<page> Exhibit 99.1
For Immediate Release
May 5, 2005
NORDSTROM APRIL SAME-STORE SALES INCREASE 6.9 PERCENT
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SEATTLE - May 5, 2005 - Nordstrom, Inc. (NYSE: JWN) today reported preliminary
sales of $531.7 million for the four-week period ending April 30, 2005, an
increase of 8.1 percent compared to sales of $491.7 million for the four-week
period ending May 1, 2004. Same-store sales increased 6.9 percent (1).
Preliminary first quarter sales of $1.7 billion increased 7.7 percent compared
to 2004 first quarter sales of $1.5 billion. First quarter same-store sales
increased 6.2 percent.
SALES RECORDING
To hear Nordstrom's prerecorded April sales message, please dial (402) 220-
6036. This recording will be available for one week.
<table>
<caption>
SALES SUMMARY Total Sales Same-store Sales (1)
----------- ----------------
(unaudited; Fiscal Fiscal Percent Total Full-Line Rack
$ in millions) 2005 2004 Increase Retail Stores Stores
--------- --------- -------- ------ --------- ------
<s> <c> <c> <c> <c> <c> <c>
April $531.7 $491.7 8.1% 6.9% 4.7% 19.4%
First Quarter $1,654.4 $1,535.5 7.7% 6.2% 4.6% 17.5%
Number of stores
Full-line 95 93
Rack and other 56 56
International
Faconnable
boutiques 31 31
--- ---
Total 182 180
Gross square
footage 19,550,000 19,289,000
</table>
FUTURE REPORTING DATES
Nordstrom's financial release calendar for the next several months is
currently planned as follows:
First Quarter Earnings Tues., May 17, 2005
Shareholder Meeting Tues., May 24, 2005
May Sales Release Thurs., June 2, 2005
June Sales Release Thurs., July 7, 2005
July Sales Release Thurs., Aug. 4, 2005
Nordstrom, Inc. is one of the nation's leading fashion specialty retailers,
with 151 US stores located in 27 states. Founded in 1901 as a shoe store in
Seattle, today Nordstrom operates 95 full-line stores, 49 Nordstrom Racks,
five Faconnable boutiques, one free-standing shoe store, and one clearance
store. Nordstrom also operates 31 international Faconnable boutiques in
Europe. Additionally, Nordstrom serves customers through its online presence
at http://www.nordstrom.com and through its direct mail catalogs.
Investor Contact: Media Contact:
Stephanie Allen, 206-303-3262 Deniz Anders, 206-373-3038
(1) Effective February 2005, Nordstrom Direct sales, which include catalog
and Internet, are included in Total Retail same-store sales. To serve as a
basis for comparison, as this was not the case last year, a presentation of
2004 monthly, quarterly and full-year same-store sales that includes
Nordstrom Direct is available on the Investor Relations homepage of our
website under Recent Reports.