Why Nordstrom Inc. co-chief executives and brothers Erik and Pete Nordstrom chose to take their company private is something they’ve been very private about.

Even last May, when the $6.25 billion deal taking Nordstrom Inc. private was finalized and announced, the Nordstroms maintained their silence — that is, until the WWD Apparel and Retail Summit.

“There’s been a bit of an evergreen desire on our part to have more control,” explained Erik. “Nordstrom is not just a place of employment for us. It means a lot to me and Pete and our family. There’s always that very strong desire for the company to be something our family is proud of, our teams are proud of. There’s always been this desire to have more control.” In fact, in 2017, the Nordstroms unsuccessfully tried to take their company

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