Lyman G. Bloomingdale

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Lyman G. Bloomingdale (1841 - 1905) was an American businessman who in April of 1872, with his brother Joseph, founded Bloomingdales Department Store on 56th Street in New York City.

The son of Bavarian-born Benjamin Bloomimgdale, Lyman and his brother Joseph and were trained in the retailing of ladies clothing at their father's store. Going into business for themselves, the Bloomingdale brothers' new store sold a wide variety of European fashions, anchored through their own buying office in Paris, France. Their success resulted in the business outgrowing its premises and in 1886 they relocated operations to its famous present-day location at 59th Street and Third Avenue where Bloomingdale became one of the most widely recognized brand names in the world.

Brother Joseph Bloomingdale retired from the business on New Years Day 1896 but Lyman remained involved until his death in 1905 at Elberon, New Jersey. A benefactor to a variety of causes and cultural institutions, in 1901 Lyman Bloomimgdale donated a Washington Allston painting to New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art [1] and in his will written in 1904, left $100,000 for charitable purposes.

Lyman's son, Samuel J. Bloomingdale, took over as head of the department store and proved a very capable manager and an astute marketing innovator who significantly expanded the business.