Bloomingdale's
American upscale department-store chain
Last updated August 26, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
Bloomingdale's is an American upscale department-store chain operated by Macy's, Inc. Its roots date to 1861, when Benjamin Bloomingdale and Lyman Bloomingdale established a New York retail business initially associated with hoop skirts and European fashions. The business developed during a period when New York's expanding population, transportation network, and consumer culture were creating opportunities for larger, more specialized retailers. The company moved from its early Lower East Side presence to Midtown Manhattan during the 1870s. Its principal store eventually settled at 59th Street and Lexington Avenue, where the flagship remains a defining part of the brand. Through repeated expansions and acquisitions of adjoining properties, Bloomingdale's transformed the location into a large department store serving fashion, accessories, beauty, home furnishings, and other lifestyle categories. The store's relationship with the New York subway helped shape its customer traffic: in 1918, the principal entrance was shifted toward Lexington Avenue after the opening of the nearby 59th Street station. Bloomingdale's survived the financial pressures following the 1929 stock-market crash by joining Federated Department Stores in 1930. Under Federated, it expanded beyond Manhattan, first into nearby suburbs and later into other regions of the United States. The postwar period established the chain as an important fashion retailer. It promoted European designers, helped introduce American designers to a broad luxury-oriented customer base, and developed a reputation for merchandising that was more fashion-led and visually distinctive than that of a conventional department store. The 1960s and 1970s were especially important for the brand's identity. Bloomingdale's expanded its assortment to include Parisian couture, Italian home furnishings, and avant-garde European design. It created dedicated designer departments, including early spaces for Halston and Polo Ralph Lauren, and became known for its visual merchandising and retail theater. The rounded logo and the recognizable brown shopping bags introduced in the early 1970s became enduring brand assets. From the 1970s through the 1990s, Bloomingdale's pursued regional expansion along the East Coast and into markets including California, Texas, Florida, Illinois, and the Washington, D.C. area. Some locations were later closed as economic conditions changed, as store portfolios were rationalized, and as Macy's and Federated operations were consolidated. Federated acquired Macy's in 1994 and changed its corporate name to Macy's, Inc. in 2007, while retaining Bloomingdale's as a distinct retail brand. In the twenty-first century, Bloomingdale's has combined full-line department stores with smaller edited-format locations, outlet stores, digital commerce, and licensed international operations. Its New York flagship has been developed as a destination with food, beauty, footwear, contemporary fashion, home, and experiential offerings intended to encourage visits beyond traditional department-store shopping. The chain also expanded into Dubai and Kuwait through local licensing arrangements. As of 2024, the reported network consisted of 32 directly owned department stores, 21 outlet stores, and four Bloomie's by Bloomingdale's concept stores, with three additional franchised locations in Dubai and Kuwait. Bloomingdale's remains positioned as a premium, fashion-oriented department store within Macy's, Inc.'s portfolio, competing primarily with retailers such as Nordstrom and other upscale department stores.
History
Bloomingdale's began in New York City in 1861, founded by Benjamin Bloomingdale and Lyman Bloomingdale. The original business focused on hoop skirts and imported European fashions, but the founders soon recognized the value of a broader retail format. During the 1870s, the business moved toward Midtown Manhattan and operated under the name Bloomingdale's Great East Side Bazaar before adopting the shorter Bloomingdale's name. The store's principal location evolved through several moves and expansions. It ultimately became established near 59th Street and Third Avenue before relocating to the intersection of 59th Street and Lexington Avenue in 1886. The Midtown site grew through the acquisition of neighboring buildings and had expanded across much of its surrounding city block by the early twentieth century. The store also became known for prominent window displays, an important early form of retail advertising. After the Lexington Avenue subway station opened, the store shifted its main entrance toward Lexington Avenue in 1918 to capture subway traffic. During World War I, part of the store was made available to the American Red Cross. The company expanded its physical footprint further during the 1920s but encountered severe financial difficulties after the 1929 stock-market crash. In 1930, it joined Federated Department Stores, a combination that helped preserve the business during the Great Depression. Postwar prosperity created a foundation for renewed growth. Bloomingdale's opened its first location outside Manhattan in New Rochelle in 1947 and introduced a purpose-built branch in Fresh Meadows, Queens, in 1949. Additional suburban stores followed, including locations in Stamford and Hackensack. From the 1950s onward, Bloomingdale's developed a stronger role in American fashion retail. It promoted European fashion while also giving American designers prominent retail space. During the 1960s, its assortment expanded to include Parisian haute couture and Italian home furnishings. The company introduced dedicated designer areas, including a Halston department and a Polo Ralph Lauren boutique in 1969. It also became associated with progressive international merchandising and, in the early 1970s, sold products from China after the United States recognized the People's Republic of China. The 1970s established several of the visual elements most closely associated with the brand. Bloomingdale's introduced its rounded logo in 1972 and its brown shopping bags in 1973. The chain continued to expand beyond the New York metropolitan area, opening in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, in 1973 and McLean, Virginia, in 1976. It later entered Philadelphia-area, Florida, Chicago, Dallas, California, and other markets. In 1988, the company was acquired by Canadian developer Robert Campeau as part of a large corporate transaction, after which Bloomingdale's continued within the Federated retail structure. The early 1990s brought closures and portfolio adjustments. Federated's 1994 acquisition of Macy's added another major department-store business to the group. Bloomingdale's entered California in 1996 by converting former Broadway stores, while later expansions and closures reflected market overlap and changing department-store economics. Federated adopted the Macy's, Inc. name in 2007, retaining Bloomingdale's as a separate upscale banner. In the 2000s and 2010s, Bloomingdale's pursued a mixed-format strategy. The company opened an edited-format store in SoHo, expanded to additional West Coast locations, developed outlet stores, and moved further toward online retail. Its catalog business was phased down in favor of digital commerce. Internationally, the brand launched in Dubai in 2010 through Al Tayer Group and later added Kuwait in 2017 through licensed operations. The company also invested in the Manhattan flagship as a destination rather than only a merchandise-distribution center. New food, beauty, footwear, contemporary-fashion, and home offerings were added, and substantial portions of the store were remodeled in 2018 and 2019. Macy's announced a company-wide fur-sales phase-out in 2019. The COVID-19 pandemic forced temporary closures across the chain in 2020, with some locations reopening only after extended interruptions. Bloomingdale's marked its 150th anniversary in 2022. In the current period, it operates as a premium Macy's, Inc. banner with department stores, outlet locations, smaller Bloomie's concepts, e-commerce, and licensed international stores. Its identity remains closely linked to designer and contemporary fashion, distinctive visual merchandising, the Manhattan flagship, and a curated alternative to more mass-market department stores.
- 2022
Bloomingdale's celebrates its 150th anniversary
[1]The anniversary is marked with events and special merchandise at the Manhattan flagship.
- 2017
The brand enters Kuwait
[1]Bloomingdale's adds a licensed international location in Kuwait.
- 2010
International and outlet formats launch
[1]The first Dubai store opens under license, and the first Bloomingdale's outlet opens at Potomac Mills.
- 2007
The parent company becomes Macy's, Inc.
[1]Federated changes its corporate name while preserving Bloomingdale's as a distinct banner.
- 2004
An edited-format store opens in SoHo
[1]Bloomingdale's returns to downtown Manhattan with a smaller store carrying a curated selection of flagship merchandise.
- 1994
Federated acquires Macy's
[1]The transaction adds Macy's to the corporate group that includes Bloomingdale's.
- 1988
Robert Campeau acquires the company
[1]A large acquisition places Bloomingdale's under Canadian developer Robert Campeau's ownership before its continued operation within the Federated structure.
- 1973
The Brown Bags are introduced
[1]The Big Brown Bag and Little Brown Bag become recognizable elements of Bloomingdale's packaging and identity.
- 1972
The rounded Bloomingdale's logo debuts
[1]The logo becomes one of the brand's enduring visual identifiers.
- 1969
Dedicated designer departments are introduced
[1]The chain creates dedicated retail spaces for designers including Halston and Polo Ralph Lauren.
Products and positioning
Upscale, fashion-oriented department store offering designer, contemporary, beauty, home, and lifestyle merchandise with an emphasis on discovery, visual presentation, and destination retail.
Apparel
Women's fashion
Women's fashion is a core Bloomingdale's category, spanning designer, contemporary, and occasion clothing. The assortment has historically been used to distinguish the chain from more general department stores, with emphasis on seasonal fashion, international labels, American designers, and curated presentations.
Apparel
Men's fashion
The men's business includes clothing, tailoring, casualwear, footwear, accessories, and designer merchandise. Bloomingdale's developed its fashion credentials partly through dedicated designer spaces, including an early Polo Ralph Lauren boutique.
Beauty and cosmetics
Beauty
Beauty departments carry cosmetics, skincare, fragrance, haircare, and related services. Beauty has also been part of the Manhattan flagship's modernization and destination-retail strategy.
Fashion accessories
Accessories and footwear
Bloomingdale's sells handbags, shoes, jewelry, watches, eyewear, and other accessories from designer and contemporary brands. Footwear and accessories are prominent parts of the flagship's fashion presentation and remodeling program.
Home furnishings
Home
The home assortment includes furniture, decor, linens, tabletop products, kitchen goods, and gifts. Bloomingdale's expanded its home identity during the 1960s through imported Italian furnishings and continues to treat home as a major lifestyle category.
Small-format department store
Bloomie's
Bloomie's is a smaller-format concept designed to provide a more edited and flexible version of the Bloomingdale's assortment. It supports expansion into locations where a traditional full-line department store may not be appropriate.
Marketing campaigns
- 2022150th anniversary celebration
United States
Bloomingdale's used events and special merchandise at its Manhattan flagship to commemorate 150 years of operation.
Outcome. The program reinforced the brand's New York heritage and flagship-store identity.
- 1973Brown Bag identity program
United States
The introduction and continued use of the Big Brown Bag and Little Brown Bag turned ordinary shopping packaging into a prominent form of brand recognition and long-term marketing.
Outcome. The bags became enduring visual symbols of Bloomingdale's.
Brand decisions
2020
Temporary COVID-19 store closuresOtherBackground
The rapid spread of COVID-19 led retailers across the United States to suspend physical-store operations.
Action taken
Macy's, Inc. temporarily closed all Bloomingdale's and Macy's locations.
Aftermath
Reopening schedules differed by location, and some stores remained closed for extended periods into 2021.
2019
End fur salesStrategyBackground
Macy's reassessed its merchandise policies amid changing consumer and ethical expectations concerning fur.
Action taken
Macy's announced that fur would be removed from its stores, including Bloomingdale's, by the end of fiscal 2020.
Aftermath
Fur was phased out across the relevant Macy's and Bloomingdale's operations.
2008
Shift from catalog retail toward digital commerceStrategyBackground
Online shopping was expanding and the company wanted to place greater emphasis on its digital business.
Action taken
Bloomingdale's began phasing out its Bloomingdale's By Mail catalog.
Aftermath
The brand continued developing its online channel while maintaining stores and later adding smaller and outlet formats.
1930
Join Federated Department StoresM&ABackground
The 1929 stock-market crash and subsequent economic crisis created severe financial pressure for Bloomingdale's.
Action taken
Bloomingdale's merged into the newly created Federated Department Stores structure.
Aftermath
The transaction helped the retailer survive the Great Depression and established its long-term connection with the Federated organization.
Recent events
- 2025
Bloomingdale's reports strong comparable-sales growth[1]
Other
Bloomingdale's comparable sales reportedly increased 9% in the third quarter of 2025, described as the chain's strongest gain in 13 quarters.
- 2022
Bloomingdale's marks its 150th anniversary[1]
Campaign
The brand commemorated its 150th anniversary with events and special merchandise at its Manhattan flagship.
- 2020
Bloomingdale's temporarily closes stores during the COVID-19 pandemic[1]
Other
All Bloomingdale's and Macy's locations were temporarily closed in response to the rapid spread of COVID-19, with reopening timing varying by market.
- 2019
Macy's announces a fur-sales phase-out[1]
Regulation
Macy's announced that fur would no longer be sold in its stores, including Bloomingdale's department and outlet locations, after the end of fiscal 2020.
- 2012
Macy's closes four Bloomingdale's locations[1]
Other
Stores in Minneapolis, Atlanta, White Flint, and Oak Brook were closed as the parent company adjusted the chain's store portfolio.
- 2010
Bloomingdale's opens its first international store in Dubai[1]
M&A · Other
The brand entered the United Arab Emirates through a licensed operation managed by Al Tayer Group.
- 2010
Bloomingdale's begins outlet-store expansion[1]
Product launch
The company opened its first outlet store at Potomac Mills near Washington, D.C.
- 2007
Federated changes its corporate name to Macy's, Inc.[1]
Other
The parent company adopted the Macy's, Inc. name while continuing to operate Bloomingdale's as a separate brand.
- 1994
Federated acquires Macy's[1]
M&A
Federated Department Stores acquired the Macy's department-store chain, expanding the corporate group in which Bloomingdale's operated.
- 1930
Bloomingdale's joins Federated Department Stores[1]
M&A
Bloomingdale's was acquired by Federated Department Stores after the financial pressures that followed the 1929 stock-market crash.
Sources12 sources
- 1Bloomingdale'sen.wikipedia.org
- 2Bloomingdale's official websitebloomingdales.com
- 3梅西百货计划今年关闭29家门店 包括1家奢侈品百货finance.sina.com.cn
- 4Bloomingdale's Norwalk Unveils New Campaign, Grand Opening Eventspatch.com
- 5Bloomingdale's Opens New Store In The SoNo Collectionpatch.com
- 6Illinois Coronavirus: Macy’s Temporarily Closes All Locationspatch.com
- 7Macy's Announces Major Store Closings Beginning in 2020 | BIG 95.5big955chicago.iheart.com
- 8Macy's closes all stores in response to the coronavirus outbreakwxyz.com
- 9Macy's closes stores due to coronaviruswishtv.com
- 10Macy's temporarily closes all stores amid coronavirus pandemicwashingtonexaminer.com
- 11Maryland Coronavirus: Macy’s Temporarily Closes All Locationspatch.com
- 12NoCo Virus Tracker: Macy's Temporarily Shuts Down Storesretro1025.com
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/bloomingdales · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled