Upscale department store chain Nordstrom didn’t wait until after the holiday season to close a couple of its stores, as it shut down its Santa Monica, Calif., store at the Third Street Promenade shopping district on Aug. 26 and its St. Louis store in the Galleria Mall on Aug. 24, 2025.

Correction: Nephew Kenneth Lakin’s name was misspelled in the original posting and corrected March 13 @ 11:25 a.m. Department stores have been on an inexorable slide into oblivion over the last three decades. With fewer than 20 department store firms ...

At the brand’s New York flagship, Nordstrom has carved out a two-story section designed to carry mostly small giftable items that cost less than $100, including classic toys like Barbie dolls and Lego sets alongside snow globes, candles and pajamas.

The programming for the museum also known as Whitehall includes a series of lectures, musical performances and Christmas tree lighting celebration.

The Golden Age of American Department Stores A period spanning from the late 19th century through the mid-20th century, the Golden Age of the American Department