B. Altman and Company
| File:B. Altman & Co. Department Store Final Logo.png | |
| Industry | Retail Department Store |
|---|---|
| Founded | New York City, USA (1865) |
| Founder | Benjamin Altman |
| Defunct | January 29, 1990 |
| Fate | Bankruptcy |
| Headquarters | 361 5th Ave , New York, NY 10016 USA |
Number of locations | 4 |
Area served | New York metropolitan area |
Key people | Benjamin Altman |
| Products | High Fashion, upscale clothing |
B. Altman and Company was an upscale department store chain established in 1865 by Benjamin Altman in New York City, New York. Its primary location, the renowned B. Altman and Company Building situated at the corner of Fifth Avenue and 34th Street in Midtown Manhattan, served customers from 1906 until its closure at the conclusion of 1989.[1] By late January 1990, all remaining branch stores had also been shut down.[2]
Recognized as one of the earliest American department stores to expand beyond its original urban location, B. Altman launched several branch outlets across the region. These included Pennsylvania locations at St. Davids in 1965 and at Willow Grove in 1983; New Jersey stores in Short Hills opened in 1958 replacing an earlier East Orange site, as well as branches in Ridgewood and Paramus established during 1967; and New York state sites such as those in Manhasset inaugurated in 1947 and White Plains dating back to 1930. During the period under L.J. Hooker’s ownership (1987–1989), a brief Cincinnati store operated in Ohio, while two additional mall-based locations in Buffalo's Walden Galleria and Syracuse's Destiny USA were completed but never opened for business under the Altman name.
History
The origins of what became B. Altman and Company trace back to a family-operated store on Manhattan's Lower East Side. By 1865, ownership had consolidated under Benjamin Altman, one of the Altman brothers, with the store situated at the intersection of Third Avenue and 10th Street. In 1877, seeking growth opportunities, the business moved to 621 Sixth Avenue, positioned between 18th and 19th Streets. This neo-Grec style structure was constructed in four phases and involved architects David and John Jardine (who designed the initial building from 1876–77 and its 1880 extension), William Hume (1887), and Buchman & Fox (1909–1910).
By 1906, Altman's had relocated to its expansive new premises—the block-long B. Altman and Company Building stretching from 34th to 35th Streets. This complex underwent several expansions until 1913, extending to 188–89 Madison Avenue. The original Fifth Avenue structure along with its additions were designed by Trowbridge & Livingston in an Italian Renaissance style, reflecting Renaissance Revival architecture. Altman's was pioneering in relocating from the established "Ladies' Mile" shopping district, known for its dry-goods emporiums, to Fifth Avenue—a neighborhood then predominantly residential. The new building’s design was intended to harmonize with the grand mansions nearby, including the residence of department-store competitor A. T. Stewart directly across the street and that of socialite Mrs. Astor diagonally opposite. Following this trend, other major retailers such as Lord & Taylor also transitioned uptown, moving into their own Fifth Avenue location in 1914.
During the 1930s, Altman's was among the first major department stores to establish suburban branches, opening stores in East Orange (which later moved to Short Hills), White Plains, and Manhasset. The strategic choice of these sites is evident today: the Short Hills outlet is now part of The Mall at Short Hills, the White Plains store evolved into what is now known as The Westchester mall, and the Manhasset branch is situated near the later-developed Americana Manhasset, which opened nine years after Altman's presence there.
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Artist Creator:B. Altman & Co (1894), Metropolitan Museum of Art.
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Artist Creator:B. Altman & Co (1883), Metropolitan Museum of Art.
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Artist Creator:B. Altman & Co (1881), Metropolitan Museum of Art.
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Artist Creator:B. Altman & Co (1894), Metropolitan Museum of Art.
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Artist Creator:B. Altman & Co (1894), Metropolitan Museum of Art.
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Artist Creator:B. Altman & Co (1850), Metropolitan Museum of Art.
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Artist Creator:B. Altman & Co (1850), Metropolitan Museum of Art.
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Artist Creator:B. Altman & Co (1881), Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Following Altman's Passing
Upon Benjamin Altman's death in 1913 at 73 years old, his ownership stake in the stores was transferred to the Altman Foundation. His extensive art collection, featuring numerous Rembrandt pieces, was donated to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. In 1986, prompted by revised IRS regulations, the foundation divested the retail operations to a group of investors that included members of the Gucci family along with two senior executives from the financial services firm Deloitte & Touche.
The following year, Australian property developer L.J. Hooker and its CEO, George Herscu, acquired a controlling share of B. Altman stores as well as other department store chains such as Bonwit Teller, Sakowitz, and a majority stake in Parisian. Hooker positioned these brands as anchor tenants within lavish but poorly situated shopping centers nationwide. However, lacking expertise in retail management and disregarding market demographics and brand recognition, their approach failed significantly. Consequently, B. Altman filed for bankruptcy in August 1989, with its final outlet closing in 1990. Notably, the Walden Galleria location near Buffalo was fully built and outfitted but never opened under Altman’s name; it subsequently housed local retailer AM&A's starting in 1991 and later a Bon-Ton until 2006 before being demolished to make way for a cinema and mall expansion. Meanwhile, the store under construction at Syracuse’s Carousel Center was redesigned to accommodate multiple discount anchors across two floors.
B. Altman was known for its refined and traditional atmosphere. It was often compared to Chicago’s Marshall Field & Company due to its conservative image. Reflecting this reputation, the stores featured a satellite outlet of Colonial Williamsburg’s Craft House, which specialized in authentic colonial-style reproductions. Among its cherished features were the iconic Christmas window displays that rivaled those at the nearby Lord & Taylor Building, as well as the Charleston Gardens restaurant, which showcased a full-scale facade resembling a traditional Charleston home reminiscent of Tara from Charleston. This Charleston Garden dining concept was also present at the St. David's location and other branch stores.
Buildings
The Fifth Avenue building of Altman's was officially recognized as a New York City landmark on March 12, 1985. After Altman's closure, the structure remained unoccupied until 1996, when its facade underwent restoration by Hardy Holzman Pfeiffer, and its interior was redesigned by Gwathmey Siegel & Associates. The portion facing Fifth Avenue became home to the City University of New York's Graduate Center, while the Madison Avenue side accommodated the New York Public Library's Science, Industry and Business Library along with offices for Oxford University Press.
Furthermore, Altman's building located on Sixth Avenue is included within the boundaries of the Ladies' Mile Historic District, established in 1989.
The property at 207 East 36th Street, which formerly functioned as a stable, garage, and warehouse supporting the Fifth Avenue store, is currently utilized as the United States Postal Service Murray Hill Annex.
In popular culture
The Manhattan B. Altman store plays a role in the plot of the 2017 television series The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel produced by Amazon Studios. The protagonist, Midge Maisel, works on the sales floor at this store. Exterior shots were filmed at the former Fifth Avenue location of the store, whereas interior scenes were captured inside an unused bank building in Brooklyn.
See also
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- List of companies based in New York City
- List of defunct department stores of the United States
- List of department stores of the United States
- List of defunct retailers of the United States
References
External links
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- Pages with broken file links
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- Articles with short description
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- Defunct department stores based in New York City
- Clothing companies based in New York City
- Companies based in Manhattan
- Defunct companies based in New York City
- Retail companies established in 1865
- Retail companies disestablished in 1990
- Companies that have filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy
- Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1989
- 1865 establishments in New York (state)
- 1990 disestablishments in New York (state)