Stern's was a regional department store chain serving the U.S. states of New York and New Jersey.

[4] Most of the stores were immediately converted to Stern's corporate sibling Macy's, with others liquidated and reopened as Bloomingdale's.

From these humble beginnings, the Stern Brothers became an important merchandising family in New York City.

[citation needed] The enormous, six-story building was executed in the Renaissance Revival style.

Schinckel's typically 19th century addition tripled the dimensions of the original structure on the eastern portion of the site.

This enterprise was distinguished by its elegant door men in top hats and the generous and friendly service of the Sterns themselves.

In 1913, Stern Brothers moved farther uptown and built a new flagship store near Fifth Avenue and West 42nd Street across from Bryant Park.

Stern's catered to the Carriage Trade and had a separate entrance for customers like the Goulds and Astors.

[7] During the late 1950s and early 1960s, sales began to decline as most white New Yorkers moved to the suburbs.