Review: Nordstrom Rack at Union Square

I have been waiting for the new Nordstrom Rack at Union Square to open and it finally did this past week!!  Stupidly, I waited until the weekend to check it out.  It was CRAZY CROWDED!!  You would think New Yorkers have never seen a discount department store before.

Despite being located in a basement space, Nordie Rack feels spacious and airy due to the high ceilings.  The decor was typical of a Nordie Rack but definitely one-step up from Loehmann's.  All the racks were nicely and neatly organized despite the large amount of shoppers.  What did drive me crazy were the signs on certain racks that read "Brands Too Hot To Mention."  Seriously?  Vince, Elizabeth & James, Joie, Theory and others are "too hot to mention?"  

I was impressed by the amount of stock they had available in each size/style for designer jeans and designer basics.  If you need some inexpensive staples, you'll find it here.  Ernest Sewn jeans were $69.97.  Seven For All Mankind jeans were $99.97 - $119.97.  Cotton t-shirts and tanks from Splendid and James Perse started at $19.97 and $39.97, respectively.   I found a Michael Stars dress for $39.97.

The shoe collection was not very impressive but the bag collection was way better than expected.  I found a Rebecca Minkoff Nikki in grey for $279.97:

 
Other RM styles and colors were available as well.  I found a smaller selection of Treesje bags.  The Avalon Mini Satchel in patent black was nicely priced $249.97.  Some older Linea Pelle bags were also in stock.

The lines for the fitting room and the cashier were snaking through the store.  I'll be going back to shop when everyone calms down from their excitement over the opening of Nordie Rack.  Fittingly, I overheard a girl ask her friend, "Are you buying just to buy?"  I think everyone just wanted to say they purchased something - anything - from Nordie Rack.

So how will this affect Loehmann's?  When it comes to clothing, Loehmann's still has better prices (for now) when you take into account all the promotions/coupons that Loehmann's is constantly offering.  We'll need to wait and see what kind of promotions/coupons, if any, Nordie Rack will offer.

However, the clothes at Nordie Rack are definitely in better shape than the clothes at Loehmann's.  You don't get the picked over feeling (for now).  I didn't find anything torn, missing or stained - and you know what I'm talking about.  Plus, the selection at Nordie Rack (while significantly smaller than Loehmann's) is much better edited.  You'll spend less time sifting through junk before you find the treasure.

To top it off, Nordie Rack has the "new" advantage.  Everything is new and nothing looks shabby.  Loehmann's needs to really renovate its flagship store in Chelsea to compete in decor (and lighting).  I'm not writing Loehmann's off, but my first instinct will not probably be to head over to Nordie Rack before Loehmann's.  It doesn't hurt that the bag collection at Nordie Rack is significantly better than that of Loehmann's.

Provided those ridiculous lines shorten, Nordie Rack currently provides a much nicer discount department store shopping experience than that of Loehmann's.  It also helps that DSW and Filene's Basement are down the block.  We'll see how everything shakes out after a year...