Bloomingdale’s began with a 19th century fad, and
the extraordinary vision of two brothers. Lyman and Joseph
Bloomingdale pioneered nearly every major change in the
evolution of department stores – if they weren’t
the first with an idea, they simply did it bigger and better
than anyone else. Their innovative retailing philosophy
guided Bloomingdale’s in its beginning and that
strategy continues today, justifiably earning
Bloomingdale’s the reference “Like No Other Store
in the World.”
The first retail endeavor of the Bloomingdale brothers was
a Ladies’ Notion Shop in New York. In 1872,
Bloomingdale’s expanded and opened their East Side
Bazaar, selling a variety of women’s fashions. This was
a bold move in the era of specialty shops; the Bazaar became
a harbinger of the true “department store.” By
1929, Bloomingdale’s covered an entire city block.
Two years later, the glamorous Art Deco edifice that still
graces Lexington Avenue was completed. In 1949,
Bloomingdale’s began its real expansion, opening its
first satellite store in Fresh Meadows, Queens and by 1959,
Bloomingdale’s had created a complete circle of stores
around the flagship in New Jersey, Westchester County and
Long Island. This dramatic growth continued in the ‘70s
and ‘80s with the opening of stores in the Northeast,
Florida and Chicago. Bloomingdale’s was on its way to
becoming a true national entity. That vision culminated in
1996 with the addition of its first four stores in
California, the most ambitious expansion in the
company’s history, followed by two new stores in the
Atlanta market in 2003.
From the beginning, the Bloomingdale brothers catered to
America’s love of international goods, and by the
1880s, their European selection was dazzling. A buying office
in Paris in 1886 was the beginning of a network that now
spans the globe. The 1960s brought promotions resulting from
Bloomingdale’s fascination with the foreign market: the
first was a small affair called “Casa Bella”
featuring merchandise for the home from Italy.
Over the next 30 years, the promotions took on a grand
scale – including unique merchandise and cultural
exhibits that would touch every department in
Bloomingdale’s. Major transformation of the
Bloomingdale’s image came in the 1960s and 1970s. The
promotions were so exciting that the term “Retailing as
Theater” was coined to describe Bloomingdale’s
“happenings.” It was the era of pet rocks and
glacial ice cubes, of visits by movie stars and royalty, from
Elizabeth Taylor to Queen Elizabeth II.
The new direction in merchandising was both to seek and to
create. Buyers covered the world to find exclusive, one-of-a-kind items. When they couldn’t find what they
wanted, they had it made. In fashion, Bloomingdale’s
launched new designers and created boutiques for already-famous names. Among the discoveries: Ralph Lauren, Perry
Ellis and Norma Kamali – and for the first time in
America: Sonia Rykiel, Kenzo and Fendi ready-to-wear.
Designers opening their first in-store boutiques at
Bloomingdale’s include Yves St. Laurent, Calvin Klein,
Claude Montana and Thierry Mugler.
In 1961, Bloomingdale’s made retail history in yet
another area by introducing the first designer shopping bag.
Artist Joseph Kinigstein was commissioned to create a bag for
the “Esprit de France” promotion. Rather than
doing the obvious – ladylike flowers in pastel colors
– he reproduced antique French tarot cards in bold red,
black and white. Most daring of all, the bag omitted the
store name. Even so, it was unmistakably
Bloomingdale’s, and the collector’s shopping bag
was launched. Since then, both famous and fledgling artists,
architects and ad designers have created Bloomingdale’s
bags. Their designs have been featured in art museums all
over the world. In 1971 “model rooms,” a
highlight of Bloomingdale’s since 1947, gained
worldwide attention. “The Cave,” an intricate
multi-level frame sprayed entirely in white polyurethane,
was a spectacular example of the lengths to which
Bloomingdale’s would go to make a statement of style.
Over the years, the model rooms have been showcases for the
talents of everyone from architect Frank Gehry to filmmaker
Federico Fellini.
During the 1970s, Bloomingdale’s was a favorite stop
of the international avant-garde, epitomized locally by the
“Young East Sider” who lived right in the
neighborhood. In 1973, the store wanted to stamp the
Bloomingdale’s name on panties to launch an intimate
apparel promotion; they chose the company nickname as a nod
to the young, trendy crowd, and the
“Bloomie’s” logo was born. Soon, New
Yorkers were affectionately referring to the city’s
second most popular tourist attraction after the Statue of
Liberty as “Bloomie’s” and the hottest
souvenir in town was anything emblazoned with
“Bloomie’s.” From the late ’80s to
the present, the economy and retailing has changed –
thus changing the buying habits of consumers. As usual,
Bloomingdale’s kept up with the times and prepared for
the future. Today, there is an increased emphasis on building
customer services and relationships, while continuing the
unique and exclusive aspects that made Bloomingdale’s
world famous.
With a reputation for quality, creativity and uniqueness,
Bloomingdale’s has remained at the forefront of
retailing world-wide. Bloomingdale’s speaks to its
customers in a language they understand: service, selection
and fashion, making Bloomingdale’s “Like No Other
Store in the World.”