Neiman Marcus closes downtown Dallas doors after 112 years

The glass doors of the Neiman Marcus department store at 1501 Main Street locked for the last time on September 30, 2026. The closure marks the end of the last major original department store operating in downtown Dallas. The building, which houses the store's historic footprint, has stood on the corner of Main Street and Ervay Street since 1914.

The store was founded in 1914 by George Dahl. It replaced a smaller specialty shop that burned down before the current structure was completed. The building is a Renaissance Revival structure featuring red brick and white stone. Stanley Marcus, who later led the company, installed double staircases and escalators in the early 20th century. These features allowed customers to ascend to the sixth floor, where the Zodiac Room was located.

The Zodiac Room featured celestial blue decor and deep carpeting. It served as a dining space where customers ate popovers with strawberry butter and chicken consommé. The store also hosted weekly fashion shows, which were among the first in America for a specialty retailer. The company used these events to attract designers such as Chanel, Dior, and Saint Laurent.

Gale Sliger worked in the store during the 1970s and 1980s. She helped set up the store's annual Fortnights alongside Bill Reed and designer Alvin Colt. Sliger recalled the process of preparing the displays. She noted that crews loaded in on Saturday afternoon. The store locked its doors, and trucks left the site. By Monday morning, the displays were complete.

Sliger described the loss of the downtown location as a mistake for the city's historical anchor. She stated that she hates to see the store close. The Fortnights turned the store into a temporary space for displays of international goods during the holiday season.

Harvey Haigh managed the store's salon department from 1970 until 2026. He served in that role for more than 50 years. Haigh described the store as a place where visitors could find beauty, clothing, shoes, and service in one location. He attributed this approach to Stanley Marcus, who often said that everything was under one roof.

Haigh said the store maintained strict standards for its merchandise. He noted that if an item looked like a 15th-century chaise longue, it was exactly that. Haigh listed several high-profile visitors who shopped at the location. These included Sophia Loren, the Queen of Thailand, and Princess Grace of Monaco, who visited the store three times.

Haigh said he and Marcus became friends over the years. He described his daily routine of going to the store as similar to going home. The salon department, which Haigh led, continued to operate until the doors closed on September 30.

The closure affects 67 employees. These workers have moved to the Neiman Marcus location at NorthPark Center. The downtown location will no longer operate as a full department store. The darkened windows on the corner of Main Street and Ervay Street remain visible to pedestrians passing the building.

The store's history includes the creation of the Neiman Marcus Award and the publication of the Christmas Book. These items helped establish the brand's reputation for luxury and service. The building's architecture and interior design, including the escalators and the Zodiac Room, defined the shopping experience in downtown Dallas for over a century.