On September 15th, 1924, Horace Saks and Bernard Gimble open Saks 5th Avenue next to St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City.
In retail history
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Category Archives: Store I Admire
Walk it around
Passing through Nordstrom today, I spotted a cosmetics saleswoman finishing up with a customer.
The Nordstrom employee stepped around from behind the counter and handed the bag carefully to the customer. Handing over the bag she said, “Thanks for shopping with us today. I hope to see you again soon. Enjoy your day” speaking in an earnest and sincere tone with a smile on her face. Well done!
That is just one of the little things that you will see at Nordstrom that exemplifies their incredible service.
In retail history
On Sept 10th, 1907, the Nieman-Marcus Department Store opens in Dallas Texas.
The opening was a bit of a talent train on competing department stores in Dallas. Herman Marcus left his job as buyer at Sanger Brothers joining his sister Carrie Marcus Neiman and her husband A.L. Neiman, former employees of A Harris and Co., to open a luxury department store catering to the tastes of oil-rich Texans.
Neiman Marcus enjoyed instant success. Their initial inventory, purchased by Carrie on a single trip to New York City, completely sold out in a few weeks. It appeared that the recently rich Texans were starving for goods not normally available in Dallas.
In 1914, a fire destroyed the store and all of its inventory. 17 days later, a temporary store was open and by years end, Neiman Marcus opened a new flagship store. In 1927, Neiman Marcus premiered the first weekly fashion show in the US. The store continues to operate under its original name and is still headquartered in Dallas.
In retail history
Using money that he had received as an inheritance and savings from his job as a tutor, Irishman Alexander Turney Stewart opened a small shop selling Irish fabrics and lace along with domestic calico at 823 Broadway in New York. The date was September 1st, 1823. From this humble start, Stewart was to build a commercial empire and amass a fortune equivalent to $90 billion in today’s dollars.
With early success in his first shop, Stewart built a larger building across the street in 1846. The building eventually became known as the Marble Palace due to its unique Tuckahoe Marble facade. To keep up with business, the building was expanded in 1851, 1852 and 1871. This was the birth of the modern department store.
If I were to buy furniture today…Part 2
Chilton Table in Spalted Sugarberry by Room & Board
As we continued through Room & Board, I was feeling less and less inclined to spend any money there and was anxious to leave.
But then, towards the back of the store, we found ourselves standing in front of an interesting piece, the Chilton Table in Spalted Sugarberry. My wife and I looked at one another and began to talk about how we both truly admired the table. We also admitted that neither of us cared all that much for our current dining room table bought less than 3 years ago.
As we stood examining the table and discussing how a table like this would be great to have in our home, an amazing thing happened. Amazing since I had long since given up hope that anyone would ever greet us much less offer any help.
A smiling Room & Board employee stepped up to a nearby computer terminal to lookup some information. While going about her business, she turned to my wife and I and said, “Isn’t it a beautiful table?”
“It is beautiful,” my wife responded.
If I were to buy furniture today…Part 1
On a recent trip to Seattle’s University Village (an outdoor shopping mall), my wife and I decided to make a visit to Room & Board Home Furnishings. We have always liked their product and since they are not now located in Portland, this was our chance to check out their latest selections.
When we walked in the front door of the store we immediately saw two employees. They were strategically positioned next to the front of store featured furniture display and at the edge of the drive aisle leading around the store. I assumed that they were there to greet customers entering the store. That was a rash assumption.
In retail history
On August 18th, 1872, a traveling dry goods salesman named Aaron Montgomery Ward founds his retail company with its first catalog. Not much of an actual catalog, the first issue was a single sheet, 8×12 inches, that listed 163 items available for purchase and ordering instructions. This first catalog was a feat in and of itself since Wars and his partners had lost their first inventory in the Great Chicago Fire of October, 1871.
In retail history
Mall of America Sign from WikiCommons
The work of Joe Chill 2
August 11th, 1992, the Mall of America (MOA) opens in Bloomington, MN.
At the time of its opening, MOA was the largest shopping mall in the United States with over 2.5 million square feet of leasable retail space inside a building of 5.4 million square feet. Over 520 stores operate in the mall and there is space for over 12,000 cars in the parking structures. 11,000 year round employees work in the mall with another 2000 during the Holidays. MOA generates about $2 billion dollars in economic activity.
Along with the stores, there is the Nickelodeon Universe indoor theme park, the SeaLife Minnesota Aquarium, 24 restaurants, a Mirror Maze, a wedding chapel (that has performed over 7500 weddings), 342 room Marriott Hotel, 500 room Radisson Hotel, a comedy club, Minnesota Children’s Museum and a 14 theater multiplex.
A nice finish
I stopped at the local Outlet Mall the other day to do some shopping and some observation. It was a warm and sunny day and may of the stores had their doors open to deal with the heat.
Being a fan of the brand and a citizen of the PNW, I stopped by the Columbia Sportswear Outlet where they had a great sale going on. I quickly found several items that I was shopping for so I headed to the registers where there were a number of waiting cashiers.
“I can help you right here,” came a greeting from the nearest register.
Am I invisible?
Or are you just ignoring me?
Running some errands on a recent weekday afternoon, I stopped at the Washington Square Mall in Beaverton, Oregon. I wasn’t shopping for anything specific, I just hadn’t spent much tome in retail spaces as of late. While in the back of my mind, I was mulling over what I would pack for an upcoming visit to Europe so I was inclined to buy if a store made me feel welcome and they offered the right product.
My first stop was Dick’s Sporting Goods where I actively shopped in the Golf, Camping, Activewear and Footwear departments along with a deep dive in the clearance racks. I was never greeted, engaged or even acknowledged by any store staff members.
Macy’s was the next stop where I spent some time checking out men’s clothing and footwear. Again, nary a nod or a smile from a Macy’s staff member.
The Observant Customer 