Luxury Retail Veteran Crawford Brock Sells Stanley Korshak to Iconic East Coast Retailer

High-end retail in Dallas is having a moment. So is its real estate. As the fate of the downtown Neiman Marcus flagship changes daily, another major story broke yesterday: Stanley Korshak owner Crawford Brock announced the sale of the 40-year-old luxury emporium to Connecticut-based Mitchell Stores.

Unlike Neiman’s, the seller and buyer have a personal connection. The families have been friends for years. Crawford, who will remain on as president, assured both the store family and clients that he’s not going anywhere.

“I’m here for the long haul. Stanley Korshak is not only my life’s work but my lifelong passion,” he said.

Those of us who worked with Crawford – I, personally, for over 13 years – know this to be true. The man lives and breathes retail. So, it’s not surprising that he’s staying to ensure the store he managed (1987-2002) and owned (2002 to 2025) will continue the legacy he worked so hard to create.

The letter to stores and clients also promises that it will be business as usual.

“Rest assured, everything you love about the Korshak experience will remain unchanged.” Customers can expect the same caliber of personalized service, plus an even better merchandise mix — “one of the many benefits of being affiliated with a network of esteemed ‘sister’ stores.”

What does Dallas need to know about Mitchells?

They’re a three-generation, family-owned business with a proven track record. Korshak will be their ninth store and the first in the central U.S.. Other locations include two in Connecticut — Mitchells in Westport and Richards in Greenwich — and one in Huntington, Long Island, where they operate Marshs. In the Pacific Northwest, they own Marios in Seattle and Portland; in California, Wilkes Bashford in San Francisco and Palo Alto.

I think all of us Korshak employees – past and present – knew deep down that if Crawford was ever going to sell the store, it was going to be to the Mitchells.

After all, you’ve got to love a family whose patriarch and Chairman Emeritus, Jack, was not only lauded as one of Women’s Wear Daily’s top 10 retail visionaries but also calls himself a “Master Hugger” on LinkedIn.

This is yet another point of differentiation between the Korshak sale and the Neiman Marcus/Saks Global deal. Everyone is going to play nice in the sandbox. According to Crawford, the Mitchells are pros at “preserving what is best about iconic local brands like Stanley Korshak, while building an even stronger future.”

Oil heiress and businesswoman extraordinaire, the late Caroline Rose Hunt, knew what she was doing when she offered Crawford the opportunity to lead Stanley Korshak in 1987. Who better to run her newly opened Crescent Complex anchor than the manager of the Beverly Hills Neiman Marcus?

While my memories of working at the store are bittersweet, one thing was always clear: Crawford loves Stanley Korshak. He loves his clients, his vendors, his Kiton sport coats, and his Brunello Cucinelli shoes.

On its 30th anniversary, I wrote a tagline for Korshak: “It’s about the experience.” True then, true now, and hopefully, always.