Best & Company

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For the Richmond, Virginia based catalog store see Best Products, and the clothing store with the same name see Best & Co.

Best & Company was a chain of luxury department stores founded in New York City, New York. Founded in 1879 on the original Ladies Mile near Sixth Avenue and 23rd Street, the store soon moved to 5th Avenue, first at 35th Street from 1910-1947, and then [[51st Street from 1947 until closing in the 1969. The company was best known for its upmarket Children's department, but the store was a full line better department store featuring Women's Clothing lines, Mens's Sportswear, and Home Merchandise as well.

The Best and Company flagship store was first located on 5th Avenue at 35th Street, across the street from B. Altman and near Tiffanys. This limestone building later became the Bond Clothing Stores flagship when Best moved farther up the avenue, and was later converted to apartments. Best and Company's final location was next to St. Patricks Catherdral. It closed in 1969, and the beautiful white marble building was torn down and the Olympic Tower was built in its place. Best and Co., was also on the forefront of opening stores in upscale suburban areas long before its competitors.

Former Locations:

• 23rd St near Sixth Avenue, original store (demolished)
• 5th Avenue at 35th Street, 1st Flagship (now a residential coop [1])
• 5th Avenue at 51st Street, 2nd Flagship (demolished)
• East Orange, New Jersey (demolished?)
• Paramus, New Jersey, Route 4 (now the Pearle Vision Center at 341 E State Rt 4, barely changed)
• Paramus, New Jersey, Fashion Center (never opened as Best & Co., later Britts, now, Toys R Us)
• Watchung, New Jersey (demolished?)
• Asbury Park, New Jersey (Summer Only location inside Berkely-Carteret Hotel)
• White Plains, New York (demolished?)
• Manhasset, New York (demolished?)
• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Roosevelt Blvd.
• Langhorne, Pennsylvania Middletown Blvd.
• Baltimore, Maryland Pulaski Highway (long gone..)
• Garden City, New York, Franklin Avenue (now CVS drug store).
• Skokie, Illinois, Oold Orchard Mall.

The Best & Co. brand was revived a few years back as an upscale Children's store based in Greenwich, Connecticut

New Best and Company locations:

• Greenwich, Connecticut
• New York City, 7th Floor of Bergdorf Goodman.

[edit] Best & Company in Popular Culture

The Best & Company store was featured in the movie The Godfather when Michael Corleone and Kay Adams are Christmas Shopping, just before Michael finds out his father has been shot.

In the closing credits of the first season of That Girl, the Best & Company is clearly visible as Anne stands on 5th Avenue waiting for a bus. The first season Christmas episode is told as a flashback while Anne is working as a "Santa's Helper" at Best & Company.

Life Magazine dedicated the bulk of an issue to spotlight Pope Paul VI's visit to New York City in 1965, the center fold pictures show St. Patrick's Cathedral, with full views of the then Best and Co. flagship on 5th Avenue.

The chain also had a location at Old Orchard Mall in Skokie, Illinois. Old Orchard was one of the nation's first large regional malls.