We went inside Nordstrom's new secondhand store and saw how resale is the latest way department stores are reinventing themselves

Bethany Biron

Jan 31, 2020, 03:53 IST

We went inside Nordstrom's new secondhand store and saw how resale is the latest way department stores are reinventing themselves

Bethany Biron/Business Insider

Nordstrom is trying its hand at resale.

Nordstrom is wading into resale with the launch of See You Tomorrow, a secondhand shop located within its recently opened New York City flagship store.
Curated by Olivia Kim, Nordstrom's vice president of creative products, the store's inventory is pulled from a mix of customer contributions as well as returned or lightly damaged designer items from the Nordstrom Quality Center.
The effort reflects Nordstrom's continued push to reinvent itself in an era when the traditional department store model continues to struggle.
We got a sneak peek of the shop before it debuts on January 31 and saw why See You Tomorrow may give The RealReal a run for its money.
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As Nordstrom eyes a piece of the growing resale market, the department store is trying its hand at opening a secondhand store of its own.

On Friday, the department store will debut See You Tomorrow, a new resale shop located within Nordstrom's recently opened New York City flagship. The store will feature a mix of items pulled from Nordstrom Quality Center, a facility that processes returns and damaged merchandise, as well as from customer contributions. All products will be authenticated and "expertly cleaned, repaired, and refurbished," according to a Nordstrom press release.

The effort reflects Nordstrom's continued push to reinvent itself in an era when the traditional department store model continues to struggle. It also takes a cue from brands like Macy's and JCPenney, which recently turned to secondhand retail through partnerships with ThredUp, as part of a strategy to increase foot traffic and entice younger, more eco-conscious shoppers to stores.

Adding to its appeal, See You Tomorrow is hand-selected and curated by Olivia Kim, vice president of creative projects at Nordstrom, who has a particular eye for the latest trends and fashions.

"We want our customers to feel good not only about what they're buying, but how they're buying it," Kim said in a statement.

We previewed the See You Tomorrow store, which is also available online, the day before its official public opening. Here's what it was like:

See You Tomorrow is located in the former location of the Burberry pop-up store at Nordstrom's New York flagship store on 57th Street.

The store design, which features gold-plated tables and displays like these, was conceptualized by artist Marc Hundley.

As we walked into the store, we were quickly impressed by its bright, poppy design and collection of brands.

In addition to its wide array of beloved luxury designers, the shop plans to spotlight a rotating selection of specially chosen companies, starting with the Copenhagen-based fashion brand Ganni.

Customers looking to simplify their closets can bring lightly worn luxury goods to the New York flagship in exchange for a Nordstrom gift card.

In the near future, Nordstrom plans to roll out an online intake form for customers to participate around the country.

All tags and online listings indicate the condition of the item, which dictates the price. For example, this classic Comme des Garçons shirt was listed as "Great" and was priced at $71.

See You Tomorrow has an impressive collection of shoes, including this entire wall of nearly mint condition designer footwear.

The shoes hailed from brands ranging from Burberry to Jimmy Choo.

There was also a large assortment of designer handbags in all shapes and sizes.

With its floor-to-ceiling glass windows, See You Tomorrow has tons of natural light and provides a great view of Manhattan.

We especially loved the colorful floor accents, like this whimsical arrow rug ...

... and this eye-popping floor design.

The dressing rooms stayed on theme.

The shop definitely felt like it could give The RealReal a run for its money.

While See You Tomorrow mostly features women's apparel, there were also a few racks of menswear items and shoes.

The store didn't scrimp on accessories, like these quirky handbags and bedazzled headbands ...

... as well as this array of delicate silver jewelry.

There was even a small collection of apparel for kids, like this teeny tiny Burberry shirt.

We found a robust collection of designer denim at a wide range of prices.

We spotted quite a bit of Burberry.

However, not everything was secondhand. We spotted a few brand new beauty and home good items like these candles and lotions.

Hungry shoppers can browse from an assortment of snacks and grab-and-go salads toward the back of the store.

For those looking to rest their weary feet, See You Tomorrow also has a variety of seating options, like this couch adorned in a variety of animal prints.

"We're excited to show our customers another way Nordstrom is striving to leave the world better than we found it and circular fashion is another piece to this puzzle," Pete Nordstrom, co-president of the company, said in a statement.

Ultimately, we were thoroughly impressed with the store and definitely plan to come back.

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