1. Barney's
Barney's New York is an American chain of luxury department stores headquartered in New York City. The company began in 1923, when Barney Pressman opened his first store in Manhattan with $500 raised by pawning his wife's engagement ring in order to lease a 500-square-foot space at Seventh Avenue and West 17th Street in Manhattan with 20 foot of frontage. Barney's Clothes was stocked with 40 brand name suits and a big sign with a slogan, "No Bunk, No Junk, No Imitations." Barney's sold clothing at discounted prices by purchasing showroom samples, retail overstocks, and manufacturers' closeouts at auctions and bankruptcy sales.
In a 1973 interview to Business Week, Fred Pressman became: "convinced that the discount route definitely was not for us. My father and I have always hated cheap goods.... I didn't want to sell low-end merchandise. Now, many of those who chose to are verging on bankruptcy." Pressman is quoted saying, "The best value you can offer a customer is personal attention to every detail, and they will return again and again. Ultimately, the customer cares the most about how he or she is treated." Pressman died in July 1996.
By 1973, the store was stocking 60,000 suits. It carried the full lines of designers such as Bill Blass, Pierre Cardin, Christian Dior SA, and Hubert de Givenchy. It became the first clothing store in the U.S. to stock the full line of Giorgio Armani, after signing an agreement in 1976. Barneys is widely credited to have introduced Giorgio Armani to the American Public.
Women's clothing was introduced in 1976 on the third floor of the International House. The next year, the women's store relocated to The Penthouse, a new top-level enclosure. Barney's also added housewares, cosmetics, and gift departments to the store. Also in 1977, Barney's in-store restaurant was renamed The Cafe and began selling salads, soup, and sandwiches.
The company filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy in 1996, closed most of their boutique stores and sold the department stores in Japan and Singapore. On December 20, 2004, the Pressman family sold its less than 2% remaining ownership to the Jones Apparel Group, which in turn sold the company in September 2007 to Dubai-based private equity firm Istithmar PJSC for $937.4 million.
Barney's is the department store for shoppers who are interested in cutting edge fashion, and are able to afford the price tags at Barney's New York. Barney's offers the trendiest merchandise of New York City's major department stores. Designers such as Maison Martin Margiela, Dries van Noten, Ann Demeulemeester and Alexander Wang are sold at this department store. Barney's semi-annual sales are famous and can put their fashions within reach for those fashionistas with smaller budgets. Typical shoppers at Barney's are trendy, rich fashionistas from all over the world. The shoppers vary in age from teens to 50-somethings. The men that shop at Barney's are well-dressed, trendy and fashionable. The sleek and stylish look of the department store matches the image of the shoppers. The salespeople are extremely helpful and look fabulous.
After a day at Barney's don't forget to stop by the store's restaurant Fred's. Fred's is on the ninth floor in a warm and woody setting. It is very busy place for ladies who lunch, as well as the men who love them. Fred's dishes have a high gastronomic level and are quite affordable. Its menu, that was created by chef Mark Strausman is an amalgam of au courant Italian, guilt-ridden dietetic, and size-6-be-damned deli according to Hal Rubenstein of New York Magazine, Barney's is the place to shop and dine in style.
2. Bergdorf Goodman
Both the main Bergdorf Goodman, and the men's store across Fifth Avenue offer shoppers top quality fashion, housewares and accessories. This New York City department store is well-known for selling classic high-end fashions. Bergdorf Goodman has expanded their offerings to include items for a younger, affluent audience in the department 5F.
The company originated in 1899 when Herman Bergdorf, an immigrant from France, opened a tailor shop just above Union Square in downtown Manhattan. Edwin Goodman, a young 23-year old merchant, based in Lockport, New York, moved to New York City to work as an apprentice for Bergdorf. Within two years, Goodman had raised enough money to purchase an interest in the business, which was renamed Bergdorf Goodman in 1901. In 1906, Bergdorf Goodman moved to a new location on 32nd Street, just west of Fifth Avenue and the famous "Ladies' Mile". While Bergdorf preferred the less expensive side street location, Goodman prevailed with the new location and bought out Bergdorf's interest in the company. Bergdorf retired in Paris.
Goodman constructed a five-story building at 616 Fifth Avenue, on the site of what is today Rockefeller Center. In 1914, Goodman became the first couturier to introduce ready-to-wear, making Bergdorf Goodman a destination for American and French fashion. The store moved to its present location at 5th Avenue and 58th Street in 1928, building its Beaux-Arts style store.
Bergdorf Goodman is known by all New Yorkers as the most elegant and classy department store of New York. The exterior of the building oozes chic. The shoppers of Bergdorf Goodman are mostly wealthy, middle age to older women and men who love classic fashions and designers like Chanel and Christian Dior SA. The store also sells chic and classic brands of quality home wear. One of the first scenes in the movie Sex and the City 2 was filmed at Bergdorf Goodman. It has been named in several movies like How to Marry a Millionaire and That Touch of Mink. Bergdorf Goodman recently started to target the younger wealthy crowd with the department 5F. 5F features designers like Marc by Marc Jacobs, Diane von Furstenburg and Helmut Lang. This contemporary department targets the same shoppers as Barney's. Bergdorf Goodman is the epitome of high end shopping. Its restaurant BG is worth a visit. The restaurant is decorated in a very elegant manner and the menu is very chic. BG's serves a great afternoon tea from 3pm to 5pm; it is definitely worth a try.
3. Bloomingdales's
Bloomingdale's is one of New York City's shopping institutions. Bloomingdale's has been known to overwhelm even the most seasoned shopper. The fantastic sales and a diverse assortment of merchandise make Bloomingdale's a true shopping paradise. Bloomingdale's is an upscale chain of department stores owned by American multinational corporation Macy's, Inc. This higher end department store competes with Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bergdorf Goodman, Barneys New York, Lord & Taylor and Nordstrom.
Bloomingdale's started in 1861 when brothers Joseph and Lyman G. Bloomingdale started selling hoop-skirts in their Ladies Notions' Shop on Manhattan's Lower East Side. In 1872, the Bloomingdale brothers opened their first store at 938 Third Avenue, New York City.
The brothers closed their East Side Bazaar in 1872 in a small row house on Third Avenue and 56th Street, selling a variety of garments. At the time the East Side was a working-class neighborhood with shantytowns, garbage dumps, and stockyards. Most of their customers and competitors were in the Upper West Side, and at that time most 'respectable stores' only specialized in one trade.
Within a few years after opening the store, the Metropolitan Museum of Art opened, the new St. Patrick's Cathedral was dedicated near the store after moving from its downtown location, Central Park was completed, and the IRT Lexington Avenue Line began construction. These additions brought wealthy customers to the East Side, who built brownstones that surrounded the new park.
The store moved in 1886 to its current location on 59th Street and Lexington Avenue. It was designed with large plate glass display windows and large merchandising areas. Instead of the common practice of cluttering the display windows with an assortment of the goods they sold, each window featured a couple of products as props on a theatrical mise-en-scene.
In 1961, the company started using designer shopping bags to promote its "Esprit de France" exhibit. The design, by artist Jonah Kinigstein, was based on French tarot cards in dramatic shades of red, black, and white. In 1973, the iconic "Brown Bag" appeared. These were designed by Massimo Vignelli, who also designed the current store typeface, and they were prominently labeled in three sizes: "Little", "Medium", and "Big". Fashion designer Michaele Vollbracht designed one of the classic shopping bags in red, black, and white of a formally dressed man on one side and a woman on the other. Other artists
During Queen Elizabeth II's visit to New York City in 1976, traffic was reversed on Lexington Avenue so the Queen could exit her car on its right side and enter the famous Manhattan flagship through the main entrance.
Bloomingdale's shoppers are mostly upper class men and women of all ages. But the Bloomingdale's sales attract shoppers on a budget with great bargains. Customer service at Bloomingdale's is excellent with an array of services. Shoppers are entitled to a free gift from the Visitor's Center with 50 dollars in purchases. There is a baggage check and coat check if you'll be shopping for a while, and you will be. You can also ask the cashier if you'd like to have your purchases shipped home. Bloomingdale's has many restaurants and even a Magnolia Bakery in-store. A visit to Bloomingdale's is essential when in New York.
4. Henri Bendel
Henri Bendel was founded in 1895 and it offers an intimate boutique experience for shoppers. Henri Bendel is well known for showcasing new designers. Henri Bendel is an American upscale women's specialty store based in New York City that sells fashion accessories, cosmetics and fragrances, gifts and gourmet foods.
Henri Willis Bendel, a milliner by trade, was the first retailer to bring the designs of Coco Chanel over to the United States from Paris. The company he founded kept this tradition of introducing influential socialites to what's new and next in fashion by launching designers including Anna Sui, Stephen Burrows, Rick Owens and Diane von Furstenberg. Bendel's also promotes the work of upcoming designers through its semi-annual "Open-See" events, at which vendors can present merchandise to corporate buyers on a "first come, first seen" basis, with the chance that their pieces will be selected for a trunk show or even for sale in the Fifth Avenue store.
The brand is also famous its brown-and-white striped shopping bags, its signature hatboxes and an extensive matching line of cosmetics bags. In April 2009 Henri Bendel made the decision to stop selling clothing and choosing to focus on fashion accessories, cosmetics, and gift items such as candles.
Henri Bendel is owned by Limited Brands, Inc., who purchased the company in 1985. The personality most associated with Henri Bendel is Geraldine Stutz, who was its president for 29 years until 1986 when the store was sold to Agent Provocateur Limited. She introduced the famous "Street of Shops", the boutiques-within-a-specialty-store concept.
The main floor of the department store is home to the Gazebo Shop and many cosmetics brands. The Gazebo Shop is where the Henri Bendel accessories collection can be found. You will also find hair accessories, home fragrance as well as bath and body product. Henri Bendel sells brands like Mally Beauty, Kevin Aucoin, Laura Mercier, Nars, Trish McEvoy, and, on the mezzanine, fragrances. The store was also one of the first to carry Annick Goutal fragrances. The second floor carries an expansive costume jewelry selection, cold weather accessories, sunglasses, small leather goods, fragrances such as L'Artisan Parfumeur, and hair accessories. Henri Bendel holds events and trunk shows that consist of a variety of beauty organizations for hair, makeup, fashion, jewelry, and accessories throughout the year. The fourth floor is the home of the famous Frédéric Fekkai hair salon.
Shoppers at Henri Bendel are mostly women in their twenties to late forties, looking for high end, interesting new designers and trendy fashion accessories. The layout of the store and the product offerings make this department store stand out from the rest of the department stores in New York City.
5. Lord & Taylor
Lord & Taylor has been around since 1826. Samuel Lord and George Washington Taylor founded the store in 1826 on Catherine Street in Manhattan in order to sell hosiery, misses' wear and "elegant Cashmere shawls". By 1861, the store was located on Broadway at Grand Street, and in 1870 they moved to a newly constructed cast-iron building at Broadway and 20th Street, in the area that became known as the "Ladies' Mile" because of all the emporia there.
Later, it was one of the first major stores on Fifth Avenue. It was also the first department store to present innovative Christmas windows filled with holiday displays rather than merchandise, and the first to open a branch store. Lord & Taylor is also famous for playing the national anthem before the start of each business day.
In 1946, Lord & Taylor is the pioneer of department store. It became the first major store on Fifth Avenue to name a woman, Dorothy Shaver, as president. Shaver's association with Lord & Taylor began in 1921 when then-President Samuel Reyburn encouraged her to promote and market "Five Little Shavers," a family of dolls created by her sister, Elsie. Dorothy Shaver's challenges grew when she officially joined Lord & Taylor in 1924 as head of the Comparative Shopping Bureau. It didn't take long for Shaver to re-channel the department's focus from the competition to Lord & Taylor's own customers, putting them first by providing one on one help as they made their selections. With that, the concept of the Personal Shopper was born, flourishing today at Lord & Taylor as Red Rose Personal Shopping Service.
This department store is not as luxurious as Saks or as trendy as Barneys, but Lord & Taylor highlights American designers and offers shoppers good value. They are especially famous for their holiday window displays. Lord & Taylor sells fashion brands like Ralph Lauren, DKNY and Michael Kors. This department store's shoppers are looking for quality and good prices, and they are at the right place when shopping at Lord & Taylor.
6. Macy's
Macy's was founded by Rowland Hussey Macy, who between 1843 and 1855 opened four retail dry goods stores, including the original Macy's store in downtown Haverhill, Massachusetts, established in 1851 to serve the mill industry employees of the area. They all failed, but he learned from his mistakes. Macy moved to New York City in 1858 and established a new store named "R. H. Macy & Co." on Sixth Avenue between 13th and 14th Streets, which was far north of where other dry goods stores were at the time. On the company's first day of business on October 28, 1858 sales totaled 11.08 dollars, equal to 293.47 dollars today. From the very beginning, Macy's logo has included a star in one form or another, which comes from a tattoo that Macy got as a teenager when he worked on a Nantucket whaling ship, the Emily Morgan.
As the business grew, Macy's expanded into neighboring buildings, opening more departments. The department store used marketing tools such as a store Santa Claus, themed exhibits, and illuminated window displays to draw in customers. It also offered a money back guarantee, although it only accepted cash into the 1950s. The store also produced its own made-to-measure clothing for both men and women, assembled in an on-site factory. The store later moved to 18th Street and Broadway, on the "Ladies' Mile", the elite shopping district of the time, where it remained for nearly forty years.
Macy's is by far the most famous department store in New York City. Macy's has ten floors featuring a bit of everything from clothing to kitchen ware. Macy's still has the original escalators connecting some of the top floors. Macy's is a mid-range to upscale chain of department stores owned by an American multinational corporation. Macy's shoppers are diverse in age and economic status.
Macy's is known for its niche in popular culture and the diversity of its merchandise. It competes with Belk, Bon-Ton, and Dillard's; the more upscale facilities compete with Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Lord & Taylor, and Saks Fifth Avenue. The annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City has been held since 1924, and Macy's has sponsored the city's annual Fourth of July fireworks display since 1976. Macy's flagship was, and is still being advertised as, the largest in the world, and draws shoppers from well beyond the New York City Metropolitan Area.
7. Saks Fifth Avenue
Saks Fifth Avenue is an upscale department store chain owned by American multinational corporation Saks, Inc., which operates the flagship store and corporate headquarters in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It competes with high-end specialty stores in the Upper East Side of Manhattan like Bergdorf Goodman, Barneys New York, and Bloomingdale's; it also competes with luxury retailers Neiman Marcus and Lord & Taylor.
Saks Fifth Avenue was the creation of Horace Saks and Bernard Gimbel, who operated stores on New York's 34th Street at Herald Square in the early 1900s. On September 15, 1924, Saks Fifth Avenue became the first large retailer located in a primarily residential district. Saks strived to deliver the finest quality men's and women's fashions and they placed a great emphasis on exceptional customer service.
Saks Fifth Avenue has a rich history as a fashion innovator. The department store sold ski equipment in the 1930's. Saks Fifth Avenue was the first department store to launch Estee Lauder's cosmetic line in the 1940's. Saks decorated the 1969 White House Christmas tree.
Shopping at Saks Fifth Avenue is great experience. Designers such as Donna Karan, Alexander McQueen, Salvatore Ferragamo are sold at Saks. This high end department store is comparable to shopping at Bloomingdale's in terms of target group, service and assortment of products. Saks Fifth Avenue has maybe the most exquisite shoe department in New York City. Brands like Christian Louboutin, Gucci and Fendi are found at this shoe lover's heaven.
Also while visiting this high end department store make sure to stop by Café S.F.A., the in-store restaurant. This classy eatery is found on the eighth floor of Saks Fifth Avenue. It has stellar bird's-eye views of St. Patrick's Cathedral and Rockefeller Center. The coconut peeky toe crab salad and the signature Fifth Avenue Salad (similar to a Cobb salad) are quite popular, so it isn't a surprise there is a usually a wait to get a table.
So now you have been introduced to the luxurious world of New York's department stores. Each store is unique in its own; each one has an original concept and many reasons to be visited. So now pack your bags, head to NYC and be prepared to shop until you drop!
Share This Article
