Bamberger's

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shawn

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 24, 2002
Messages
207
Location
Waterford Ct
Does anyone know the history behind this department store. I have never been to one but remember seeing the name for years.
 
Macy's and Bamburger's

I used to sell women's shoes for Macys 34th Street Manhattan to get through college.......

Macy's and Bamburgers were the same store. Bamburger's was the name used in New Jersey.

Macy's over-etended itself by expanding rapidly in the 80's.
It did not do well and was taken over by Federated Department Stores. (FDS! HA)

Macy's was unique in that it was it's own. It was neither part of "Federated" nor "Allied". The appeal was the buyers had a very New York City "twist" to them and the stuff in the store was more NYC appropriate.

[The joke in NYC was that you could tell people from NJ by "bad" footware, and people from CT by their white turtle necks with red little hearts and a string of pearls, or khakis with burgundy penny-loafers and a blue-and white vertical pinstriped button-down shirt. In this area these states are extemely close, but also MILES apart. But then again these same people used to ask "Is there life west of the Hudson (River)? The above editorial comment is not necessarily the opinion of management.. LOL LOL LOL LOL

Anyway enough of that drivel...I thought there were more stores owned by Federated, and I believe some were closed whem Macy's came on board. Was it A&S (Abraham and Strauss) ?

 
i've got too much free time...

Hey Launderess...
I know Lucy got her dress from Macy's, but I could swear that Ethel's came from Gimbel's, and not Bamberger's...
how 'bout it, Lucy fans?...
Geodon
 
I think it's Gimbels too!

I think so too. Gimbels flagship store in NYC was located across the street from Macy's at 34th ST. Later on, it became E. J. Korvette, a discount chain. Not sure if it was owned by Gimbels though. Closed in the early 80's. Later became the Herald Square Mall, with sleek looking black glass over the old building. Mall still open
Jerry
 
I remember Bamberger's in New Jersey when I was a little kid. Vague but pleasant memories; and they would also set up a large toy department during the Christmas season.

Damn, all the independent department stores that have closed or gotten absorbed into these faceless big-box outlets, where the name of the store is practically meaningless and the product selections are chosen by computer algorithms based on demographic data. Blech, boring modern homogenization.... Bring back something with character that's run by people who are concerned with serving their local market, and who put some thought into their product lines, and where the sales staff are on the payroll for long enough that they know their customers... but that isn't an expensive boutique.... well, we can remember and we can dream, can't we?
 
Gimbel's

Compared to Macy's, Gimbel's was a dump! The only time people flocked in to Gimbel's was during a one-day sale. These always occurred on the same day of the week, so many times we'd just check in on that day of the week.

Eventually Macy's caught on and started their own one-day sales. (But never on the same day of the week as Gimbel's)

At the time I worked in the Empire State Building (78th FLoor)
just a block or two away from Macy's /Gimbel's.

Working in Macy's was a trip...
Although they stopped selling TVs there were a few working there, alongside the TSs.
 
Carreer sales-people

"and where the sales staff are on the payroll for long enough that they know their customers... "

There were many career sales people @ Macy's. And after 25 years if you were not institutionalized or had gone postal after dealing with the pulic for so long, you'd get your employeee discount permanently! LOL

Macy's had AWESOME pay + commission. They also had quite a strong union. I was in "regular" shoes (base + 2% of your sales)

Typical dialogue:

"What sizes do you have"
"5 to 10 in half sizes with no 9.5"
"Can I get a 9.5"
"UH..NO but I hear Conway's (like a Target) across the street is having a sale." LOL

Better shoes was base + 10% of sales. These guys were exceeding 60k in the 1980s and were the type that would pull their ties out of their vests to pee.. (i.e. some not bright)
 

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