If you'd like to cruise the racks of Nordstrom or J. Crew without crossing the border, you're in luck.

More major American retailers are setting their sights on Canada, but local stores aren't so excited.

Nordstrom department store told CTV News Wednesday it's looking for opportunities in Vancouver. J. Crew is already on the way to Toronto, with plans for further Canadian expansion.

Low cost retailer Marshall's has already opened in Ontario. The company believes Canada could support up to 100 stores in the future.

The stores join the ranks of Minneapolis-based discount retailer Target, which announced earlier this year that it would open between 100 and 150 of its own stores here by 2014.

BCIT marketing instructor Anne Marie Webb-Hughes says we can likely expect more American stores in the near future as retailers view Canada as a growth market.

But she says just because a company does well south of the border doesn't guarantee success here.

"Do you know your target market? Do you understand how they shop? What are they looking for? Consumer behavior is a huge issue with retail," Webb-Hughes said.

The Canadian Federation of Independent Business says local retailers can be tough competition when it comes to customer service and one of a kind products. But big chains have another advantage – money.

"There is a concern you know about the deep pockets these guys have," Laura Jones said.

Unlike smaller Canadian companies, Jones says major retailers can likely better afford Vancouver's property taxes.

"For example, if a residential property is paying about $4,000 in tax a business of the same size would be paying $20,000 in taxes," Jones said.

The fear of rising rents has at least one Vancouver business concerned.

Canadian clothing retailer Spank has been on Granville Street in downtown Vancouver for five years. It's a street well-known for night spots and unique shops but Spank may soon be looking to move elsewhere because of a sudden increase in costs.

"The rent will be going up quite a bit and, I mean, in order to stay here we would have to double, triple our sales," said manager Shannon Handley.

Handley fears with more major American retailers moving in, Granville will start to look more like Robson Street, where international retailers dominate the shopping landscape.

"When we start to let the big guys kind of sweep in then I think we lose a lot of what we showcase to the world," she said.

With a report from CTV British Columbia's Maria Weisgarber