John W. Nordstrom (born Johan Wilhelm Nordström, Swedish pronunciation: [ˈjuːhɑn ˈvɪlːhɛlm ˈnuːr(d)strœm]; February 15, 1871 – October 11, 1963) was a Swedish American businessman who was the co-founder of the Nordstrom department store chain.
He was born Johan Wilhelm Nordström (later anglicizing it to "John") in the village of Alvik, near Luleå.
While working at a sawmill he read a newspaper account of the discovery of gold in the Klondike and headed to Alaska to make his fortune.
He and Carl opened Wallin & Nordstrom, a shoe store, at Fourth Avenue and Pike Street in 1901.
Children: Nordstrom's only sister Maria's grandchildren and great-grandchildren still live in Alvik, the village where he was born, and in the nearby city of Luleå, all in the north of Sweden.