H. Herzfeld, Manhattan Haberdashery, to Close
I am informed by a reader that H. Herzfeld, a Manhattan haberdashery in the English, Jermyn Street model, is set to shutter. It was founded in 1890 in Europe and has been in America since 1949. The business, formerly located on Madison Avenue and 52nd, is on 57th Street between Park and Lexington. It is family owned.
Herzfeld is steadfastly and proudly antiquated in its viewpoint and business practices. On its website, it says "we provide custom shirts, suits and a full line of haberdashery to the carriage trade. People in the know shop H. Herzfeld. Among our many offerings are English polo and dress shirts, and cashmere sweaters imported from Scotland along with Trafalgar braces and accessories from belts and cuff links to hats. Our shirts are monogrammed and tapered and the sleeve lengths can be adjusted. In addition to our fine quality shirts and sweaters, our Oxxford & Hickey Freeman suits and Valstar outerwear win praise among discriminating gentlemen."
You have to admire a business that, in this day and age, uses the terms "carriage trade" and "discriminating gentleman" without irony.
I have never been inside Herzfeld. I don't typically visit such pricey places, because I have no hope to buy any thing on sale inside, and the fact that I can not do so just depresses me. But I plan to take a look before it is too late. Greta Gargo was apparently a regular customer. She bought turtlenecks.
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4 comments:
Yes, it has closed. I walked past it this morning and the store is empty. I shopped there two or three weeks ago and they made no mention of it. It was a great store.
This is awful. There are so few shops like this left in New York and it seems every month you hear of another closing its doors.
I live in Texas. For over 30 years I have been ordering my Zimmerli underwear from Herzfeld. When I called them today I was very disappointed to find them shuttered. I never visited the store but it was always a pleasant experience to speak to them on the phone. They would even call me every few years to see if I needed anything. I am grateful for having had the experience.
So sad to discover H Herzfeld is no longer open. I only did a handful or more orders with the store manager over a period of years, and used to buy my Sea Island cotton boxer shorts from them. The absolute best customer service that one can be afforded was at H Herzfeld. I have never experienced better customer service. If they read this, I do appreciate every phone call following up and every letter handwritten to me to ask how I was, and that the store had plenty of pajamas and Sea Island men's wear readily available in my size, at my convenience. They would even call and tell me of new pajama and boxer short patterns and styles, and would send me courtesy swatches Priority Mail. Absolutely the best shopping experience that a gentleman could ask for. I am sincerely quite sad about their closing. I wish the manager and staff all the best and most prosperity. Godspeed.
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