When was bergdorf goodman established

Guiding Bergdorf Goodman through the recession of the early s was Burton Tansky, a seasoned executive who joined the company in as vice-chairman and in February became chairman and chief executive officer. Serving as president was Stanley Elkin, who came to Bergdorf Goodman in to become chief financial officer, then was named chief operating officer in and president in The parent corporation underwent a number of managerial changes in , resulting in Tansky being appointed chairman and CEO of Neiman Marcus Stores.

As the economy improved Neiman Marcus began to formulate big plans for Bergdorf Goodman. The company's CEO, Robert Tarr, told Women's Wear Daily in that the initiative included franchising women's stores in the Far East, establishing men's stores around the United States, and pursuing a private-label business with the Bergdorf Goodman name that also could be sold at Neiman Marcus stores. With the economy starting to enjoy a long expansion, leading to a bull market for luxury goods, Bergdorf Goodman did not prosper as well as might be expected.

Critics charged that the store had become staid and failed to keep up with changing tastes. To reinvigorate and modernize its operation, Bergdorf Goodman initiated a number of changes in the late s.

In the first phase was completed when the cosmetics store was doubled in size, resulting in "A New Level of Beauty" operation that included eight spa rooms for facials, skincare consultations, and special treatments. Bergdorf Goodman also found additional retail space by commandeering office space, with some administrative functions transferred elsewhere in midtown Manhattan. To help turn around the men's store, veteran retailer Peter Rizzo was brought in as vice-chairman in April and several months later was named president.

According to Women's Wear Daily, there was speculation that "pressures from the inside and organizational changes may have hastened Elkin's decision to leave. Over the past few years, Bergdorf's operations, with the exception of buying, sales promotion, advertising, and a few other areas visible to the customer, have been centralized into the parent Neiman Marcus Group in Dallas, limiting Elkin's direct control.

Rizzo's self-promotion, however, did not result in winning the top job at Bergdorf Goodman. Rather, Ronald L. Frasch was named chairman and CEO in April His appointment was seen as a return to the old guard, and to some a repudiation of Rizzo's aggressiveness. Frasch worked for Bergdorf Goodman in the s and was a colleague of Tansky at Saks. Despite speculation that Rizzo would resign, he stayed on as Bergdorf Goodman pursued the next stages in its turnaround initiatives.

According to Daily News Record, "Rizzo played a pivotal role in broadening the appeal and modernizing Bergdorf Goodman with younger, more contemporary designer lines and reorganizing the selling floors for a sharper focus to a different audience, in both the men's and women's stores.

He also was instrumental in launching new marketing campaigns. Rizzo resigned from his position in September , denying rumors that he had been asked to leave and maintaining that he actually had a good relationship with Frasch. Amid all the changes in the upper ranks of management, as well as extensive remodeling of its store, Bergdorf Goodman found that its attempts to revitalize its business were hampered by a poor economy and the lingering effects of the terrorist attacks of September 11, , which caused a drop in New York tourism.

Nonetheless, Bergdorf Goodman retained its reputation and position as one of the world's top specialty retailers. James Press, As consumers, we often take for granted all the hard work that goes into building a great company. Despite all the success, the store located across from St. The location turned out to be perfect! Positioned at the intersection of upper Fifth Avenue and 58th Street, a connection to the wealthy enclaves on the East Side, the new Bergdorf Goodman became the epicenter of the shopping habitat of the affluent.

The nine-story Bergdorf Goodman was not just a store. It housed the workrooms for his designers on the 4th floor and a factory on the 5th. It was not unusual for a lady to require a matching purse, an umbrella, a scarf, and even a pet outfit to go with her Bergdorf Goodman dress. Edwin Goodman, his wife, and their two children inhabited a room penthouse on top of the building that had every imaginable convenience and allowed a spectacular view of Central Park. Technically, it was built on top of a factory, and, according to city regulations, nobody was allowed to live in industrial spaces except for janitors.

Now owned by Neiman Marcus, it still remains the only Bergdorf Goodman in the world. The most unusual penthouse in the city now houses the John Barrett Hair Salon. The BG Restaurant on the 7th floor offers pricy refreshments to its weary shoppers. On the street level, Bergdorf Goodman offers some of the most creative and elaborate window displays in the city. The celebrated Bergdorf Goodman windows take 10 months to design and over two weeks to install, involving as many as people.

Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in:. First ladies too. I mean, you could see in those windows a three-act structure of just great storytelling. But I think that there is obvious luxury, there is gaudy luxury, and then there is tasteful luxury. That lasted for a while, but not for terribly long.

Rihanna said it best, when she was given the keys to the kingdom to celebrate her Fenty collection just three months ago. I feel really great to have this full-circle [moment] where I can have my own brand that I created in a space like this that offers such a luxury experience to their customers and now mine as well.

The New York City luxury department store Bergdorf Goodman is known today as one of the most luxurious, unique, and over-the-top retail experiences anywhere in the world.

The store was the brainchild of Herman Bergdorf, an immigrant from Alsace. A year-old named Edwin Goodman became his apprentice, and within two years, the store was operating under the two men and with a new name, Bergdorf Goodman. Although the store lies in pricey Midtown East today, the shop back then was located just above Union Square.

In , the men moved farther uptown to 32nd Street, where Goodman prevailed in a debate over whether the store would take to the pricier new location. The store stepped decisively towards its current iteration in , when Goodman moved the store farther uptown and became the first couturier to introduce ready-to-wear fashion, including both French and American, in his offerings.

In , Goodman moved the store yet farther uptown to its present location, on the site of what had been the Cornelius Vanderbilt II mansion.