Barneys brings its brand of retailing to Beverly Hills.

Neighboring merchants say Barneys will give area a boost

The new Barneys New York store in Beverly Hills was still in disarray last week. Ladies' hats wrapped in plastic hung on first floor hat racks, rows of Giorgio Armani's men's suits also hung in plastic on the fifth floor, and all the mannequins were still nude.

But by Saturday (March 5) the $50 million, 125,000-square-foot store complete with a 100-foot-high central atrium, was open and ready for business. Barneys officials say the quality and service offered at their upscale store will woo customers even in the midst of the Southland recession, and nearby retailers say the store will draw shoppers to the area.

"If you do your job better, customers will come to you," said Barneys Co-President Bob Pressman.

The Barneys store sells men's, women's and children's clothing, accessories and some housewares.

Gene Pressman, the other co-president and Bob Pressman's brother, said Barneys distinguishes itself from other department stores by the different types of clothes it buys from top-name designers, the up-and-coming exclusive designer labels it carries, and its own private label, which comprises about a third of the clothes sold there.

The store sells "wearable clothes with an edge" that are "simple, clean" and "without bells and whistles," Gene Pressman said.

Barneys New York operates 17 stores throughout the United States and Japan, including one in Costa Mesa.

The Beverly Hills outlet will not carry clothes specially tailored to the tastes of Southland consumers, Gene Pressman said. It will offer the same clothing weights and colors as found in its several East Coast stores, but its clothing in heavier weights and colors may appear in the Beverly Hills store later in the fall season than on the East Coast, he said.

Instead of relying upon the Southland economy to improve, Barneys plans to attract customers to its store and away from other retailers by "doing a better job" than rivals do, Bob Pressman said.

He also said he expects Barneys to compete effectively with the other Beverly Hills department stores, such as Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and I. Magnin. "A new retailer coming in creates more vitality and excitement. Everyone benefits," he said, adding that he expects Barneys to draw business from all over L.A. County.

Other Beverly Hills retailers also believe the store will be a boon to the area. Barneys targets a "younger, slightly more hip crowd" than do the other Beverly Hills department stores, said John Patterson, vice president at Tiffany & Co. "They are fashion forward. That'll add a nice new dimension. People who normally don't shop in Beverly Hills may come here."

The new store may bring more young people to Rodeo Drive, agreed Janice Poss, manager of Celine, which sells women's luxury goods.

Indeed, a glimpse of Barneys casual merchandise revealed some tight T-shirts, short skirts, short shorts and jeans that cater to the younger set.

The builders of this Barneys store went all out. In the store's center is a marble staircase with a wrought iron railing that ascends the building's five floors in a wide circular configuration -- with a skylight at the atrium's apex overlooking the staircase.

Adjacent to the men's suit department is a large balcony that overlooks Beverly Hills and has a view of Hollywood. Some of the dressing rooms have beaded glass doors and windows, and all the cosmetic counters are stocked with sinks and refrigerators.