This made me sad…
The main flagship Lord and Taylor store on 5th ave is closing. They have already started their closing sale. The store will not be open after the holidays.
I bought my MOB dress there. They had THE best instore selection…of any place.
Apparently they sold the building and at one point thought of leasing back a few floors…but abandoned that idea altogether.
Maybe it’s a sign of the times…but I think the closing of this flagship is…sad.
I agree, Thumper, but I think we’re showing our age. Back when I was in college, L&T was very expensive, la-di-da, the place to go for something elegant. I had a shopping spree there to get some outfits to take with me to college. Years later, I worked close by, and I spent many lunch hours fondling the goods. I was in there about two years ago and it wasn’t very nice, and then I stopped by about a month ago – and it was horrible. The least organized Marshall’s seems better than L&T did that day.
Things change. Presumably they change for the better – I love the fact that I can buy anything on-line these days – but we can still be sad over the changes.
Yeah, it’s sad. There was another famous one in NYC that closed recently too, if I remember correctly.
Yes, it is a sign of the times.
Never, ever sell your RE in a hot RE market with the hopes of leasing it back on favorable terms. What a bummer. Our beloved Bon was bought by Macy’s and then it all went downhill. Macy’s is still in the original building, but shrank to a couple of floors. Yup, Amazon is their “roomie” now.
Henri Bendel is closing also. After 123 years in business
When I was growing up, the rich kids in my private school (yeshiva) went to Lord and Taylor, My school clothes came from John’s Bargain Store. Even when I grew up and began earning enough money to shop at L & T, I never did. For the past 12 years, I’ve worked about 2 blocks from the flagship and have not been inside once. The store just reminds me of my awful, poor childhood.
Do any of your children ever shop in department stores? Neither of mine do. But, they don’t buy clothes from Amazon either.
Yes, I’m more sad about Henri Bendel. L&T has been owned by Canadian corporation HBC for a while and is one of its least profitable chains, of many.
D18 bought her prom dress at L&T. Such a nice selection. Many dresses were on sale because sent from nearby L&T that closed.
We still have a few L&T stores in Chicago area, but lost the “Old Orchard” store in near north suburbs. Damn. They had a nice selection for my age level!
My understanding is that many of the L&Ts in malls will continue to operate.
For the time being.
They had previously announced that they would be closing up to 10 stores, including the 5th Avenue flagship
Always loved the holiday season windows at L&T.
Looks like Sears/K Mart might not make it through the holidays.
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/a-sears-liquidation-could-create-some-winners-and-over-100000-losers-2018-10-11
To answer @doschicos none of my three shop department stores. Neither does their mother. 
I don’t shop in department stores and neither do my daughters.
However, growing up, I did. I recall going to the Lord and Taylors in Philadelphia with my mom to get my special clothes every year.
The L&T in my local mall closed within the last year. I didn’t shop there often but they did have a great selection of dresses when I had occasion to shop for one.
My D’s and I still shop at Nordstrom.
I have memory of taking a bus with my mom and aunt who was really like my grandma 45 minutes away from home to downtown Detroit and the big Hudson’s store. It seemed AMAZING.
But as an adult, a department store is a last resort.
Lord and Taylor used to be my “go to” when I was younger. It’s actually ironic that that “big box” is the current concept and department stores could easily be seen as the first “big box” concept.
For DDs wedding…I just needed to feel the fabric…and see the real colors. I’m not a big fan of having dozens of dresses shipped to my house. I know…it’s what lots do now…but I just don’t have the patience to box them all up and send them back.
I looked…and looked…for a MOB dress for DDs wedding with no luck. Frankly, I didn’t ven see anything online that piqued my interest enough to order it.
Then a friend said…”come to NY…we’ll start at Lord and Taylor”.
@VeryHappy maybe the rest of the store was a mess (we thought it looked great…this was exactly a year ago), but that dress floor was fabulous. Hundreds, and hundreds of “event” dresses of all types. Selection was amazing. And very well organized.
The sales person was also amazing. The dress I found needed alterations and the alterations folks were there in a flash. Dress was taken in to fit me to a T. Cost…$24 for the alterations.
Sorry, but you don’t get that kind of customer service when you order online. And my tailor here would easily have charged me $75 at least for the alterations.
I know…times are changing…and online orders are the thing. But really…I think customer service is also getting to be a thing of the past…and that’s too bad.
My mall L and T should be closed. Horrible selection, and really needs a facelift.
Oh and my DD…does she shop at department stores? Only if she is with me. Otherwise, she’s a Banana Republic/Express type of shopper.