Founder Profile
John W. Nordstrom
Last reviewed: October 2026 · By Swet Parvadiya
Who is John W. Nordstrom?
John W. Nordstrom is a founder of Nordstrom, Inc., which was founded in 1901 with Carl Wallin.
- Company founded
- Nordstrom, Inc.
- Founded
- 1901
- Co-founders
- Carl Wallin
Background
Swedish immigrant who worked as a laborer, logger, and miner before joining the Klondike Gold Rush in 1897, where he earned about $13,000.
Founding Story
John W. Nordstrom emigrated from Sweden to the United States as a teenager and worked in mines and logging camps before joining the Klondike Gold Rush in 1897. He used his gold earnings to open Wallin & Nordstrom, a Seattle shoe store, with Carl Wallin in 1901. The store's emphasis on fit, selection, and service shaped the company's culture. He sold his stake to his sons in the late 1920s, and his descendants still run the company.
John W. Nordstrom was born in 1871 in Alvik.