I said it the other day, and now I say it again today. The retail world is changing. It has to. Traditional retailers cannot compete with online merchants.
Therefore, Nordstrom has opened its first store without inventory, called Nordstrom Local. The 3,000 sq. ft. store, the first one located in West Hollywood, CA., just features a few dressing rooms. The average Nordstrom store used to be 140,000 sq. ft.
The smaller Nordstrom store features personal stylists, beverage bars, salons, and alteration sections.
Nordstrom likes these convenient locations because they can provide better customer service like same-day alterations and convenient pick-ups for purchases and returns.
Nordstrom is still figuring out the correct retail concept for the future. I think they are getting very close.
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DigiDame 
Can’t wait to hear more on this unfolding story. We have an established department chain that is going under gradually this year. It’s painful to watch, but we know it’s inevitable!
Like most “improvements” in the world today, I’m not sure I like this one. I think most retailers dilute their mystique by having a location around every corner. I still remember going downtown to Neiman’s when it was one of only a handful of locations in the world and there were no Nordstroms in Dallas at all. Now both of them are all over the place and I actually have to think about it to figure out whether I’m in Neiman’s or Nordstrom’s, because they are almost interchangeable. Convenience has taken a lot of the fun out of shopping, as far as I’m concerned, but I know I’m a dinosaur. I rarely purchase anything online. I like wandering around seeing, feeling and smelling. I also like the instant gratification of receiving my purchase wrapped in tissue and handed to me in a crisp shopping bag with handles. When someone rolls up my purchase and sticks it in a slinky plastic bag, I feel cheated.