424 5th Avenue @ 38th Street

This clothing store was founded in 1826 as a Lower East Side dry goods shop; its founders were Samuel Lord and George Washington Taylor. Lord & Taylor was an important shopping destination throughout the 19th century: by 1853, it was known as the “fashion emporium” of New York, and in 1860 it moved to Broadway, anchoring the famous “Ladies’ Mile” in the Garment District. Later, it became the first major store to settle on Fifth Avenue, setting a trend that was followed by most major retailers. In the 1950s, it dedicated itself to the promulgation of strictly American haute couture (no European labels) and today it continues to provide excellent if conservative clothing in stores throughout the United States.