Photos: Nordstrom Rack Opens Doors

More than 500 people lined up outside the new in the South Bay Marketplace on Thursday, anxious to get their first look inside the discount store and hoping to win a 90-second, $2,000 shopping spree.

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Rancho Palos Verdes resident Harriet Cox was the lucky winner of the "Race through the Rack" sweepstakes, and when the doors opened at 9 a.m., she was the first inside.

Cox, who wore her running shoes just in case, ran through the store, furiously grabbing as many items as she could.

"It was exhilarating," she said. "I haven't shopped so fast in my whole entire life."

According to Nordstrom Rack representative Kendall Ault, the first customer arrived in line at 5 a.m. By 9 a.m., there were more than 600 people in line, and by 9:30 a.m., more than 1,200 had entered the store, employees said.

"I was totally waiting for this day," said Gardena resident Stella Tamashiro.

Redondo Beach resident Cathy R., who declined to give her last name, said that she liked the location—she no longer has to drive to the Promenade at Howard Hughes Center in Los Angeles or South Coast Plaza to visit a Nordstrom Rack.

"She was yelling in line," said Cathy's friend, Maureen R., who also declined to give her last name.

"There was a huge line," Cathy said. "I didn't expect it to be such a major event."

All in all, it was a successful grand opening, employees said.