A warm winter always gives furriers the chills, so retailers around town are anxiously awaiting a temperature plunge, because 70 to 80 percent of furs are sold from November to January.
As the season unfolds, you need a scorecard to keep pace with those heading up the fur business on North Michigan Avenue.
Recently, Dick Braido stunned the folks at Saks Fifth Avenue on the Magnificent Mile, where he had headed the fur salon (leased to furrier Birger Christensen), taking a 150-foot walk across the street to Neiman Marcus. He now heads its fur salon.
Braido was replaced by Ray Spanola, who had been sales manager of the Maximillian salon in Bloomingdale’s at 900 N. Michigan.
Subsequently, David Chappelle, a former general manager of Revillon furrier, became sales manager, the No. 2 post in the Maximillian salon at Bloomie’s, reporting to Ronnie Stern, director there.
What does Braido bring to Neiman Marcus? Try 22 years in the fur business, the last 17 at Saks, including working on the east side of Michigan Avenue at its old location, then moving across the street to the new Saks in 1990.
During his stint at Saks, which at one time included being boss of its fur salons in the Old Orchard Shopping Center and Oakbrook Center, he developed a very strong clientele.
A number of his loyal customers showed up at a Ritz-Carlton Hotel party for him hosted recently by Neiman.
Why the move to Neiman?
“I felt I needed to sell something fresh,” says Braido, adding that he had held conversations with Neiman for some time. From his Saks days, he knew Burt Tansky, a former Saks executive who now is the Dallas-based chief executive officer of Neiman Marcus Stores. But it was Kit Hughes, vice president-general manager of Neiman’s Mag Mile store, who closed the deal.
Look for Braido to be innovative and more aggressive at Neiman’s fur salon, which, incidentally, is the only company-owned salon among the local major retailers, which typically lease space to an outsider.
More Top Picks Best Grill Tools
He expects to expand the number of designer furs carried by Neiman. Furs in its Mag Mile store are in the $2,000 to $200,000 range.
Saks and Birger Christensen were disappointed that Braido left.
“But if that’s what Dick wanted, that’s OK with us,” says Margi Godfrey-Sawyer, VP-general manager of Saks on the Mag Mile. She added, “We’ll both do fine.”
In his leisure time, when he’s off the phone and not personally working with his clientele, Braido likes to play tennis and attend cultural events, including the theater and the opera.
“In my business, you have to get around, and it pays off,” Braido says.
Networking? Better yet–sophisticated schmoozing.
– Dallas-based, publicly held viaLink Co., a provider of interactive e-business services for firms in the packaged goods, foods and retail businesses, picked Brigandi & Associates here for marketing communications, including advertising, Web site development and direct marketing. The client is establishing marketing headquarters in Chicago, an operation headed by Robert Fischer, newly named VP-marketing.
On the move: Patti Bridge, recently VP-management supervisor at defunct Lois/EJL Chicago, became a VP-account director on client Boca Burger at Chicago Creative Partnership. She reports to Brad Most, executive VP-director of client services. . . . Wendi Taylor Nations to a senior managing director, Hill & Knowlton Chicago. . . . Scott Farrell to an executive VP at Golin/Harris International.
– Irvine, Calif.-based Kia Motors of America expects to announce a new agency early next week, following termination of its $60 million ad account at Goldberg Moser O’Neill in San Francisco.
Strictly Personal: Birthday greetings to Holly Rodgers, 45 (Stuart-Rodgers); Kevin Venechuk, 45 (Dynamex); fragrance marketing consultant Brian F. Schmalz, 53; Peter Hawley, 35; Phyllis Stellato, 31; Karen Koehn Deane, 32, and Sandra L. LaPorte, 42.
– Today’s Chicago Woman Foundation’s recent fundraiser at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum in Lincoln Park netted $50,000, the most for any event in the organization’s 10-year history. The fundraiser, which had sponsors, drew 400.