Fifth Avenue: the most fabulous shopping center of them all

Real Estate Weekly, August 12, 1998 by Faith Hope Consolo

There was Bergdorf Goodman, Tailored Woman, Bonwit Teller, DePinna, Best & Co., Saks Fifth Avenue, Arnold Constable, Franklin Simon, Russeks, B. Altman & Co., and Lord & Taylor. Each store had its own ambiance: Bergdorf Goodman was always the jewel in the crown - everything was the best - beautiful and very expensive. To make sure it stayed that way, the Goodmans kept a close eye on it. They lived over the store: husband, wife, sister, and children.

Tailored Woman was known for its excellent fur department.

DePinna boys' departments were just a little more stylish than Brooks Brothers, so if Mommy wanted Junior to have some dash in his wardrobe when he went away to prep school, she shopped at DePinna's.

Best & Co. was conservative - Madras everything, silver circle pins, Silver Cross baby carriages. It had what was considered the best children's department in the country. Over 50 percent of its business was catalog, mostly children's clothes. People all over the world shopped for their children's clothes at Best's.

Saks Fifth Avenue was glamour. The name personified chic. Things were expensive at Saks, but if one shopped carefully, one could find exceptional bargains, especially during their sales.

Arnold Constable was nice and less expensive. It was the off-shoot of one of New York's first great stores: Stewart's. How Stewart's became Arnold Constable is another story.

Franklin Simon was similar to Arnold Constable.

Russeks was known for its coats: beautiful, very good quality, very Fifth Avenue.

B. Altman's had everything. Furniture, clothing for the whole family, cosmetics, needlework, books, autographs, artwork, stationery, toys, kitchen supplies, even food and vitamins. All the goods were slightly staid, slightly stuffy.

Lord & Taylor was much like Altman's, with more pizzazz. It was on the west side of the Avenue, closer to Seventh Avenue fashion and designers. It also carried furniture, but no vitamins, kitchen supplies, etc.

Then, something happened to this country - the '60's. It was a strong wind that blew through our times, and when it stopped, for good or ill, everything had changed.

What had been elegant and sophisticated before, now seemed a bit suffocating.

The consensus of opinion has been that the large Fifth Avenue stores didn't catch on to the change early enough and lost the new customers - children of the '60's - while the old customers were literally dying out. This, and other factors - each store had its own story - caused all but three of the old crowd to fade away. The remaining three are: Bergdorf Goodman, as elegant and expensive as ever; Saks, always in style; and, Lord & Taylor, still pretty much the same. It's bigger, though, and there's no furniture department.

Discount stores invaded the Avenue. Low quality electronics and rug shops that were chronically going out of business were everywhere. There were long-term vacancies.

Fifth Avenue wasn't what it used to be and there were those who said it never would be again.

Now, at the end of the Twentieth Century, the prophets of doom have been proven wrong. A new crowd arrived on Fifth Avenue, giving it life and energy. Some of their names are: Gianni Versace, Armani AIX, St. John, Benetton, Christian Dior, Bijan, Faconnable, Liz Claiborne, Banana Republic, along with Warner Brothers, Disney, and Coca-Cola.

NBA will open a store soon at 666 Fifth Avenue. Their next-door neighbor is going to be Brooks Brothers ... what a combination!

Fifth Avenue has returned, just as glittering, glamorous and exciting as ever. Except that 50 years ago, I don't think anyone would have expected to see Bugs Bunny and Donald Duck on Fifth Avenue - with a Coke.