I have to admit I've never bought a $195 shirt at Nordstrom --or anywhere-- but the piano guys (I don't ever recall a woman pianist) made the place something special. Always made me wish I'd stuck with it after ten years of lessons...

There's this marketing concept that eludes me...that you should never feel like you're someplace special. Or maybe "alien" is what these marketers think. So in "Macy's" downtown...you could be in Macy's in Washington Square, or the Macy's in Melbourne Florida...it's all the same and somehow, I guess, comforting, in the way it's conforting to know you can cross the country --or take a seat on the Champs Elysee-- and have a McDonald's burger that will always, always, always taste the same.

Maybe the piano men were unreliable...never could tell when one would break out and strike a few Thelonius Monk chords or, god forbid, play the Piano Man. Maybe too discordant a note for selling $195 shirts.

Yep, too much opportunity for actual human interaction there. Too real.

I wish New Seasons would try live music once in a while.

There were live country musicians playing in the Austin airport lobby when I arrived there a few weeks ago. Way cool.

I'll miss them. One Christmas I was going through the store by the Piano man pushing my twin boys in their stroller when suddenly he broke in to the Wrigly Doublemint Gum theme song. I'd like to see piped-in music do that. Humbug.

Evolution in retail sucks. First it was Lipmans going out of business, then Meier & Frank changing to Macys, and now this. I guess I'll just go to Walmart and hope that they will pick up the slack and hire an accordian player.

What little soul it had is now gone. Never cared much for their selection of menswear anyway.

What's galling is Nordstrom's putting out an excuse that customer's prefer canned music, according to their research. Yeah right. I bet the only research they conducted started and stopped in the accounting department.

The Oregonian, never wanting to insult its major advertisers, is complicit in this deceit. It stuck the consumer preference line up in the top of the story and way down was buried a mention of the need for "considering profits before ambience."

I guess someone in their marketing department rode in an elevator and liked it.

You can still get your fix of free live holiday music out at PDX.

I'm actually surprised they pay the piano players anything at all--I always assumed it was a tradeoff wherein the piano player got exposure (they always have business cards and CDs on the piano) and Nordstrom got a few hours of playing time.

In any event, yes, lame decision by the bean counters.

We have gone to the Nordstrom's downtown santa claus for almost a decade. They've also systematically cut back on that.

First few years, he was on the first floor in a nice alcove (now where sunglass hut is). Always a great Santa with real beard, very friendly.

Price was always right--$3 or $4 for a nice polaroid snap. No crazy Meijer and Frank sort of over the top, just a quiet visit with Santa.

Then they moved him to the 4th floor (essentially out of sight--not smart!) in customer service.

Then out on the 4th floor near the escalators, really a crappy location.

Then last year, it was no longer the same Santa we'd had for years, but a sort of cheesy looking guy.

Anyone know if they have a better set up at any other Nordstrom's?

I was quite bummed to read this. Always thought the live piano was such an elegant touch and part of what made Nordie's "unique" (sort of). Wonder what they're going to do with all those gorgeous grand pianos now. Let's hear it for the OneCorp...

The article says these guys only make $12 to $16 an hour and that they all SHARE a 36 hour work week. Assuming that they are all part-time with no benefits that comes to $26,208 a year assuming an average of $14 an hour. How many millions does a Nordies store gross in a year? Cheap bastards.

This reminds me of a joke:

A guy walks into a bar and pulls out a tiny piano and a 12-inch pianist.

Oh, wait. I can't tell that one here.

“Tell me about it! Do you think I asked for a 12-inch pianist?”

Mate. Go see Seyta Selta, the duchess. She'll tailor a shirt for your measurements for $95, and monogram the cuffs.

http://www.duchessclothier.com/

And I agree on the piano:

http://blogtown.portlandmercury.com/2007/11/why_nordstrom_is_wrong_to_sack.php

Heh. My clothing all comes from Costco or Sears.

Spendthrift! I get most of mine at Value Village--on senior Monday.

And by the way, they have a nice selection of Nordstrom shirts 16 1/2 neck, 34-35 sleeve.

I read that the Hollywood Value Village has been chased out by higher rents.

The article quotes a Nordstrom spokesmodel as saying that customers compliment the canned music more than they compliment the live piano players.

I know every time I visit a department store, I make a point to find the store manager and rave about the Muzak.