NORDSTROM: THE LONG WAIT IS OVER
Honolulu has been waiting for a full Nordstrom store almost as long as new manager Brian Tatsumura, left, Pam Miyashiro and Irving Ishihara
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After 18 months of construction on busy Kapiolani Boulevard near Ala Moana Center, the highly anticipated opening of Nordstrom is here. Doors open at 9:30 a.m. Friday, March 7.
Among the many who are excited to see the doors finally open is Brian Tatsumura, a local boy from Kaneohe who joined the company as a stock boy in 1973 and climbed his way down the corporate ladder - Nordstrom uses an inverted pyramid system - to store manager of Hawaii’s first full-line Nordstrom store.
“I had a friend working (at the shoe department at Liberty House, which was operated by Nordstrom) and he really liked it,” explains Tatsumura on what got him into the business. “At the time I was working at a service station, and when I went to apply they said I needed experience to be a shoe salesman at Nordstrom.
“So, I worked at Gallenkamp for a year, and then I went back (to Nordstrom) and said I got some experience, here I am. But at that point they didn’t have a sales job open, so I became a stock person and graduated from there.”
From shoe salesman Tatsumura went on to become a department manager, a merchandise manager, and then store manager of the Nordstrom Shoes and Nordstrom Rack stores on Oahu before being named manager of the new Nordstrom store at Ala Moana Center.
Nordstrom Shoes at Ward Centre will close its doors March 1. Nordstrom Rack (the off-price division of Nordstrom that offers 50 to 75 percent savings on apparel and shoes from Nordstrom stores) at Ward Village Shops will remain open.
According to Nordstrom fashion communications director Pamela Perret, the company has been looking at opening a full line store in Hawaii for more than 20 years.
Now the wait is over, and Tatsumura is confident that Nordstrom customers, as well as those who are not already familiar with the fashion specialty retailer, will find the new store to exceed their expectations.
“At Nordstrom, our employees strive to offer friendly, knowledgeable and welcoming service,” says Tatsumura. “And we have an extensive offering of merchandise, such as $15 slippers or a $2,000 designer handbag.
“Also, the Hawaii store will have the largest petite department in our company and the largest sunglass boutique. And we have local vendors, including Anne Namba, Fighting Eel, Tori Richard and Stan Shinkawa.
“Also, for men, we’ll have a real extensive selection of trousers.”
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The three-story, 210,000-square-foot store also features a gelato bar, marketplace cafe, Lippman manicure/pedicure bar, Anastasia brow bar, two gift wrap/package concierge, a salt-water fish tank in the children’s department, live piano music, two espresso bars and Personal Touch (complimentary personal stylists).
Customers also can enjoy complimentary gift boxes, and an on-site alteration and tailor shop.
“I’m a shoe guy all the way, so I would say my favorite part of the new store is the shoe department. It’s unbelievable,” says Tatsumura. “There are five different shoe departments, including three different women’s shoe departments on the second level.”
The store is expected to stock tens of thousands of pairs of shoes for men (from sizes 6 to 18 and widths that range from narrow and medium to wide), women (from size 4 to 12 and widths that range from narrow to wide), and children (from size 1-infant to 7-youth).
The women’s shoe department is divided into three sections: Salon Shoes (featuring exquisite designer footwear from renowned brands, such as Burberry, Lanvin, Manolo Blahnik, Miu Miu, Cole Haan and Kate Spade), Women’s Shoes (career, dress and casual looks for all budgets and tastes from top names in shoes, such as Biala, Linea Paolo, Athena Alexander, Michael Kors and Ugg) and B.P. Shoes (fashion-forward and athletic shoes from brands such as Betseyville by Betsey Johnson, Facade, Harajuku Lovers, Jessica Simpson, Steve Madden, Vans, Nike, Puma and Asics).
“In general, we offer customers the newest, most compelling mix of clothing shoes
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