Somewhere between their moment-by-moment updates of the 3G iPhone, RackedNY posted breaking news about the upcoming Barneys Warehouse Sale. Afterwards I received dozens of email wondering why I was ignoring such big news.
To understand my reluctance to cover such an event we will have to go back about 25 years to when I was a wee SIT (spy in training). Barneys was just a men’s store and anyone who lived uptown at the time would love to go down to Barneys for one key attraction: Free Parking.
Back in the day, Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Cardin were the important men’s designers and Armani was still viewed as trendy. The average price for a very top of the line suit at Saks would be about about $900. Saks would seldom have a sale and when they did, the discount was only offered to their elite class customers. The sale included a mimosa breakfast and a 20% discount. When Barneys would have their big warehouse sale they would discount the same suit to about $250 to $350. There was no other place you could find the same suit for anything near that price. It was a BIG deal.
Today most every department store discounts up to 75% off when the want to get some major cash flow. So weathering the Barneys warehouse sale– the crowds, the piles of ripped and damaged junk, the attitude, the bouncers– just doesn’t seem worth it. After all, there’s no free parking!
The Stats:
50% to 70% off designer clothing, shoes, and housewares
Thursday, August 14, through Monday, September 1
255 W. 17th St b/w 7th and 8th Avenues
212-450-8400
or
Their online sale is up to 75% off.