Nordstrom opens with a roar, literally

Nordstrom employees get fired up
(Globe staff photo by Mark Wilson)

NATICK COLLECTION BLOG-A-THON

I've seen tamer crowds at Red Sox-Yankees games. Nordstrom employees cheered, clapped, and chanted as they lined the entryway of the new Nordstrom department store, which opened this morning at the Natick Collection. "Let's go Natick. Let's go," they yelled out just before they counted down the final seconds to the door opening.

Newton resident Faye Goldman was the very first Nordstrom customer. "I waited two hours," she said. "I love shoes."

She was the leader of the pack when Nordstrom opened its door at 10 a.m. Hundreds of women rushed into the store. They briskly walked -- there was no running, please these are Nordstrom customers. Goldman said she was also there for the clothes and makeup but her first love is shoes, she said as she inspected some sporty red slip-ons from Privo by Clark's. She said her husband told her she better not come home with any new kicks, but she made no commitment.

The first name brands inside are Jimmy Choo on the right and Bobbi Brown on the left. Jimmy was showing off patent leather high boots with a flat heel and a shorter version with a spike heel. There were leopard print heels and flats. And apparently pointy toes are still in because they dominated the display.

British skincare company Elemis offered free consultation with a space-age looking giant lighted camera. I offered up my weathered reporter face and got back a printout of six different closeup photos showing my pores, wrinkles, and UV spots. Yikes! More sunscreen for me.

-- Lisa Kocian