Carrie Neiman was born in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1883. She moved with her family to Hillsboro, Texas, when she was a teenager. The girl was homeschooled, so she did not attend educational institutions. She read German newspapers and studied European fashion magazines, which helped her to develop good taste and successfully open her own luxury clothing store. Read more at dallaska.
She wanted to be independent from a young age
At 16, looking for a job, she decided to move to Dallas, where her older brother had been working for several years. At first, her parents did not want their daughter to go, as they thought that she would be a burden for Herbert. But Carrie managed to convince them and eventually took the road.
She was employed as a store clerk at department store A. Harris and Company, where she sold women’s blouses. She earned $10 a week. Soon, she realized that selling clothes was a real art that made the customer feel special. That is why Carrie devoted much attention to each of her clients and tried to find an individual approach.
She had good taste and was not afraid to risk
She became a valuable employee over a short period of time. She demonstrated excellent consulting and selling skills, which increased the store’s income. Carrie was promoted to the position of buyer, a specialist who selects clothes for the store.
The assortment of A. Harris and Company stood out from other clothing shops. Carrie Neiman chose daring styles and designs, paying special attention to lightweight fabrics and elegant lines. Her earnings increased to $25 per week, making Carrie one of the highest-paid women in Dallas.
The first attempt to start her own business
In Dallas, Carrie met her future husband, Abraham Neiman (in a family circle, he was called Al), who was also engaged in sales. The couple got married in 1905. At the time, Carrie was 21 and Al 25. Shortly after the wedding, Al suggested that Carrie and her brother Herbert move to Atlanta, Georgia, and start their own business there. Having experience selling discounted items, Al wanted to establish his own company that would specialize in this sphere.
Initially, things went well in Atlanta, as they had many stores interested in selling their useless stuff. Although this business was profitable, neither Carrie nor Helbert enjoyed it. They had a passion for culture, having listened to classical music and read diverse literature since childhood. Eventually, they told Al that they were not happy with the business they were involved in but had a wish to open an exclusive women’s clothing store in Dallas. In the end, they sold the business for $25,000.
Opening their own store
In 1907, all three of them returned to Dallas with the insane idea to open a luxury store selling ready-to-wear clothing. Why was the idea crazy? Back then, Dallas was not that big and rich city and affluent citizens employed seamstresses’ services to renew their wardrobes.
The new store, Neiman Marcus, promised that its clothes would be even better than tailor-made. To achieve this, they hired Madame Bartel, a seamstress who worked at A. Harris & Co. She had to tailor the clothing according to the clients’ measurements.
Carrie was responsible for assortment building. For this reason, she went to New York. When choosing designes, she relied on her own tastes and vague ideas of what potential customers might like. Most of the presented items were made of satin, silk and wool. If the women of Dallas did not like the clothes, the store would have gone broke, so it was a heavy responsibility.
However, Carrie did a great job. Within a month after the opening of Neiman Marcus, the entire stock of goods was sold out.
Things were going well. But a few years later, Carrie broke up with Al and expelled him from business because he cheated on her. In 1950, Herbert passed away and Carrie had to handle all the processes on her own.
In 1951, Neiman Marcus opened its first branch. By the beginning of the 21st century, the company owned over 30 stores in the United States.