Cole Haan and Wolf & Shepherd.”
In total, Jarrell noted that the shoe floor now has a total of 80 brands across designer, dresswear, modern sportswear, contemporary, trend, young customer, and the active categories.
Opened in 2018, this marks the first major overhaul to the Nordstrom N.Y.C. Men’s Store since welcoming its first customers. Asked what sparked the decision to expand the shoe floor, Jarrell said that it was time to evolve its offering with the customer needs. “This expansion provides us with an opportunity to further speak to our broad customer base here in N.Y.C. with a curated selection of the world’s best brands across price points,” the executive said. “We’re excited to continue to provide customers with newness and a sense of discovery, as well as an in-store service experience that only our shoe teams can provide.”
As for how this expansion fits into Nordstrom’s overall men’s strategy, Jarrell noted that the company is all about making sure it’s able to serve its broad customer base from head-to-toe. “We know our New York customers live a very active lifestyle and we need to ensure that we’re meeting all of his needs,” Jarrell said. “We’re constantly looking across categories in order to ensure that we’re doing just that. We are committed to being a trusted resource, giving customers the opportunity to discover what’s next in shoes across all life stages and customer needs, including new brands and products.”
This expansion comes one month after the retailer reported its most recent earnings. In the second quarter of 2023, the Seattle-based department store reported net sales decreased 8.3 percent to $3.77 billion versus the same period in fiscal 2022, improving sequentially from the first quarter decrease of 11.6 percent. Nordstrom’s net income in the quarter rose to $137 million, or 84 cents per share, from $126 million, or 77 cents a share, a year earlier.
Officially opening today, Nordstrom is celebrating the new space, located at 235 West 57th Street, with a party on Wednesday where customers will enjoy cocktails, light bites, a DJ set by @chopstixmami, and shoe activations from select brands.
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