Neiman Marcus is a chain of upscale department stores that operates in the United States. There are currently 35 Neiman Marcus stores in the chain.
Neiman's History
Neiman Marcus opened its doors in Dallas, Texas on September 10, 1907. In 1913 a fire destroyed the Neiman Marcus store and all of its merchandise. A temporary store was set up and opened in a mere seventeen days. In 1914 Neiman Marcus reopened at a new, larger "uptown" location at Main and Ervay. With the opening of this flagship store, Neiman Marcus increases its selection to include accessories, lingerie, and children's clothing, as well as expanding the women's apparel department. In 1927, Neiman Marcus premieres the first weekly retail fashion show in the United States. In 1929, they began offering menswear. In 1971, the first Neiman Marcus outside Texas opens in Bal Harbour, Florida. In subsequent years stores open in over thirty cities across the United States, including Atlanta, Beverly Hills, Chicago, Las Vegas and San Francisco. In 1982, the flagship Dallas store was honored with historical institution landmark status. In 1999, Neiman Marcus's website debuted as did the store's online gift registry. Recently, in 2002, Neiman Marcus and the fashion world alike mourned the death of Stanley Marcus. This was also the year that the company started a website for The Horchow Collection, which became part of Neiman Marcus in 1986. The company still has its headquarters in Dallas.
Neiman's Today
Unlike many grand old department stores, Neiman Marcus is still in operation today. On their website they say: "For nearly a century, The Neiman Marcus Group has stayed focused on serving the unique needs of the luxury market. Today, that commitment is stronger than ever. We have stayed true to the principles of our founders – to be recognized as the premier luxury retailer dedicated to providing our customers with distinctive merchandise and superior service. The Neiman Marcus Group is comprised of the Specialty Retail stores division - which includes Neiman Marcus Stores and Bergdorf Goodman - and the Direct Marketing division, Neiman Marcus Direct. These renowned retailers offer upscale assortments of apparel, accessories, jewelry, beauty and decorative home products to the affluent consumer. The Company operates 35 Neiman Marcus Stores across the United States and two Bergdorf Goodman stores in Manhattan. The Company also operates fourteen Last Call clearance centers. These store operations total more than 5 million gross square feet. Neiman Marcus Direct, our direct-to-consumer business, conducts both print catalog and online operations under the Neiman Marcus, Horchow and Bergdorf Goodman brand names. Under the Neiman Marcus brand, Neiman Marcus Direct primarily offers women's apparel, accessories and home furnishings. Horchow offers quality home furnishings, linens, decorative accessories and tabletop items. The Company also owns majority interests in two designer resources: Kate Spade, a manufacturer of accessories, and Gurwitch Products, which manufactures Laura Mercier cosmetics." Sales-wise, they perform at a higher level than most in the department store industry. Other luxury retailers that they compete with include, Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom, and Bloomingdale's.
Neiman's and Pop Culture
Neiman Marcus's high-end image was portrayed on the small screen in the 1980s on "The Facts of Life", where wealthy character Blair Warner enjoyed shopping there.
The company is also part of an urban legend, involving the recipe for its popular chocolate chip cookie. Legend has it that a patron of the store was charged a substantial amount of money for the cookie recipe on their credit card without knowing. While the story is known to be false, Neiman Marcus has decided to put their cookie recipe up on their website. That way the rumours can subside.
Neiman Marcus's flagship store is still located on the southwest corner of Ervay St. and Main St. in Downtown Dallas, Texas.
External links
Last updated: 08-30-2005 10:27:54
