Happy 150th Birthday Bloomingdales !

I hope you have all been doing well ! This post comes out of pure love for one of my most favorite stores! This is not a sponsored post. 

The famous Bloomingdale's department store is turning 150 years old this year! To me, Bloomies is iconic New York City. It is my most favorite store in the city, sorry I do love the new Nordstrom store, but this to me is just classic New York shopping. I have been coming here since I was little, and it has always been my happy place! When I walk in and see that fabulous black and white floor, I smile from ear to ear. I just love the way the store is laid out, the sales clerks are always so helpful and then there is 40 Carrots for delish yogurt and savory foods. I am so happy when I receive my items in the famous brown bag (little, medium, big) which started in 1971. I am so glad they are doing well in this era of many iconic stores closing (Henri Bendel, Barneys, Lord and Taylor) and I hope they celebrate another 150 years! 

Here is some of their storied history from the Bloomingdales website: 

1860-1879

A Store Is Born

To think it all started with a 19th century fad - the hoop skirt. That was the first item that Joseph and Lyman Bloomingdale carried in their Ladies' Notions Shop in New York's Lower East Side. In the late 1800's, most fashion retailers specialized in just one type of garment. Not the brothers Bloomingdale - their East Side Bazaar, opened in 1872, sold a wide variety of European fashions. It was the beginning of what would become a "Department Store".

1880-1929

Moving Up In The World

In 1886 came the visionary move uptown to 59th Street and Lexington Avenue. The store expanded steadily and by the 1920's, Bloomingdale's converted an entire city block.

1900-1910

Read All About It

Flexing his marketing muscle, Lyman created splashy ad campaigns to bring people in the door. People started seeing the "All Cars Transfer to Bloomingdale's" slogan everywhere - on billboards, delivery wagons, and even ladies' beach umbrellas.

1940's

Lights - Camera - Action!

Print ads couldn't say it all. The store had to be experienced. So Bloomingdale's became the stage for gala events and fashion shows, including "Woman Of The Year, 1947." With music, lighting and sophistication, it was retailing as theater.

1960's

It's In The Bag

It's not just what you buy - it's what you take it home in, too. We've always looked for new ways to be creative. In 1961, the Bloomingdale's team came up with the first designer shopping bags. Since then, many have become collector's items.

1970's

Not A Store, But A Destination

By the 70's, everyone was stopping by 59th Street and Lexington Avenue for a look - including Queen Elizabeth. People came to see and to be seen. Once there, they were dazzled by the cutting-edge fashion of designers like Ralph Lauren, Perry Ellis and Norma Kamali, who got their first truly big opportunities at Bloomingdale's.

2000+

Looking Forward

Bloomingdale's is committed to once again lead the way with exclusive merchandise, customized services, and alternative shopping venues. Carrying on the Bloomingdale's brothers' dream, we're always finding ways to set our stores apart. That's both the legacy and the promise of Bloomingdale's.

How much fun are these vintage catalog pages ! 

It should be against the law to shop at Bloomies and not visit 40 Carrots ! This wonderful place has been around since 1974 and I recall it being in the basement of the store when I was small. I just love the new design and larger space as it gets crowded pretty quickly. 

Their savory food is also quite fantastic and you always have carrots as a side dish 

Their peanut butter yogurt is my favorite and I feel so lucky when I am there and it is available as they change flavors each day of the week! 

A gorgeous display with the famous black and white floor 

Holiday windows are always so fabulous, these are from the 2016 season  

My Bloomies ornament on my tree 

I also really love their home section, which is near 40 Carrots so I always get to pop in and enjoy the beautiful merchandise 

Here is a bottle of champagne to Bloomingdales for 150 years in business! It truly is "like no other store in the world". 

They will be having celebrations from September 8th through the end of the year. There will be a 150th anniversary collection which I am so excited about along with pop-ups from various businesses. If you cannot get to a store in person, items will be available online. I am hoping to get to the flagship this year to celebrate this wonderful milestone in person. 

                                                      Instagram / Facebook/ Bloglovin/ Pinterest / Twitter  

The Closing of Henri Bendel

The news over the weekend that Henri Bendel is closing did not really come as a total shock to me. The iconic store on 5th Avenue, was one of my favorite places to shop. They used to have artisans at various tables to show their work, and you could purchase some very unique items. Their candles are one of the best, and fabulous to give as a gift. When they changed their format in 2014, I was really disappointed in the lack of selection of items. I popped in, and own a few of their handbags, but it just wasn't the same. I am sad to see a store that is 123 years old close, but how many items can I own with their name on it? I think if they stayed to their original format, it would have worked better. So many brick and mortar stores are closing these days, and I know many blame online shopping, but I feel if they do not provide the customer service and selection, they will not last. 

Here is some history on the store: 

History and influence. Henri Willis Bendel was born in Louisiana in 1868 and moved to New York to work as a milliner. He opened his first shop, in Greenwich Village, in 1895. In 1907, he began branding the brown-and-white striped boxes that are still identified with the company. In 1913, Henri Bendel was the first retailer to sell Coco Chanel designs in the U.S. After Bendel’s death in 1936, his nephew became the store’s president and served until his retirement in 1954. Bendel's nephew, who later founded Belgian Shoes, died in 1997. Beginning in 2008, the brand expanded beyond the New York store to become a national chain with 28 stores (in addition to the NYC flagship) across the U.S. In 2009, Henri Bendel stopped selling apparel. In 2014, the New York flagship store and website began selling only Henri Bendel-branded handbags, jewelry, fashion accessories and home fragrances, following the model set at its other stores. 

The current Fifth Avenue flagship is located in two landmark buildings, the Rizzoli building and Coty building, as well as a new five-story building.[14] During renovation of the Coty building, 276 “masterwork” panes of glass commissioned from Rene Lalique in 1912 were restored. The glass fills three large windows that comprise the front of the second, third and fourth floors of the Henri Bendel flagship. Upon the store’s opening in 1991, it received landmark status from the city’s Landmark Preservation Commission. 

The store in King of Prussia mall which I rarely saw folks purchasing items  

I will miss their holiday windows as this one was really cool with the Statue of Liberty.  

Another wonderful set of holiday windows that I just loved!  

Awesome vintage ad from 1938 for soaps and perfumes  

Thank goodness the building is landmarked so it will not be changing at all. Should be interesting to see who takes over the space after January 2019.

What are your thoughts about the closing? Do tell .....

To be assured not miss a post, sign up for each one to be emailed to you HERE. Be sure to check for your Feedburner confirmation email, or your subscription will not be processed. Your email is not sold or shared with anyone. Thank you so much for visiting!