Seattle-based Nordstrom is preparing to reopen some of its department stores, offering a glimpse at how shopping at the retailer will be different coming out of the coronavirus pandemic. "Our stores won't open all at once," President Pete Nordstrom and Chief Executive Erik Nordstrom said in a memo. "We're going to take a phased approach." Nordstrom laid out a number of changes in the wake of reopening stores. First, the retailer will be limiting the number of people that can come in its stores all at once, and store hours will be shortened to allow for additional cleaning. Nordstrom said it will be reopening its Ebar coffee shops. But its restaurants will resume operations on a case-by-case basis. Some employees will be positioned at store entrances to hand out masks to customers who need them. All Nordstrom workers will be provided with face coverings. It will also shut some of its dressing rooms and clean them between uses. Nordstrom added that any merchandise that is tried on, or returned, will be held "for a period of time" before it goes back to the rack or shelf. Around checkout areas, Nordstrom will be adding plexiglass dividers to protect cashiers from customers and said it will clean these areas after each shopper's transaction. It added that it is working toward making all transactions contactless, meaning it will only accept credit cards and not cash.

The coronavirus pandemic does allow Nordstrom to lean into one of its most popular services: Buy online, pick up in store. The company said it will be offering curbside pickup at more locations, and adding parking spaces for returns outside some stores.

On the same day, Nordstrom announces it will permanently close 16 full-line stores across the country, which represents about 14% of its fleet.

Read press release below for more details on the reopening

press release: Nordstrom Provides COVID-19 Business Update

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