Apparently, the economic downturn isn't the boss of Bloomingdales: the iconic department store's Manhattan flagship will undergo a $45-$55 million overhaul to be complete by October.
The lucky 60,000-square-foot main floor of Bloomies' 59th Street store will be rebuilt in what seems to be whirlwind fashion - the fragrance marketplace, jewelry and handbag sections, Louis Vuitton's massive, triple-story territory and the sub-level men's shop are all set to be complete by mid-October. This latest phase of the makeover follows developments on all floors that have been ongoing since 2004. Execs are ebullient over the changes, and in addition to revamping longtime brand tenants, anticipate excitement over the introduction of newer, younger labels.
Perhaps the best news is the reconfiguration of what was previously a somewhat stressful layout for traffic flow - because with 525 cosmetics events to debut the new space alone, the already packed house will need more room to breathe.
