After Closing All Locations, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania’s Oldest Department Store is Coming Back

A popular department store dating back to 1826 is getting life again.

It all started in New York City when two men launched a store on 47 Catherine Street.

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This department store began selling linens, clothing, and carpets to the everyday consumer.

In 1914, Lord & Taylor opened its flagship store at 424 Fifth Avenue.

This iconic building became the symbol of luxury and elegance, with its famous holiday window displays becoming a key part of New York City’s Christmas experience.

The Fifth Avenue location also pioneered the "personal shopping" service.

Lord & Taylor expanded quickly, becoming more of a high-end destination.

The store was key in breaking American designers like Vera Wang and Ralph Lauren.

Lord & Taylor changed hands throughout the years but remained a luxury giant.

From May Department Stores to Macy's and Hudson Bay Company in 2012.

Despite its history, Lord & Taylor struggled to compete in the rapidly changing retail landscape of the 21st century.

The rise of e-commerce and the decline of traditional department stores led to declining sales and store closures.

In 2019, HBC sold Lord & Taylor to Le Tote, a clothing rental subscription company, but the challenges persisted.

In 2020, Lord & Taylor filed for bankruptcy amid the COVID-19 pandemic, accelerating its financial problems.

The company announced it would close all its remaining stores, marking the end of nearly 200 years as a physical retail presence.

There have been attempts to resurrect Lord & Taylor, including ditching the classic cursive logo.

It seems that Lord & Taylor will be making a comeback in 2025 in an even more crowded and complicated retail landscape.

Oh, and the cursive logo is back.

Regal Brands Global, who currently owns the Lord & Taylor name, says the logo change was "the biggest betrayal of the brand."

While it would be great to see Lord & Taylor take over the many empty store spaces in the tri-state, a new and improved online shopping experience will have to do.

Forbes reports:

Whenever I ask readers which stores they would like to see make a comeback, Lord & Taylor is always at the top of the list.

Seeing a Lord & Taylor comeback is excellent, but these retailers will likely not make it through 2025.