Department store

Department store
   A large retail company that plans, buys, merchandises, and displays merchandise in groups/departments either by target market or by product category such as in a swimwear department, a coat department, a designer collection department, and a junior sportswear department. In addition to apparel and related items, a department store also includes product inclusive of but not limited to furniture, jewelry, toys, and cosmetics. They are often part of a group of stores that have a national or global presence. Department stores can be further classified as discount department stores. Areas between departments are not as clearly defined in a discount department store and front-end checkout areas, as well as shopping carts are part of the profile.
   The first department store, Le Bon Marché, was founded in Paris by Aristide Boucicaut in 1838, and established departments were in place by 1852. In New York, Alexander Turney Stewart opened the "Marble Palace" on Broadway in downtown Manhattan. This became a department store in 1858 and, by 1862, it was linked with Macy's, B. Altman, and Lord & Taylor forming the "Ladies Mile." Thus it gave birth to numerous department stores throughout the country that would eventually be consolidated and reconfigured over the next two centuries. According to the Census Bureau, a department store is a retail establishment that employs more than fifty people and carries a wide assortment of merchandise.

Historical Dictionary of the Fashion Industry. .

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • department store — ➔ store1 * * * department store UK US noun [C] COMMERCE ► a large store that sells many kinds of products in different parts of the building: »She took a job as a sales assistant in the lingerie section of a department store. → See Note STORE(Cf …   Financial and business terms

  • department store — 1878; A store that sells a variety of items, organized by DEPARTMENT (Cf. department). The Department Store is the outgrowth of the cheap counter business originated by Butler Brothers in Boston about ten years ago. The little Five Cent Counter… …   Etymology dictionary

  • department store — [n] retail store anchor store, chain store, dime store, discount store, five and dime store, outlet store, shop, store; concepts 325,439,448,449 …   New thesaurus

  • Department store — De*part ment store A store keeping a great variety of goods which are arranged in several departments. [Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • department store — ☆ department store n. a large retail store for the sale of many kinds of goods arranged in departments …   English World dictionary

  • department store — department stores N COUNT A department store is a large shop which sells many different kinds of goods …   English dictionary

  • department store — index market (business) Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • department store — ► NOUN ▪ a large shop stocking many types of goods in different departments …   English terms dictionary

  • Department store — A department store is a retail establishment which satisfies a wide range of the consumer s personal and residential durable goods product needs; and at the same time offering the consumer a choice of multiple merchandise lines, at variable price …   Wikipedia

  • department store — a large retail store carrying a wide variety of merchandise and organized into various departments for sales and administrative purposes. [1885 90, Amer.] * * * Retail establishment that sells a wide variety of goods. These usually include ready… …   Universalium

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