Caswell's 250th Gala: Caswell-Massey's 250th anniversary ties together its rich past, present and future.

RUBBING ELBOWS with the likes of George Washington is not something everyone can say they've done. But guests of Caswell-Massey's 250th anniversary celebration can.

Actors took on the roles of famous historical customers such as George Washington, Sara Bernhart and Dolley Madison, not to mention founder Dr. William Hunter. "Dr. Hunter has brought life back to this store," said president and chief executive officer Anne Robinson.

Dr. Hunter was a midwife/pharmacist who created remedies and toilet waters in 1752. Later, the store changed its name to Caswell-Massey, a collaboration of Rhode Island merchant John Rose Caswell and New York businessman William Massey. Today, the company, with annual sales estimated at $30 million, continues to use the same formulas that are slightly tweaked to last longer than Dr. Hunter's original recipes, which lasted only days.

A President's Paradise

Past presidents were a large part of the goings-ons of the store, which inspired Caswell-Massey to create the Presidential soap collection. Dwight Eisenhower liked the Almond cold cream soap. Jockey Club, a woodsy male fragrance, was the pick of John F. Kennedy. George Washington's favorite was the Number 6 soap, a melange of nearly 30 natural essences including orange peel and pine. The collection houses these three well-liked soaps.

George Washington gave the Marquis de Lafayette two cases of the Number 6 soap as a gift after the Revolution. Today, his facade can be found on the Number 6 Collectible Anniversary soap tin, With a true-to-life image.

Other collectible soap tins include Jockey Club, Greenbriar, Sandalwood and Almond cold cream. Additional anniversary-inspired items include the 250th Anniversary fragrances--limited edition bottles available in 1000 current fragrances and 500 historic fragrances--and Caswell-Massey's Miniature cologne collection featuring cases of the five best-selling scents for men and women. To make the celebration complete, Caswell offers anniversary breath mint tins and a miniature Model T delivery truck.

Dolley Madison was a faithful wearer of the White Rose fragrance. A relaunch of the White Rose scent is set for the fall. In the meantime, customers can find the fragrance in the limited edition Caswell-Massey Fragrance lineup. The fragrances, which include 11 men's fragrances, 10 women's fragrances and 12 retired fragrances, are housed in glass-stoppered bottles With pewter labels. Retired fragrances include Valentina My Own, Lord Ashley Cooper and others.

The Secret to Success

The question remains as to how the oldest perfumer in the U.S. has survived the many ups and downs of the economy. It went from 10 stores in New York in the rearing twenties down to one during the Depression. In the 1940s, the Manhattan store became a popular hangout With its soda fountain-esque atmosphere. In 1963, Caswell-Massey reintroduced its mail order catalog.

Efforts in the 1980s to reinforce the company's heritage of quality helped to retain loyal customers. A drug store scheme in the 1990s, however, flopped. But when Ms. Robinson came on board in 1995, she closed 15 unprofitable stores, changed the corporate structure of the company and repackaged the products in retro designs. Her decisions have proved successful and surprisingly resilient to the many specialty bath stores in the market.

"We listen to the consumer and adapt our offerings to give consumers what they want," explained Ms. Robinson. "We also make sure that the offerings are the highest quality available at an affordable price. Our goal is not to be the biggest, but the best."

And quality does indeed keep consumers coming back. Innovation too is a cornerstone of the industry, but Caswell-Massey adds a twist. It retains fragrance and product favorites, while offering new forms like body mists. Last year it contemporized its store with displays and testers to encourage an open-sell environment. Caswell-Massey currently has 15 stores nationwide.

Perhaps the latest testament to the store's long-standing success was New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's proclamation to make Feb. 21, 2002 the official Caswell-Massey 250th Anniversary Day.