Line, line, everywhere a line at the opening of the Nordstrom Rack in Pentagon City (Photo: TBD Staff)

Some of them had been there awhile. More than 400 people were lined up outside of the new Nordstrom Rack in Pentagon Centre this morning to be among the first to enter the new store. The line stretched out the door by the Metro entrance in Pentagon City as of 8:45 a.m. Nordstrom Rack took over the space formerly occupied by Linens 'n' Things.

Tension was high as staff did the countdown to 9 a.m., and the crowd exploded when they got to "one," frantically grabbing shopping carts and free tote bags, targeting their poison of choice, be it high-end handbags, designer dresses or shoes.

One woman got to run around and do all her shopping without tripping over other shoppers, though. Elizabeth Robinson of Alexandria won the grand opening contest, which granted her 90 seconds and $2,000 worth of shopping in the store before anyone else was let in. She did well for herself, grabbing half a dozen handbags, several suits and dresses and some shoes before her time was up. Her total hadn't yet been added up when we left the scene.