Victoria Maybee, Centretown News
American retailer Nordstrom officially opens March 6 at the Rideau Centre.Nordstrom will launch its second Canadian location at Ottawa’s Rideau Centre March 6 with 616 extensively trained local employees, according to Nordstrom Ottawa’s manager John Banks.
The opening comes after last year’s September launch of a Calgary store. Of the 616 new staff, the majority comes from the Ottawa community despite the company’s tendency to bring in management from other locations to promote from within.
Nordstrom spokesperson John Bailey says the company wanted to hire the store’s management locally to provide a Canadian perspective for the large American chain. The Ottawa-based department managers were sent to either Seattle or Calgary for eight weeks of training months before the opening.
“We wanted to have them learn our culture and work in stores with existing managers as mentors,” says Bailey. “They in turn develop skills to bring our Nordstrom culture of service back with them to Canada.”
Rana Khoury spent two months in Seattle training to become the men’s sportswear department manager in Ottawa. She says the experience was like none other she’s had in retail.
“It’s very clear Nordstrom takes pride in their people,” says Khoury.
Bailey says these training programs gave Nordstrom an opportunity to listen to Ottawa managers and understand how to best serve Canadians.
“Once we open our doors, we’re going to keep listening to our customers to learn what we got right and what we can improve on,” he says.
He says this has always been a big part of Nordstrom’s success in entering new regions.
Retail expert Barry Nabatian of Ottawa’s Shore-Tanner & Associates says he believes Nordstrom will survive in Ottawa. He says the trick to succeeding in Canada is conducting lots of consumer research to understand shopping habits, preferences and moods.
Colin Stevens, a University of Ottawa student set to work in the store’s restaurant, says Nordstrom’s attempts to hire locally will help them succeed in Ottawa.
“I think it’s important because it immerses the company into the new area which they are trying to thrive in,” says Stevens.
Nordstrom also plans to get involved with local charities, including the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation and United Way Ottawa.