Nordstrom, Inc. (NYSE: JWN) is an upscale bridge department store chain in the United States, founded by John W. Nordstrom. Initially a shoe retailer, the company today also sells clothing, accessories, handbags, jewelry, cosmetics, fragrances, and in some locations, home furnishings. The corporate headquarters and the flagship store are located in Downtown Seattle, Washington.

In 1887 at the age of 16, like many other Swedish immigrants in the late nineteenth century, John W. Nordstrom emigrated to the United States in hopes of founding a department store. He was born in the village of Ale, close to Luleå in Northern Sweden. His name at birth was "Johan Nordström" which he later anglicized to John Nordstrom. After landing in New York, he first worked in Michigan. After working a series of menial jobs as he moved across the country, he saved enough money to purchase a 20-acre (81,000 m2) potato farm in Arlington, Washington, close to Seattle. In 1897, he joined the Klondike Gold Rush in Canada's Yukon Territory, leaving Seattle with countless others. After two years of prospecting and doing whatever it took to continue, he finally struck gold, but sold his disputed claim for $13,000. Returning to Seattle with his new found wealth, he married Hilda Carlson and looked for a business venture, finally settling on a shoe store that opened in 1901, called Wallin & Nordstrom. Carl F. Wallin, the co-founder of the store, was the owner of the adjacent shoe repair shop. John and Hilda had five children, three of whom followed him into the family business, Everett W.(1903), Elmer J.(1904) and Lloyd N. Nordstrom. By the time Wallin & Nordstrom opened their second store in Seattle in 1923, Elmer who recently graduated from the University of Washington had already had enough hands-on experience to be put in charge of its opening.

Ross Stores, Inc. (NASDAQ: ROST) is a chain of American off-price department stores. It is the nation's third largest off-price retailer (behind T.J. Maxx and Marshalls) with fiscal 2005 revenues of $4.9 billion. As of January, 2009, the company operated 904 Ross stores in 27 U.S. states and Guam, covering most of the country except for New England, Alaska, and a large area of the Midwest.

Ross offers brand name clothing, footwear, bedding, furniture, fine jewelry, beauty products, and housewares. All merchandise is 20 - 60% below regular department and specialty store prices.

Ross Department Store was first opened in San Bruno, California, in 1957 by Adali Baer. The next store was established in Pacifica, California, in the late 1950s. The format of Ross was changed to an off-price department store in 1982.

Ross also operates the dd's Discounts chain of clothing and furniture stores, designed to cater to lower-income consumers with prices below those of the main Ross stores. Ross and dd's Discounts stores often operate side by side in space formerly used by a large box store such as a grocery store and then subdivided. While a part of the same company, both stores operate completely independently and carry different merchandise assortments.