Bloomingdale’s, Macy’s, Saks—these stores are all household names. But before they were building outlets in suburban shopping malls, these stores were mom and pop shops founded on the streets of New York. In the 19th century, New York set the standards for shopping throughout the United States. This was particularly true in the realm of fashion, where the port’s proximity to Europe (and the latest fashions) led to the mass importation of fine fabrics and the development of “Ladies’ Mile,” a section of Sixth Avenue between 9th and 23rd Streets. In 1846, the first department store in the world was in New York—A.T. Stewarts Dry Goods Store (later Wanamaker’s) opened in the “Marble Palace” building at the corner of Broadway and Reade Street. From SoHo to 5th Avenue, New York is still an international center for fashion and retail.
