Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson sparks ‘Nordstrom’ name debate
Apr 23, 2026, 5:01 PM | Updated: 5:36 pm
Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson shared her plans on “The John Curley Show” on KIRO Newsradio for expanding housing options to combat homelessness. She also answered questions about what “activist” Katie Wilson would tell Mayor Katie Wilson after her first 100 days in office. And she shared she loved the pace of the job and getting to listen to and understand different stakeholders’ opinions.
Then, the interview drew lighter attention for a moment, unrelated to policy — Wilson’s pronunciation of Nordstrom.
Here was the exchange:
John: “I love the jacket. I don’t know where you got that one …”
Wilson: “Nordstroms …”
John: “No way! Nordstrom Rack or Nordstrom?”
Wilson: “The actual Nordstroms … I got … just one, you know.”
John: “Yeah … take it easy …”
Wilson: “I thought I needed a nice jacket.”
John: “That’s probably the only news coming out of this. Katie Wilson shops at Nordstrom now …”
Linguists said the mistake is a common one. Laurel Sutton, an expert in language and branding, noted many consumers instinctively add possessive endings to company names — particularly legacy retailers named after founders.
That tendency has led to widespread variations, including “Nordstroms” vs. Nordstrom, Fred Meyer often being called “Fred Meyers,” and Bartell Drugs referred to as “Bartell’s,” despite their official branding.
In the end, a lot of us make the same mistakes. Me included.
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