Bloomingdale's - Fashion Company Profile
Bloomingdale's is America's nationwide, full-line, upscale department store chain and a division of Macy's, Inc. - the luxury name that scaled nationally while its rivals stayed in one city. Its Lexington Avenue flagship in New York, the 'Bloomie's' nickname, the brown-bag branding and a talent for retail theatre made it a tourist destination as much as a store, and it anchors the better end of its parent's portfolio.
Company Snapshot
- Status
- Operating - a division of Macy's, Inc.
- Type
- Public parent - NYSE: M (Macy's, Inc.)
- Headquarters
- New York City, New York, United States
- Founded
- 1872
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Company Profile
The chain trades from flagship-scale stores in major metropolitan markets and a large online business, positioned above Macy's own nameplate. Its earlier merchandising firsts are kept in the profile section below.
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'. 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. Lyman flexed his marketing muscle with splashy ad campaigns - people started seeing the 'All Cars Transfer to Bloomingdale's' slogan everywhere, on billboards, delivery wagons and even ladies' beach umbrellas.
Bloomingdale's History
The earlier record for this company - its history, past brand line-ups, figures and photographs from the periods described - is kept on a separate page for historical reference.
Bloomingdale's History & Historical Profile →Common Questions
When was Bloomingdale's founded, and by whom?
In 1872, by brothers Joseph and Lyman Bloomingdale, whose East Side Bazaar grew from their Ladies' Notions Shop - the first item they carried was the hoop skirt, in the historical record.
What is Bloomingdale's position, as recorded?
America's only nationwide, full-line, upscale department store, and a division of Macy's, Inc.; in 2008 it operated 40 stores across 12 states.
What did Bloomingdale's introduce in 1961?
The first designer shopping bags - many of which have since become collector's items, in the historical record's history.
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