Figure 1.--This portrait was taken at a photograpohic studio in the Liliputian Bazaar which at the time was developing into the Best & Co. departmenht store. This boy who was wearing desses is shown after breeching in his first pair of pants. We suspect that this was one of several mount styles offered to mothers. We are not sure how popular they were. This is the first such mount we have seen. We have not seen them in stand-aloine deprtment stores. The portrait was taken in 1896. There may have even been a discount for purchasing the suit. There may have even been a special promotion.

Best & Co. traces its origins to Albert Best in New York City and his posh Liliputian Bazaar in Greenwich, Connecticut i(1879). He initially offered mostly babies and children outfitting. He gradually expanded to women's clothing and accessories. Best developed a reoutation for "tastefully styled and proper women's clothes and sturdy children's wear." [Jones] Best was an innovator as the store grew. They were one of the first children's clothing stores to set up separate departments. This included boys and youths, girls and misses, and babies. In addition to these departments, they also had departments for boots, hats, neckwear, stockings, underwear, toys, and books. We note the company handling Little Lord Fauntleroy suits, probably in the 1890s. The portrait here is an example of a Best Fauntleroy suit (1896) (figure 1). The compny evolved from a small shop into one of the important New York City department stores. The flagship store was originally situated in the "Ladies' Mile" near Sixth Avenue and 23rd Street. Best & Co. purchased for $500,000 the former Engineer's Club at 372 Fifth Avenue at 35th Street for a new flagship store (1908). This meant Best joined an elite group of merchants located in that section of Fifth Avenue during the early-1900s, including B. Altman, Gorham, and Tiffany's. Their new store was a beautiful 12-story white, marble building. We note a catalog with rompers (1912). Best & Co. developed a reputation with the needs of real women and real children in mind. The company like some other New York City department stores became a chain store with a main store in Manhattan and branches in many other cites. all eastern states. They eventuakly had 20 branch locations. The company was still active in the 1950s and 60s. McCrory's, another department store, purchaed Best (1966). They also operated Lerner Shops and S. Klein. McCrory's liquidated Best (Late-1970s). At the time it had 1,200 employees. The name was resurrected as a small boutique in Greenwich, Connecticut (1997), but did not last.

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Created: 8:34 PM 3/15/2012
Last updated: 8:34 PM 3/15/2012