The Cosmopolitan Retail Corporation

The Cosmopolitan Retail Corporation (CosmoBrands) is proud to announce the appointment of Jim Metscher to its Board of Directors as First Vice Chairman and Member. With a storied career history that spans leadership roles at some of the largest and most well-regarded retailers in the market today, Mr. Metscher's experience will serve as an indispensable resource as we look to re-establish our nameplates and lead them forward. #cosmobrandsmakeluxury

One of the central challenges we faced while acquiring our portfolio of historic brands was "how do we allow each to thrive, in a way that contributes to the longevity and success of the entire stable?" We wanted to give each nameplate the ample room it needed to breathe, but still build something that provided value, both for us as a company and our guests. It's in that vein that we're pleased to announce a structure that we believe will achieve both those goals, whilst also delivering on another key organizational goal; creating a memorable shopping experience. By choosing to utilize Woodward & Lothrop as our flagship retailing operation, we can utilize our other names in the areas for which they are best known, boutique style, within our brick and mortar and e-commercial spaces. With B. Altman serving as our; beauty and fine jewelry salon, Henri Bendel's specializing in womenswear and bags, Bullock's focusing on Men's & Womenswear, and unique accessories on shelf across all three properties, our company can provide tailored experiences, specialized to each brand, but simultaneously supportive of our entire slate. We're proud that innovation and strategic savvy drives the Cosmopolitan Portfolio, and can't wait to put our vision into practice for your enjoyment soon. After all, #cosmobrandsmakeluxury.

We're thrilled to announce the expansion of our nameplate acquisitions to include iconic brands; Henri Bendel's of New York, B. Altman & Company, and Bullock's of Los Angeles. These organizations sit at the cornerstones of the luxury, guest service, and product quality, that made American Retail the pre-eminent leader in its industry across the globe. Additionally, to serve as governing parent for these properties, The Cosmopolitan Retail Corporation has been branded and will oversee; operations, financials, quality assurance, and corporate strategy and governance for each asset moving forward. With each new acquisition operating as an e-commerce property, and Woodward & Lothrop operating both online as well as its intended destination brick and mortar spaces, Cosmopolitan Brands now operate, and seek to lead, in some of the largest markets in the United States, and look forward to reviving the shopping experiences global consumers deserve from the luxury space. #cosmobrandsmakeluxury

We're still looking to #hire that special someone to lead our purchasing operations and assist in the creative strategy and services required of our brand. If you believe you have what it takes to serve as our Chief Merchant & Executive Vice President - Creative Services, we encourage you to submit your application below! #workatwoodwards

WE'RE HIRING - Woodward & Lothrop seeks a Chief Merchant to lead its; Buying, Merchandising, Vendor Services, and Display & Visuals Departments for the nameplate's eventual in-store and online e-commerce operations. Interested? See our posting on Indeed! https://lnkd.in/ei_WBbkC

We're going color to unveil the URL for the @woodwardlothrop website! For the first time this iconic nameplate will be joining the e-commerce space, with the same level of service and product quality we strive to exude from Woodie's. Going live in time for the holidays, we're excited to bring you shopwoodwardlothrop.com.

SERVICE - More than any other aspect, Service is what dominated the forefront of our market research. Guests crave a return to the white-glove, concierge-style, retail service that made brands like ours famous. That's why we're committing to a level of care to detail, and to you, that will be unrivaled in department store shopping. By training our staff (including C-Suite Officers) what will now be expected at Woodward & Lothrop, we can begin our reinvigoration with this ethos baked into our foundation. Whether it takes the form of product knowledge from end to end, remembering small details about birthdays and anniversaries, or even sending hand written thank you cards scented with a fragrance from our collection we believe you should try, no detail is too small and no service is too large, for our nameplate. This will, importantly, carry over to our online shopping spaces, where Guest Services will be retained in-house, domestically, and held to the same standard of convenience and care as in-store operations. We here at Woodward & Lothrop understand that we cannot, and should not, coast on the goodwill our brand has retained through the years, and so will continuously strive to earn your business, online and in-store, through innovation and unparalleled performance.

HERITAGE - We start our unveiling of the Woodward & Lothrop Public Strategic Plan for the 2024-2025 term, with a focus on what will be the foundation of our methodology moving forward - heritage. When deciding to purchase the Intellectual Property for Woodward's with the intention of reinvigorating the brand, one question rang the most pressing; how do we preserve the "Woodies" that everyone knows and loves, whilst still forging a successful modern identity? Though it had been nearly 30 years since the last brick and mortar W&L ceased operations, our market research indicated there was still significant recognition and fondness for the brand. So, how do we plan on honoring that loyalty, and the memory of the giant we've taken the helm of? By putting the ethos of its history at the core of everything we do. Woodward & Lothrop is predominantly and fundamentally an American story. One of entrepreneurial resilience and innovation, luxury and accessibility, a department store that was literally the first of its kind, befitting the nation's capital. Moving forward, that's exactly the ethos we'll maintain, as stewards, but also as innovators, custodians of the entrepreneurial excellence that Samuel Woodward and Alvin Lothrop first burnished in 1887. Practically, this will take the form of operational as well as aesthetic choices. Aesthetically, we've made the decision to restore the original branding and logo design, whilst modernizing (but still maintaining the essence of) our typeface, emphasizing our focus on luxury and modernity, without compromising the visual appeal so many associate with our company. Operationally, the cornerstone of our PSP takes the form of our decision to become a "landmark destination retailer". This long-term goal translates into a focus on a singular flagship, rather than a series of stores dotted regionally. Taking inspiration from the likes of Bergdorf Goodman, Harrod's, Selfridge's, and the former Henri Bendel's, we believe the detailed cultivation of a singular touchstone will; minimize overhead, mitigate the risk of overextension, allow for the permeation of the location into the local culture zeitgeist, and, most importantly, allow for the true promulgation of a; trained, knowledgeable, and detail-oriented, white-glove service environment with which to cater to our guests. Additionally, we're proud to debut Woodward's in the competitive luxury e-commerce space on a tentative schedule for later this year, giving our storied brand yet another prong with which to bring our unique offerings and services to the modern consumer. These aspects form the ethos of our modern heritage strategy, and as we move throughout the week, will demonstratively influence every aspect of the remaining PSP. We hope you'll continue to join us as we unveil our innovations, and thank you for your continuous loyalty and interest in the Woodward nameplate after all these years. We're thrilled to be serving you again.

As we reinvigorate one of the most iconic #retail department stores of the last century, we invite you to tune in and see how Woodward's new direction takes heed of its heritage and study of past mistakes. Over the next week, we'll be unveiling our Public Strategic Plan for launch, detailing how we'll be taking Woodward & Lothrop thru 2025, on a path to resilience for another American Century.

Woodward & Lothrop seeks experienced retail and related industry executives, passionate about product quality and customer care, to staff its Board of Directors. Please apply directly via LinkedIn below: