Nordstrom receives a grand welcome

Hundreds of people, including some from the neighbor islands, rush to see the department store

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The doors to Hawaii's first full-line Nordstrom department store opened yesterday morning to throngs of customers at Ala Moana Center.

Some took the day off just to shop, while others flew in from neighbor islands.

Nordstrom employees lined the aisles of the first floor entrance to welcome and applaud customers as they walked in -- a company tradition for the last 20 years.

Peter Nordstrom, president of merchandising, said he considered it one of the more emotional grand openings he's attended.

Hundreds of customers flowed into the store, filling every inch of the three-level, 210,000-square-foot store. But it was Nordstrom's three women's shoes departments that were the most packed.

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Nordstrom opened its doors yesterday morning to throngs of customers, some of whom had arrived as early as 4 a.m. to get a peek at the company's first full-line department store in Hawaii.

The doors to the three-level, 210,000-square-foot department store at Ala Moana Center actually opened at 9:30 a.m. following a Hawaiian blessing.

As was customary, Nordstrom employees lined up at the first-floor entrance and applauded the customers as they walked in. The applause continued for at least an hour, as hundreds of people poured through the doors.

"This is probably more emotional than most [openings] because of the build-up and because of how everyone welcomed us," said Pete Nordstrom, president of merchandising. "And because of the whole Aloha spirit. It's been really special."

Hundreds of shoppers -- many of whom took the day off just for the occasion -- hit the ground running.

Once inside, they were scoping out the shoes, combing through racks of fashions, and continuing cosmetics consultations that began at the cosmetics tailgating party two hours earlier outside.

"It's beautiful," said Barbara Jean Eberly, who flew in yesterday morning from Maui. "It was worth the trip and I'm going to be looking around."

Eberly was excited to display her very first purchase at Nordstrom -- Laila cosmetics and fragrances, along with a reversible bag trimmed with leopard print.

She arrived early to go to the cosmetic tailgating party, and was flying back to Maui at the end of the day.

She also succumbed to opening a Nordstrom charge card.

"I'm coming back," she said.

Nordstrom's first full-line department store in Hawaii sets itself apart by offering the largest sunglasses selection of all stores in the nation, as well as the most extensive petites section.

Besides two espresso bars, it offers a gelato bar, restaurant, Anastasia brow bar, Lippman manicure/pedicure bar, on-site alterations and personal shoppers.

Men's shoe sizes range from 6 to 18, and women's bras from 30AA to 42JJ.

Teri Ueatari of Liliha -- who took the day off to attend the grand opening with her mom -- was busy trying on several pairs of shoes.

"It's been a long time coming," she said. "This is the best birthday gift I could get."

Ueatari said she was looking forward to the new Nordstrom because of the selection, and many of the brand names she hasn't seen here before.

"It's also the customer service," she said.

Customers filled all three levels of the store, and were ordering drinks at the espresso bars as well, but the women's shoe departments (Nordstrom has three in all) were, by far, the most packed.

Nordstrom Shoes closed its doors at Ward Centre last week and was integrated into the new department store. The new Nordstrom offers 50 percent more floor space dedicated to shoes.

Nordstrom hired more than 600 employees, 525 locally.

"It's the buzz on the Big Island," said Mary Fitzgerald of Waikoloa, who flew into Honolulu for the day. "It's just a great company. I'm here for the shoes."

Diane Ilstrup, a Kona resident, also took an inter-island trip with several friends to shop at Nordstrom for the weekend. Originally from the mainland, she's already familiar with the department store.

"It surpassed what I thought it would be," said Ilstrup. "I think it's the Aloha spirit. I've never been to a store with so many people, and employees being so welcoming."

Ilstrup also said she was surprised by the prompt service when making her purchases.

The Hawaii store is Nordstrom's 103rd full-line department store, following another recent opening in Aventura, Fla.

Nordstrom hopes to have between 140 to 150 full-line stores by 2015.

Nordstrom, founded in 1901 as a shoe store in Seattle, has set its own standards for customer service, detailed in a book called "The Nordstrom Way" by author and speaker Robert Spector.

The tradition of lining up to applaud customers on opening day was established 20 years ago, according to Erik Nordstrom, president of stores.

"It's about our spirit of service for the customer," he said.