Neiman unveils Christmas book

Dallas Business Journal

Neiman Marcus unveiled its 80th annual Christmas Book Tuesday boasting everything from a $20 tin of holiday cookies to a $3.8 million membership in The Club at Castiglion Del Bosco, an exclusive wine estate in Italy.

The Dallas-based luxury retailer's catalog, first published in 1926, is seen by many as a harbinger of the Christmas shopping season. The "ultimate wish book" has built a reputation for exotic, fanciful and expensive gift options, but many of the items are priced below $100, according to Neiman Marcus.

This year's catalog includes 152 pages of more than 500 items, such as a diamond encrusted Montblanc Bohéme Skeleton fountain pin for $160,900 and a Nancy Gonzalez chinchilla shoulder bag for $4,800.

Each year, Neiman Marcus culls the fantasy gift items from thousands of suggestions that are submitted nationally and internationally. Gifts included in the 2006 catalog include an All-Star sports celebrity dream package, a charity auction requiring a minimum bid of $250,000. There also is a $1.76 million, six-person charter into space -- about 63 miles above sea level. The gift includes a four-night stay on Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands. Other gifts include a $139,000 limited edition BMW M6 convertible and a backyard water park starting at $100,000.

The Neiman Marcus "His and Hers" gift, one of the catalog's more famed traditions, is a $40,000 his and hers Twike commuter vehicle.

The catalog will be distributed to nearly 2 million homes throughout the United States and worldwide.

steve loves Neiman Marcus

I went to the new Neiman Marcus in Charlotte over the weekend with my mom. You can see the pictures at LiveMalls.

Neiman Marcus is one of my favorite stores and SouthPark is one of my favorite malls. I’ve been waiting for years for this store, and it did not disappoint.

As reported earlier, The Dallas-based department store chain, known to fans as the creme de la creme of retail, opened at SouthPark on September 15. The store is Neiman Marcus' 39th property and the mall's sixth anchor.

At 80,000 square feet on two levels, this Neiman Marcus is the chain's second smallest, but if demand is high enough, company officials anitipating adding a third shopping level in as soon as next year.

Neiman's decor oozes opulence. The walls are covered with 151 original works of art commissioned from 19 regional artists. The Charlotte store even has audio-video presentations describing what you’re seeing on the walls, along with video interviews with the founders’ son, Stanley Marcus, who is one of my retail idols.

Handbags, shoes and gloves are displayed in museum-style cases. Home decor items are set against a backdrop of Venetian plaster, mosaic marble accents and beaded textured glass. And for optimum application of cosmetics, the entire store is bathed in a glow that replicates natural light.

My favorite part, to be sure, is the escalator well. Over 7,000 paper butterflies and mirrors on strings cascade from the ceiling in an opulent diplay. Even in daylight, it's a beautiful scene.

Among the amenities at NM SouthPark are a personal shopping areas with oversized fitting rooms and private customer lounge, two cosmetic treatment rooms for private personal beauty services, and a private bridal consultation area to register for bridal gifts.

The best part about NM SouthPark is that it isn't a watered-down verison. It feels every bit as nice as Neiman Marcus stores in other cities, and the merchandise is exclusive and well-chosen.

I'm not a high-end shopper (though I try), but I'm a retail fanatic. If you love good store design and above-average merchandising, you can't help but love NM.

Neiman Marcus reaches for top-shelf buyers

Upscale chain that caters to richest 1% set to debut at SouthPark on Friday

NICHOLE MONROE BELL
nbell@charlotteobserver.com

CHARLOTTE - When Neiman Marcus opens at SouthPark mall Friday, self-described "fashion addict" Vahni Hughes plans to be there, ready to splurge.

But her pocketbook better be ready.

With its $3,000 handbags, $5,000 evening gowns and $10,000 diamond-studded false eyelashes, Neiman Marcus' over-the-top, unapologetic glam caters to the richest of the rich.

"At Neiman, it's about the total experience," Hughes said.

Neiman Marcus will bring an unrivaled level of luxury shopping to the Charlotte region, retail experts said. The department store's strategy is simple: indulge the rich by selling clothing, jewelry and trinkets only they can afford.

Their target clientele: households with an annual income in the top 1 percent. In the Charlotte area, that's about $245,000 a year.

"Neiman has great product, and they don't water their price down for the market or anyone," said Glen Taylor, co-owner of Taylor Richards & Conger in Phillips Place. "If you're a shopper, you step up, or you step back."

The Charlotte store will be the only Neiman Marcus between Atlanta and Washington, D.C. And while the retailer has traditionally focused on larger cities, the company's arrival in Charlotte is part of a broader strategy to expand to new markets.

Neiman spokeswoman Gabrielle de Papp said the company had its eye on Charlotte for "some time," and plans to draw from a 50-mile radius. The store has been designed to accommodate a third floor, which could be added after a year.

"We study markets carefully and have been watching the amazing growth the city has experienced over the past 20 years," de Papp wrote in an e-mail. "The demographics show growth in the luxury sector. ... Charlotte has seen a phenomenal increase in the recent past within our target market."

More than 9,100 Mecklenburg County households have a net worth of $1 million or more, but researchers estimate that figure could grow to 15,000 in the next few years.

"It seems to me there's a fairly natural base for Neiman to come in and serve a customer that may not be served at this point," said Patricia Edwards, a retail analyst for Wentworth, Hauser and Violich in Seattle. "Even people who don't have the money will go in and look at what's hot. Anytime you bring up the fashion sensibility of a city, there'll be a trickle-down effect."

When Nordstrom opened at SouthPark in 2004, shoppers were excited at the prospect of an upscale department store. But observers say Nordstrom targets a lower-income demographic than Neiman -- and pales in comparison when it comes to the amount of luxury items.

Even Neiman's decor oozes opulence. The walls are covered with original artwork commissioned from 19 regional artists. Handbags, shoes and gloves are displayed in museum-style cases. Home decor items are set against a backdrop of Venetian plaster, mosaic marble accents and beaded textured glass. And for optimum application of cosmetics, the entire store is bathed in a glow that replicates natural light.

Hughes, a Wachovia Web site content manager, said she plans to take Friday off to attend the opening. While her income falls short of the top 1 percent, Hughes said she sees Neiman as a place where people can splurge on little things such as lipstick. She said she tries to visit Neiman when she's visiting other cities.

"I do hit these stores if for nothing else than for inspiration," she said.

Neiman is thriving at a time when some retailers are struggling to hold on to customers. One reason: high-end shoppers are not as sensitive to factors such as skyrocketing gas prices.

"What Neiman Marcus is doing is what we recommend for all retailers who can afford it -- follow the money," said Gerald Celente, director of Trends Institute, a consulting agency in Rhinebeck, N.Y. "The people at the top are not going to stop spending money, and they are not going to lose it. And that market doesn't move much with the ebbs and flows of the economic tide."

Other Charlotte-area retailers said they believe their stores will benefit from Neiman Marcus' opening. Belk spokesman Steve Pernotto said he expects increased traffic at SouthPark, which will cause an overall boost in sales for the mall's tenants.

Taylor of Taylor Richards & Conger said he plans to compete by offering clothing from trendier, lesser-known designers. The men's store also will rely more on custom-tailored pieces.

He said there's another benefit to Neiman Marcus. Customers will be less likely to complain about his prices.

Although his customers can afford $2,000 Armani suits, they still grouse about the price, he said.

"In a community like this, where we've always been at the top of the elevator as far as pricing, we feel like it will legitimize some of the price points we have," Taylor said. "They'll raise the ceiling on pricing here."

Database editor Ted Mellnik and Staff Writer Stella Hopkins contributed.

Neiman Marcus Perks

The Charlote Observer

Fans of Neiman Marcus say the store isn't just about the high fashion, but also the experience. The Charlotte, N.C. store will be the chain's second smallest, with 80,000 square -feet of luxury including:

• An in-store beauty spa.

• Personal shopper assistants who will serve drinks while clients try on clothes in oversized dressing rooms.

• A men's lounge complete with a sofa, flat-screen television, laptop connections and beverages.

• An art collection of 151 works from regional artists, with video monitors to describe several of the pieces.

Luxury shoppers' new spot

Samantha Thompson Smith, Staff Writer

The News & Observer, Raleigh, N.C.

CHARLOTTE - Less than two years ago, it was nearly impossible to find a real Louis Vuitton handbag for sale in North Carolina.

Never mind an Hermes tie, Gucci loafers or anything by Dolce & Gabbana.

That, of course, was before the state's luxury department store invasion -- before Saks Fifth Avenue came to Raleigh and Neiman Marcus' opening next week in Charlotte.

Saks may have been first to tease us two years ago with a taste of real luxury, but Neiman Marcus will take us to the next level.

The store will open Sept. 15 stocked with an impressive list of who's-who designers: Prada, Akris, Stella McCartney, Missoni and Tory Burch. You'll also be able to shop for Shu Uemura cosmetics, Manolo Blahnik pumps, Chanel handbags, Paul Smith men's shoes and Baccarat glassware. Once the store opens at SouthPark mall, only a few major designers will not be readily available for sale in the state.

For Triangle shoppers, the only big hurdle will be the three-hour drive to SouthPark.

But for the real fashionista -- the one who drools over Fendi handbags, who won't go to a business cocktail party without Diane von Furstenberg, who can't leave the house without trailing the scent of Clive Christian, and for whom money is not a problem -- the shopping should far exceed the cost of gas.

"It's a great complement to the existing retail," said Heather Jones, the public relations manager for the Charlotte store. "The clothing is anything they wouldn't be able to get anywhere else between Atlanta and D.C."

Neiman Marcus regulars, however, say it's more than those big names that keep them coming back.

"I just love good service and good quality," said Trish Healy, a Dallas native who moved from California to Raleigh almost two years ago. "And I love the history of the store."

Healy, who grew up shopping at Neiman Marcus in Dallas, said the chain's consistent store merchandising is the main reason she'll be making the trip to Charlotte to shop.

"It's a very, very real culture," she said. "It's not just about the designers. It's about a true understanding of merchandising."

She said Nordstrom may have a larger selection of shoes, but Neiman Marcus' selection makes you want to buy. "At Neiman's, you want every pair," she said.

Big names in store
The new 80,000-square-foot store, which is the same size as Saks at Triangle Town Center, won't be as big as some Neiman Marcus shoppers are used to. It won't have a third-floor restaurant or a children's department, and the store won't sell bridal gowns. But it will have many of the same names and in-store boutiques, such as Chanel, Escada and St. John, that have made Neiman Marcus among the top tier of luxury, Jones said.

While day-to-day shopping might not be enough of a draw for Triangle shoppers, they might feel the tug of designers themselves. Jones said the store will regularly pull in top-name designers for personal appearances and trunk shows.

The store already proved it has some serious clout.

The first designer appearance was last month, when Carolina Herrera -- who is best known for her glamorous evening gowns and classic suits -- gave a fashion show at the Duke Mansion in Charlotte of her newest resort collection. She also met with established and potential customers from around the Charlotte area.

Herrera said she was happy to make the appearance, something she does regularly for the department store chain. "I have a long relationship with Neiman Marcus," she said.

Jones said expect more like the Herrera event, the only difference being the shows won't be exclusive to top customers or credit card customers.

"We don't try to exclude anyone," she said.

Only 10 pre-WWII store buildings still operating with same name?

According to sfpaul900 at remembering _retail, now that Carson Pirie Scott & Co. is closing its downtown Chicago store, and Marshall Field & Company is becoming Macy's a block away, there are only about 10 pre-WWII department store buildings still operating with their original names.

• Bloomingdale's 59th & Lexington, NYC 1886
• Macy's Herald Square, NYC 1902
• Macy's Parkchester, Bronx, NYC, 1941
• Saks Fifth Avenue, NYC 1924
• Saks Fifth Avenue, Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills 1938
• Bergdorf-Goodman, NYC 1928
• Lord & Taylor, NYC 1914
• Lord & Taylor, Manhasset, NY 1941
• Neiman-Marcus, Dallas 1914
• Boston Store, Milwaukee (I don't know the date, but it looks to be1920's vintage)

Can anyone think of any others?