Chevy chic

Chevy chic
With a smaller footprint, Bloomingdale's opens an edited concept in Chevy Chase, Md.

By Janet Groeber, Contributor
March 01, 2008

Robert Mitra, New York (Courtesy of Mancini Duffy)

Now weighing in at 40 stores, Bloomingdale's Inc., a division of Cincinnati-based Macy's Inc., has been on a roll since 2001, transforming itself from a regional player with less than two-dozen units into a coast-to-coast powerhouse taking on Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus.

Last September, Bloomingdale's turned up the heat on its rivals by opening a 182,000-sq.-ft., tri-level branch at Wisconsin Place Center in Chevy Chase, Md., near Washington, D.C. The store emphasizes a highly edited assortment of bridge, designer and luxury brands—from Armani apparel to Barbara Barry furniture and Alessi tabletop—for a blend of classic and contemporary. With Saks and Neiman's just blocks away at Mazza Gallerie on Wisconsin Avenue, the new compact store joins larger Bloomingdale's outposts in nearby North Bethesda, Md., and Tysons Corner, Va.

The Chevy Chase store is smaller than the average full-line Bloomingdale's store, which average between 225,000 sq. ft. and 265,000 sq. ft. New York-based Mancini Duffy and Bloomingdale's store planning department designed the new smaller Chevy Chase prototype so that it could be deployed to serve other markets Bloomingdale's is said to have its eye on, including Seattle, Phoenix and Dallas.

Like its sister stores, Bloomingdale's Chevy Chase channels the famous Manhattan 59th Street flagship—both figuratively and literally. A 40-ft. circular atrium topped by a skylight defined by four three-story, black glass-clad columns makes a grand architectural statement. Glass-enclosed escalators transverse the atrium and offer views of each sales floor, including the generous amounts of black granite and black mirror found throughout in architectural elements, fixturing, flooring and other focals.

"It's all about the black," explains Jack Hruska, Bloomingdale's executive vice president of creative services, speaking of the new store's iconic use of black, which began in the '70s with the flagship at 59th and Lexington in New York. There, Bloomingdale's Barbara D'Arcy, then head of store design, created the "B'way," a fragrance and cosmetics concourse on the main floor. Subsequent Bloomingdale's stores opened over the next three decades all have interpreted the color signature in a variety of ways, Hruska says. "And finishes have gone full circle from gloss to satin to matte, and back to gloss," he adds.

In addition to polished black granite and mirror, the Chevy Chase palette has been expanded to include bright chrome used in hangrods and floor stands. Richly polished walnut and Wenge wood stand out on fixturing and furniture, and accents of celadon green, as well as whites and creams, decorate the walls, custom-upholstered seating, carpets and other flooring treatments.

A highly reflective black-and-white checkerboard aisle running throughout the 10,000-sq.-ft. B'way in the Chevy Chase store surrounds the escalator well. The flooring treatment allows cosmetics and fragrance to dominate the other main floor businesses, which include accessories, handbags, women's shoes and jewelry. Here, the white ceiling with cove lighting contrasts crisply against glossy black back-island fixtures, where fragrance packaging pops. Tall, black directors' chairs facing the sleek white-and-chrome cosmetic counters underscore a "Chevy chic" vibe. As for vendor shops, Hruska says, "We built a model that allows for the vendor installation to plug into our frame and our wall systems. When they design to fit within our architecture, then scale and proportion are consistent."

The new Chevy Chase store offers continuity among Bloomingdale's increasingly far-flung branches. "Chevy Chase is a continuation of many design elements our teams established not only at 59th Street, but also in the SoHo store [designed by Tucci, Segrete & Rosen Consultants Inc.]," says Ed Calabrese, creative director for Mancini Duffy, a long-time Bloomingdale's collaborator.

Like the 124,000-sq.-ft. SoHo store (opened in 2003), the 12,000-sq.-ft. Chevy Chase accessories floorplan is open with shops for Coach, Longchamp, Ferragamo, Burberry, Marc Jacobs and Links of London positioned at the perimeter. The accessories department gives way to a carpeted women's apparel area with dresses and seasonal (coats and swimwear) enveloped by a warm palette of cream and putty, with accents of dulled silver and dark Wenge wood.

Rounding out the main floor is the 9,000-sq.-ft. women's shoe salon, which is segmented into a series of alcoves appointed with residentially scaled seating. Finishes range from sleek, custom couches upholstered in charcoal fabric and accented with pink throw pillows, to white patent-leather-covered armchairs and contemporary armless seats. Shoes are presented in groupings on a variety of custom accent table displayers encompassing materials such as mirrored and clear glass, chrome and wood. Overscaled beveled mirrors, consoles and open cabinets convey an eclectic mood complemented by custom carpets.

Bridge and designer collections, intimate apparel, contemporary sportswear and Bloomingdale's personal shopping service are housed on level two. Dominating the floor is "New View," a treatment of Bloomingdale's bridge and designer collections introduced in the 59th Street store. Open and inviting center shops, including Akris, Ann Klein, Armani, DKNY, Tory Burch, Eileen Fisher, Ellen Tracy, St. John, Burberry and Ralph Lauren Black Label, comprise 23,000 sq. ft. and are defined by accents of black mirror and contrasting highly polished large-tile cream flooring.

Within the department is "At Your Service," Bloomingdale's personal shopper area. Designed for privacy and comfort, "it's a tribute to legendary American interior decorator Dorothy Draper," Calabrese explains. The design teams sufficiently "Draperized" the glamorous space with two oversized fitting rooms and décor elements that combine Rococo plaster scones, mid-century modern furniture and black-and-white stripes—for a total effect likely to please the innovative 20th century decorator. "We wanted to make it more glamorous because Saks and Neiman Marcus are across the street and have long dominated the luxury market, particularly in designer and better ready-to-wear," Calabrese says. "We were hoping to enter this market with a really competitive look, but for the personal shopper and designer area, we upgraded finishes and textures to that of fine furniture."

Y.E.S., Bloomingdale's 17,000-sq.-ft contemporary sportswear department, is highlighted by large rear-projection screens, while the layering of white-on-white textures adds to its modern aesthetic. The department offers a more open concept suitable for cross-merchandising lines, including Theory, Diane von Furstenberg, BCBG Max Azria and Juicy among others, on large upholstered ottomans and the myriad mannequins staged here.

Mannequins are not only front and center in Y.E.S., but are also a staple throughout the store. "We believe in mannequins—both real and abstract—because we believe in showing product on a body," Hruska says. "It's one of our primary focuses, because we need to show the customer how to use fashion in a way that's not readily apparent as they're walking through the store."

Abstract mannequins in Men's on level three help punctuate the 26,000-sq.-ft. department, which is divided between tailored and casual with décor elements ranging from minimal and contemporary to traditional and richly detailed. Free-floating pads split the shops down the center hard surface aisle, with shops for Polo, Armani and Ralph Lauren Black Label. The men's shoe department is set into one of three full-height windowed alcoves. An opposite alcove houses denim, while shirts and ties occupy the final niche. Finishes and materials range from polished walnut to lighter accents of ash.

Though smaller than Men's and considerably smaller than a typical Bloomingdale's home department (45,000 sq. ft. to 65,000 sq. ft.), the 18,600-sq.-ft. Home Store has been designed as a series of galleries reflecting a "Best of Bloomingdale's" assortment. The shrunken department is framed by two chocolate-brown lacquered arches and defined by bleached bamboo floors in its center.

Sheets and towels, positioned at the department's rear, are now "a big visual statement," Calabrese explains. A "Kitchen" shop is nearby, while home décor, tabletop and furniture found at the department's entrance have been given showroom treatment. Walls are largely "artist's white," making a neutral backdrop for a series of wall-mounted display cases. Other setups incorporate furniture and floorcoverings for sale—as fixtures and props helping to stage the merchandise—which has been further lifestyled into casual/modern and formal/traditional groupings. Special areas, such as the fine crystal shop with walls resembling polished concrete, feature mirrored etageres for added drama. The Gift Registry, a largely interactive center, has been given seating for more private consultation.

Noting Bloomingdale's strong gift and bridal business, the smaller footprint is still highly productive, Hruska says. "We learned in SoHo that as a specialty store, we would be very successful if we were better editors of our assortment," Hruska says. He admits: "The Bloomingdale's customer knows we have this giant assortment of home. And, I think they might have been a bit taken back by the smaller selection even though it was beautifully presented and well-edited."

That said, Hruska concludes, "It's meeting all of our expectations."