What: During WWD’s Apparel and Retail CEO Summit, Bloomingdale’s CEO reflected on the changes and events made during the 150th anniversary period and how they demonstrate the future of the department store.

Why it is important: The 150th anniversary of Bloomingdale’s was accompanied by live activities in-store, hundreds of exclusives, vendor & restaurant participation, special events for VIP customers, metaverse activations, pop culture references and a visit to the past with the full department store’s timeline.

Following the principle of “It’s not a moment. It’s a movement,” the 150th-anniversary strategy has carried on into the Thanksgiving period which will continue Bloomingdale’s gastronomic events. Through looking at the history, Bloomingdale’s social support stood out. The retailer will support food charities in Manhattan this Thanksgiving as well.

Bloomingdale’s plans to focus on its merchandise assortment to have a more exclusive curation with less duplication in products. The CEO told WWD during the summit that he’s cautiously optimistic about the holiday results with confidence in affluent customers and an increase in weddings.

CEO talks Bloomingdale’s 150th-anniversary initiatives