STYLESTUDENT
Distinguished Member
- Joined
- Jun 14, 2004
- Messages
- 1,143
- Reaction score
- 3
It's difficult to find the common thread in the failures of LB, Sulka, and Harrison James, especially if you're not in the business.Opposite direction: LB was situated on 57th St. off of Lex, which is an area known for lots of cheesy luggage shops and lowrung boutiques.
Grayson
** and Sulka were highly priced "house brand" stores. Sulka, unlike **, had an international and established reputation. LB, at that time carried many unknown English labels (Sexton, Wells of Mayfair shirts-little name recognition), again at high prices. It was very large and had a large staff. So why could Louis make it in Boston, in a very high-rent district, but fail so quickly in NYC. Simply more competition? But note too that Zegna, widely known and extensively advertised everywhere, closed the store close to Bergdorf. Did it just move?
Maybe just the high rent overhead was the cause (but does Bergdorf own or rent the men's store location?). Maybe competition? Four Seasons Hotel, about 3 minutes walk from LB, seems to be doing fine at Park & 57th, despite being east of the park.