<page> Exhibit 99.1
For Immediate Release
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September 1, 2005
NORDSTROM AUGUST SAME-STORE SALES INCREASE 8.0 PERCENT
SEATTLE - September 1, 2005 - Nordstrom, Inc. (NYSE: JWN) today reported
preliminary sales of $472.9 million for the four-week period ending August 27,
2005, an increase of 9.5 percent compared to sales of $431.8 million for the
four-week period ending August 28, 2004. Same-store sales increased 8.0
percent (1).
Preliminary year-to-date sales of $4.2 billion increased 8.0 percent
compared to sales of $3.9 billion in 2004. Year-to-date same-store sales
increased 6.4 percent.
During the month of September, Nordstrom will open two new stores; The
Shops at La Cantera in San Antonio, Texas on September 16th and at The Irvine
Spectrum in Irvine, Calif. on September 30th.
SALES RECORDING
To hear Nordstrom's prerecorded August 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>
August $472.9 $431.8 9.5% 8.0% 8.6% 11.0%
Year-to-date $4,233.9 $3,920.7 8.0% 6.4% 5.3% 16.1%
Number of stores
Full-line 95 93
Rack and other 57 56
International
Faconnable
boutiques 32 31
--- ---
Total 184 180
Gross square
footage 19,579,000 19,289,000
</table>
FUTURE REPORTING DATES
Nordstrom's financial release calendar for the next several months is
currently planned as follows:
September Sales Release Thurs., Oct. 6, 2005
October Sales Release Thurs., Nov. 3, 2005
Q3 Earnings Thurs., Nov. 17, 2005
November Sales Release Thurs., Dec. 1, 2005
Nordstrom, Inc. is one of the nation's leading fashion specialty
retailers, with 152 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 two
clearance stores. Nordstrom also operates 32 international Faconnable
boutiques in Europe. Additionally, Nordstrom serves customers through its
online presence at http://www.nordstrom.com and through its catalogs.
Nordstrom, Inc. is publicly traded on the NYSE under the symbol JWN.
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
<page>
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.