Retail Stores Handling Boys' Clothing: Best & Co. (United States)


Figure 1.--This was the spring and summer 1952 catalog for Best & Company. Note the boy's saddle shoes rather than sandals like the girls are wearing.

The Best & Company appaers to have been an important New York City department store that went natioanl. The built a large store at 645 5th Avenue at East 51st Street, NE Corner (Wing on 52nd Street). It was located in Midtown Manhattan. The building was replaced by the Olympic Tower of Aristotle Onassis. I am not sure when the company was founded, but it must have been in the mid-19th century. We note the company handling Little Lord Fauntleroy suits, probably in the 1890s. We note a catalog with rompers from 1912. We note that the company was active in the 1950s and 60s. They varried an extensive line of fashionanle clothes. One fashion writer in 1957 noted that Kays Thompson, author of Eloise autographed at Best & Company in New York where various Eloise products were available. We know that Best & Company was a major U.S. depattment store chain, but have little information on the company at this time. A reader tells us, "There was a branch store in Scarsdale in the Lord & Taylor shopping center at least through part of the 60's. Every coat of my childhood was purchased there and I was born in 1954." Our reader goes on to describe the local department stores and where Best & Company fitted in to the trade. "Better than high end as L&T (the local vernacular) was/is a large store where one could browse "invisibly" if one was not quite comfortable. But, the Best & Co., in Scarsdale, was a small store where what you wore & bought , how you spoke & whether or not you were a regular was definitely noticed. L&T like Saks had 90 percent fine merchandise. Once in a while you'd find something some silly buyer snuck in that was trendy but had crooked seams or other imperfections. There was never anything trendy at Best & Co. Never anything that wasn't made perfectly with French seams everywhere! The only bargain there was the quality, nothing would ever go out of style as everything there was a classic & everything was made well enough to last forever. I purchased a Best & Co. vintage Eton suit for my then 3 yr old son to wear to a wedding . The garment must have been 50 y ears old. It was in perfect condition & survived my son dancing, crawling under tables , etc." [Linda K ]

Location

The Best & Company appaers to have been an important New York City department store that went natioanl. The built a large store at 645 5th Avenue at East 51st Street, NE Corner (Wing on 52nd Street). It was located in Midtown Manhattan. The building was replaced by the Olympic Tower of Aristotle Onassis.

Chronology

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 compny evolved from a small shop intom one of the important New Youk 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 flagshipnstore (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 ws 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.

Fashionable Clothes

They varried an extensive line of fashionanle clothes. One fashion writer in 1957 noted that Kays Thompson, author of Eloise autographed at Best & Company in New York where various Eloise products were available. We know that Best & Company was a major U.S. depattment store chain, but have little information on the company at this time.

Reader Comment

A reader tells us, "There was a branch store in Scarsdale in the Lord & Taylor shopping center at least through part of the 60's. Every coat of my childhood was purchased there and I was born in 1954." Our reader goes on to describe the local department stores and where Best & Company fitted in to the trade. "Better than high end as L&T (the local vernacular) was/is a large store where one could browse "invisibly" if one was not quite comfortable. But, the Best & Co., in Scarsdale, was a small store where what you wore & bought , how you spoke & whether or not you were a regular was definitely noticed. L&T like Saks had 90 percent fine merchandise. Once in a while you'd find something some silly buyer snuck in that was trendy but had crooked seams or other imperfections. There was never anything trendy at Best & Co. Never anything that wasn't made perfectly with French seams everywhere! The only bargain there was the quality, nothing would ever go out of style as everything there was a classic & everything was made well enough to last forever. I purchased a Best & Co. vintage Eton suit for my then 3 yr old son to wear to a wedding The garment must have been 50 y ears old. It was in perfect condition & survived my son dancing, crawling under tables , etc." [Kotowski]

Sources

Jones, William H. "Bumper-to-Bumper for Bargains at Best's," The Washington Post, Times Herald (October 7, 1970), p. B1.

Kotowski, Linda. ]







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Created: November 1, 2002
Last updated: 7:27 PM 3/15/2012