SEATTLE — The former chairman of Nordstrom, Bruce Nordstrom, died Saturday, according to family. He died "comfortably at his home," his loved ones said, with his wife Jeannie Nordstrom by his side.
Nordstrom took the helm of the eponymous retail chain in 1968 alongside other third-generation leaders of the family-run company. Just a few years later, the company went public, and he went on to aid the explosive growth of the fashion retailer.
The former chairman is known for taking the store from local to national after Nordstrom got its start in downtown Seattle in 1901.
He retired from his executive role in 1995, but in the decades prior under his leadership, he led with a strong commitment to inclusivity, particularly of sizes, designs and styles, said Darrel Hume, a retired executive of the fashion retailer.
"They had high expectations of excellence, but he had a compassion," said Hume.
Hume was among the executives who helped Nordstrom grow from five stores to 105 stores in three decades.
Bruce Nordstrom's oldest son Blake Nordstrom passed from Lymphoma in 2019.
His sons Pete and Eric Nordstrom are at the helm of the company now, and Hume said their dad was very communicative with them about the company, up until the very end.
"Perhaps his greatest achievement was being an amazing father, husband and grandfather," his loved ones said in a statement. "Our dad leaves a powerful legacy as a legendary business leader, a generous community citizen and a loyal friend."
Hume said Bruce Nordstrom's loyalty was felt by customers.
"A Nordstrom philosophy-- at the direction of Bruce-- was they wanted to have styles for everyone," said Hume.
Hume chuckled about a memory he has of his old friend; one that shows his sweet sense of humor.
"As he said, we want to serve the little old lady, and, we want to have little old lady shoes, and we want to have hooker shoes," said Hume.
"Did he really say that?" KING 5's Maddie White asked.
"Yes," Hume replied, laughing.
Nordstrom's compassion seeped into the company culture, said former Nordstrom pianist Serni Solidarios.
"It feels like it was just yesterday," said Solidarios, who played-- in a tuxedo-- in the late 1980s and early 1990s, primarily in the Tacoma store.
He is proud of his time entertaining Nordstrom's many shoppers.
He added, "It’s sort of like former Rockettes, I guess when you're in New York, 'I was a Rockette!' Well, I was a Nordstrom pianist.”
He said he thinks back on his time with a smile.
"People would come and leave their strollers. I’m playing, 'Can you watch my child for me?" Solidarios said, laughing. "We were all trying to uphold this feeling of quality and class and happiness.”
Solidarios continued, "I think he should have a bunch of pianists and grand pianos entering as he enters into that heavenly space, playing some welcoming music. I think he would deserve that, for all the people he's made happy.”