Nordstrom kicked off the holiday shopping season with new strategies designed to attract customers back to downtown Seattle’s retail corridor, including free parking incentives and reimagined in-store experiences.
The Seattle-based retailer is offering complimentary parking at Pacific Place for shoppers who spend $25 or more during the holiday weekend. The company has also relocated its traditional Santa Claus photo experience from the street-level storefront to the fourth floor, positioned near the skybridge connecting to Pacific Place.
CEO Pete Nordstrom explained the reasoning behind the changes, emphasizing the importance of creating compelling in-person experiences that distinguish physical retail from online shopping. He noted that simply creating outdoor lines doesn’t necessarily translate to bringing customers inside the store.
“I think what’s universal and evergreen is the idea that people like coming down and having an experience in person,” Nordstrom said, discussing the company’s approach to holiday retail.
The department store has introduced what it describes as a “sensory adventure” featuring installations throughout the building designed to guide customers between different shopping areas. These experiential elements represent an effort to create memorable moments that cannot be replicated through digital commerce.
Nordstrom positioned these initiatives as beneficial not only for his company but for surrounding businesses in the downtown corridor. The CEO acknowledged that while tourism and convention center activity remain strong, and downtown residential population has grown, fewer people are making special trips from outlying areas specifically to shop.
“We didn’t build the store here so we could be on our own. We built it here so we could be around a lot of things happening,” Nordstrom explained. “It starts with us.”
The decision to place Santa’s photo booth at the skybridge entrance connects directly to Pacific Place, the adjacent shopping mall that has struggled to maintain tenant occupancy since undergoing remodeling before the pandemic. The mall enjoyed peak popularity in the late 1990s and early 2000s, when it was known for nightly indoor snow shows during the holiday season.
Pacific Place is planning multiple holiday attractions this year, including candlelight concerts, interactive activities, art exhibitions, and family-oriented events. On Black Friday, workers were installing scaffolding five stories high to facilitate a major upgrade of internal LED lighting systems throughout the mall.
Liyin Kok, who has owned and operated the Proto101 store near Pacific Place’s main entrance for four years, expressed enthusiasm about the mall’s direction despite vacancy challenges. Her store specializes in sustainably produced men’s and women’s basics and essentials.
“What’s really nice and has been a positive is a lot the spaces have allowed other small businesses to come in and flourish,” Kok said. She noted that shorter-term lease arrangements have enabled small retailers to test physical locations without the financial burden of long-term commitments, opportunities typically unavailable to emerging businesses.
Kok welcomed Nordstrom’s attempt to create an integrated shopping ecosystem between the department store and Pacific Place. The strategy aims to increase foot traffic throughout both properties by encouraging customers to move between the connected buildings.
The initiatives succeeded in drawing Winston McFarland and his 8-year-old daughter Hailey from Kirkland on Black Friday. McFarland explained they specifically chose to visit downtown Seattle despite having shopping options closer to home.
“We wanted to come to the iconic Nordstrom of Seattle. It’s Black Friday, obviously. We wanted to come and get an early start on the holidays,” McFarland said. When asked why he didn’t shop on the Eastside, he responded, “Yeah, but there’s only one Seattle, right? There’s no better place. That’s why we’re here.”
His comments reflect the challenge and opportunity facing downtown Seattle retailers. While suburban shopping centers offer convenience, the flagship urban location provides unique appeal that draws customers willing to make the extra effort.
Downtown Seattle’s retail core has faced multiple challenges in recent years, including pandemic-related closures, increased remote work reducing weekday foot traffic, and perception issues around street conditions. Retailers and property owners have been working to revitalize the area through various initiatives.
The free parking promotion addresses one frequently cited barrier to downtown shopping. Parking costs can add significantly to the expense of a shopping trip, making suburban alternatives more economically attractive. By absorbing parking fees for customers meeting a modest spending threshold, Nordstrom reduces this friction point.
The fourth-floor Santa location near the skybridge represents a strategic shift from traditional street-level holiday displays. While less visible to passersby, the new position encourages families visiting Santa to explore both Nordstrom and Pacific Place, potentially extending shopping visits and increasing overall spending.
The “sensory adventure” installations reflect broader retail trends toward experiential shopping. As e-commerce captures increasing market share, physical stores must offer experiences that justify the time and effort required to visit in person. Instagram-worthy installations, interactive displays, and unique environments create reasons to choose in-store over online shopping.
Pacific Place’s programming calendar, featuring concerts and art shows alongside traditional holiday events, similarly aims to position the mall as a destination for experiences rather than merely a collection of retail stores.
