Loehmann's is Closing - YouLookFab Forum

On my way into the dance studio this morning, I glanced over at the Loehmann's, and saw "Store Closing" signs. So after class, I stopped in, and looked at pretty much EVERYTHING. I saw a few things I was very tempted by, but they would have been duplicates or edged out things I still wear and love, so in the end, I was good, and didn't buy anything.

I spoke with the lovely woman who is always in charge of the changing rooms - she has been at this store for 25 years. They found out last Thursday, and it is ALL Loehmann's stores. She says they will be open for another month, possibly into March. I don't know if this affects Loehmann's online, or Smartbargains.com, which I think is, or was, a part of Loehmann's....

I am a little sad at this. Over the past three or four years, I have found some amazing deals, that have been absolute workhorses. Loehmann's has always been my go-to when I need a special dress, or a pair of shoes that I can't seem to find anywhere else.

So. The sales. Everything in the Atlanta store was 20% off, excluding fragrance and hair products. There were quite a few 'additional 20% off' markdowns, some additional 30% markdowns, and one short rack of additional 70% off. So I am going to keep checking back in the weeks to come.

10 years ago

Mary Beth (formerly LBD)

(website)

Veteran

I just looked, it does affect Loehmann's online...

http://www.loehmanns.com/

Thistle

Sorry to hear they are closing. We don't have any by us, but they sound like a TJ Maxx.

ATLynn

Oh no! I purchased many a formal gown for Mardi Gras at the Atlanta Loehmann's. Thanks for the heads' up.

Janet

I'm sorry to hear that too. I used to find a lot of good deals there.

Isabel

Oh, I am sad to hear that too. They shut down on the East Coast ( at least the Northeast ) years ago. They used to be one of my favorite places to buy business suits and blazers. TJMaxx and Marshall's really killed them off.

Vildy

That was my first real job. The older woman who trained us wanted to instill a pride in their specialness. She explained about their line by line couture copies and showed us garments. First time I ever saw double face wool.
Ultimately, I found it very depressing because they had an iron clad rule that you couldn't compete with the merchandise and could not wear anything that wasn't very plain - this was the 60's! I felt like I was fading, fading away.

minimalist

Vildy, that's fascinating!

I saw this a few days ago. Haven't been to the local one, only walked by, but will check it out. Thanks for the detailed tip about the markdown situation.

CocoLion

http://www.thedeal.com/content.....-sales.php

The stores are in the hands of liquidators now. They gradually mark things down until everything's gone. I have read that liquidators also mark things up when they step in, to be able to mark things from 20% onto 70-80%.

It is a little sad since they were the first of their kind. They invented the category, I believe. What I dislike about them and others in this category, is that they would ask brands to create exclusive merchandise for them, but it would be of far lesser quality. For example, Hanky Pankys for $12 but made out of scratchy, tight lace. IMO Loehmans had a lot of hot brands but this kind of second production. I'd rather buy TJ Maxx's house brand (like Willi Smith) for $25 rather than pay $100 for a national brand but feel ripped off with the same quality as Willi Smith. Loehmans would also mix in true, top quality brand merchandise from past seasons but you'd have to dig to find it.

I imagine they were also hurt by Nordstrom's, Neiman Marcus etc., who take all of the inventory for their own discount stores the Rack and Last Call. So they had less prime product compared to, say, the 1980s when I got some amazing things there.

Joyce B

That's bad. Thanks for letting us know.

rae

Oh, no! We had such a blast at Loehmann's during Shoptoberfest. They had so much Helmut Lang... I'm going to have to go troll the local stores and see if there is anything to "rescue."

Anonymous

That's a shame! I remember getting a lot of things there over the years, especially stuff like coats and fancy event dresses. Not a fan of the communal dressing rooms, though.

Loehmann's is kind of an institution in Atlanta. The one I always went to, has an older, nicer department store feeling, and not an 'instant fix' feel like I get at TJ Maxx or Marshalls. (I found the one in SF did as well). I found a lot of great Max Studio and BCBG pieces there, that have been workhorses over the years. They had a very nice petite selection. I also found some really interesting and beautiful shoes there.

Marley

Oh, I'm so very sad to hear this! I've scored some great shoes and handbags there - and have some great memories of our YLF Shoptoberfest Gang taking over the store last fall!

Adelfa

I remember Lauren Bacall went there with her mother, as a teenager, when she needed a gown when she was just starting out!

I went there with my mother as a teen as well.

annagybe

There used to be one in Bellevue, WA, a suburb of Seattle. I've gotten some good deals there.
I wonder if the rise of sample sale sites put a dent in their business model.

Greyscale

Somehow I was totally ignorant of Loehmann's until I heard they were closing. As a constant Rack shopper, I think it sounds like just my kind of store. I suppose I should stop by the one near me just for the sake of having visited it...

Suzanne (ambergreen)

First off-price store was Filene's Basement.

Though I admit I don't think I ever shopped at Loehmann's, I remember they were a sort of east coast institution. I was really heartbroken though over first the erasure of the uniqueness of the original FB's in Boston (it once really *was* unique, and stayed that way for a while even after they added the chain of outlets to it) and then its complete demise. Awful.

LACeleste

Ohhh--sad! So many Loehmann shopping memories with my Mom!

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

Thanks for the info - I remember Loehmanns was the first place I'd ever known of that had one big changing room for everyone. This sheltered child was quite shocked.

There's one an hour away, maybe I should make a trip in the next few days....

Laurinda

I'm sorry for those who will miss them, but I was never a big fan. The ones/times I visited were always too picked over to have much, their return policy was awful, and the communal dressing room... TMI! Some of them had a 'back room' with the pricier designer gowns that was fun to visit, and if I remember correctly, usually a rather imposing woman standing guard at the entrance. A few suburban strip malls in different areas were named "Loehmann's Plaza"; those names will probably stick long after the stores disappear.

I stopped by my local (ish) store today and it was already quite picked over. I'd say that the store was already more than half empty. Everything was at least 25% off with a few things over 50%, but most in the 30% to 40% range. They were selling fixtures too, in case anyone needs a filing cabinet or a hanging rack.

I went back a few days later, and some new items had been pulled in, I assume from a warehouse or other Loehmann's somewhere. Mostly though, it is like Cocolion said - the discounts really weren't that great, and I suspect things were marked up first.

Walking back in that second time was like visiting a neglected amusement park that you once loved, and not seeing any of the vestiges of the former enjoyment you once had.

Also, even though it was only a couple of days later, all the regular employees were gone. You could tell these were people brought in to oversee the emptying of the store - very uncertain, unhelpful, and a lot younger and less polished in manner than the usual staff.

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