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US NNFIT SC.FITA.3.20.4.9.3 · sub-sub-sub-series · 1986 November 5-1987 January 16
Part of Academic Affairs records

This series consists of 14 oral history interviews, which discuss the history of Bloomingdale's, President Marvin Traub, as well as the store's current status and future plans. Interviews were conducted between November, 1986 and January 1987 by Estelle Ellis.

US NNFIT SC.FITA.3.20.4.9.3.4 · item · 1986 November 19
Part of Academic Affairs records

This conversation covers very little of Lester Gribetz' life and career at Bloomingdale's. There is a brief intro in which Gribetz lays out his professional trajectory from trainee under Martin S. Traub to his role in merchandising. Like most of Traub's employees at Bloomingdale's, Gribetz praises Traub as a boss and as a person. He describes him as exciting, challenging, enlightened, and demanding. Gribetz attributes Traub's high standards to keeping workers excited and motivated. Traub is described as charitable in a number of the Bloomingdale's interviews but Gribetz shares a specific story of Traub organizing a massive fundraising effort for AIDS research after one of his buyers passed away from the disease. In describing the retail environment, Gribetz explains that a retail career is demanding and varied, and the hard work has discouraged many where others have thrived. Prompted several times to define Bloomingdale's milestones, Gribetz first discusses the team before Martin S. Traub's era and then the transitions and departmental changes that marked a real turning point with Traub. Bloomingdale's food business is discussed as a distinction among other retailers as well as the elaborate country promotions which were at their peak success at the time of this interview. The Bloomingdale's customer is described as being educated, affluent, adventuresome, and inventive. While Gribetz describes these qualities as being somewhat inherent in New Yorkers, he goes on to say that these ideas are present in customers in all regions and that Bloomingdale's still appeals to the mass market because it grants these qualities upon the customer.

Gribetz, Lester
US NNFIT SC.FITA.3.20.4.9.3.7 · item · 1986 November 21
Part of Academic Affairs records

This conversation takes place only a few weeks after Schaefer had joined Bloomingdale's as the Vice President of Marketing. Schaefer gives a quick recap of the previous 13 years of his career before talking about his thoughts on his new boss, Marvin S. Traub, as well as his new position at Bloomingdale's. Coming from first a marketing background and then, briefly, a retail background, Schaefer discusses the importance of retailers being fully aware of what people are reading, wearing, listening to, and even eating. This awareness is a qaulity of Traub's that Schaefer praises and which he attributes, in part, to making Bloomingdale's stand out in the retail industry. Schaefer also talks about Bloomingdale's distinguising itself by being a place of diversion, entertainment, and fun as opposed to being simply a mode of distribution. When discussing his job interview for Bloomingdale's, Schaefer recalls being impressed by the amount of thought and planning that evidently went into the future of the store and uses the country promotions as an example.

Schaefer, Terron
US NNFIT SC.FITA.3.20.4.9.3.11 · item · 1987 January 16
Part of Academic Affairs records

In this conversation, Marvin S. Traub talks about his start at Bloomingdale's, and details his first seven positions at the company. He describes the Bloomingdale's customer as being someone who is interested in change and forward fashion, someone who "likes different things at different times" and who expects Bloomingdale's to alert them to the newest trends. Traub expresses his pride at helping to develop the careers of some of the industry's influential designers and executives and credits Bloomingdale's success to its team of talented and respectful employees. Traub talks about the role his wife has played in his life and he discusses his three children and their endeavors. In discussing some of the major changes at Bloomingdale's during Traub's tenure, there is mention of the Country Promotions, the branded shopping bags, the in-house boutiques, and Bloomingdale's role as a cultural center within a community. Traub referes to several different people as role models and peers, including Jed Davidson, Martha Graham, Bill Blass, and his wife, Lee.

Traub, Marvin
US NNFIT SC.FITA.3.20.4.9.9 · sub-sub-sub-series · 1989 January 26 - 1990 June 3
Part of Academic Affairs records

Conducted by Estelle Ellis in the late 1980s into the early 1990s, this is a series of interviews of executives who worked for Saks Fifth Avenue throughout the 20th century. Interviewees discuss the goals of the store's president, Adam Gimbel, others they worked with, and the fashion retail industry, and the various experiences they had while working for Saks Fifth Avenue.

Interviewees include: Arnold Aronson, Bill Berta, Mel Jacobs, Allan R. Johnson, Paul Leblang, Helen O'Hagan, Jay Rossbach, Ellen Saltzman, Doris Shaw, Robert Suslow, Burton Tansky, Norman Wechsler, Charlotte Kramer, Sid Mayar, Janet Reese, and William Lucas