SEATTLE, Wash. - July 11, 2001 - Nordstrom Rack, the off-price retail division of Nordstrom, Inc., announced today it has signed a lease agreement to open a new store at Ontario Mills in Ontario, California. The store will be approximately 36,000 square feet and is scheduled to open in spring 2002.

"This project offers us an opportunity to grow our southern California business while serving the needs of our customers in one of the area’s preeminent value-oriented malls," said Kelly Cole-Berka, Nordstrom Rack vice president and southwest regional manager. "We are extremely pleased to join the outstanding mix of merchants at Ontario Mills and we hope customers who enjoy outstanding quality at great savings will choose to shop with Nordstrom Rack."

Nordstrom Rack offers customers savings of 30% to 75% on quality brand name apparel, shoes and accessories for the entire family. Started in 1973 in the basement of the downtown Seattle Nordstrom flagship store, Nordstrom Rack now operates 39 stores across the country—eleven of which are in California. This year Nordstrom Rack plans to open three new California stores in Roseville, San Francisco and Oxnard.

"The fact that a premiere retailer like Nordstrom Rack chose Ontario Mills for its Southern California expansion reinforces that Ontario Mills is the top shopping destination in the area," said Jim Mance, Ontario Mills general manager. "Nordstrom Rack gives our over 20 million shoppers one more reason to return, and gives those who’ve never visited Ontario Mills another reason to come shop."

Other tenants at Ontario Mills include Off 5th—Saks Fifth Avenue Outlet, Nine West, Mikasa Factory Store, AnnTaylor Loft, Virgin Megastore, Gap Outlet, Cost Plus and Wolfgang Puck Café. Customers visiting Ontario Mills may also take advantage of one of the nation’s largest movie theatres—AMC Ontario Mills offers 30 movie screens featuring loveseats and stadium-style seating.

Celebrating 100 years of service, Nordstrom, Inc. is one of the nation's leading fashion specialty retailers, with 122 US stores located in 24 states. Founded in 1901 as a shoe store in Seattle, today Nordstrom operates 77 full-line stores, 39 Nordstrom Racks, three Façonnable boutiques, two free-standing shoe stores, and one clearance store. Nordstrom also operates 20 international Façonnable boutiques, primarily in Europe. Additionally, Nordstrom serves customers through its online presence at http://www.nordstrom.com and through its direct mail catalogs. Nordstrom, Inc. is publicly traded on the NYSE under the symbol JWN.

The Mills Corporation is a self-managed real estate investment trust (REIT) based in Arlington, Va., that owns, develops, leases, manages and markets a portfolio of 12 market dominant retail and entertainment destinations (11 Mills and one Block) totaling approximately 17 million square feet in 10 states. Discover Mills, in suburban Atlanta, will open in November, 2001. Currently, the company has five projects under construction and/or development in the United States and two internationally: Toronto, Canada and Madrid, Spain. The company's Internet address is www.millscorp.com.