Oct. 1--Let the savings begin.

Seattle-based Nordstrom, Inc. has announced plans to open its first Nordstrom Rack store in St. Louis. This will also be the first in the state.

The 34,000-square-foot store will be located in the Brentwood Square shopping center and is expected to open in fall 2010.

Now, don't get confused. Nordstrom is still planning to open a regular Nordstrom store in the St. Louis Galleria mall down the street from this location in fall of 2011.

But Nordstrom Rack [http://shop.nordstrom.com/c/6016621/0~2377475~6016611~6016621?origin=Header] is a unit of the company's off-price retail division that carries merchandise from Nordstrom stores and Nordstrom.com [http://www.Nordstrom.com/] at 50-60% off original Nordstrom prices.

Nordstrom Rack also offers apparel, accessories and shoes from the brands carried in Nordstrom stores that have been purchased specially for Nordstrom Rack. So retail savings on those items can amount to 30-70% off retail prices.

The new Brentwood Square Nordstrom Rack will be located in the old Circuit City space between Borders and Whole Foods.

Nordstrom spokesperson Colin Johnson said that the company was able to take advantage of some of the effects of the economy with finding prime space for the new store.

But he wouldn't admit that an off-priced Nordstrom Rack is preceding the long-discussed and rescheduled opening of the regular Nordstrom store opening because of the economy.

Either way, we here at Style File are not complaining. Ever since Saks Off Fifth (at St. Louis Mills Mall) left us a few years ago, our shopping life has not felt complete.

Once the two stores are open, they will likely be the closest Nordstrom and Nordstrom Rack in the country with a proximity so close you could jog from one to the other, if you weren't weighed down by shopping bags.

And, yes, the Nordstrom out in Des Peres is still alive and well and open for business.

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