In 1901, John W. Nordstrom opened his first shoe shop. Now, Nordstrom is one of America’s leading fashion specialty retailers, with 148 stores located in 27 states. Its stores offer a large selection of upmarket clothing, shoes and accessories for men, women and children, ranging from classic to contemporary, as well as exclusive couture designs. The company also operates 31 international Faconnable boutiques, primarily in Europe. The company also sells to customers online and through direct mail catalogues.