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Barney Pressman

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Entrepreneur

The Resume

    (December 14, 1894-August 24, 1991)
    Born in Manhattan, New York
    Clothing salesman
    Founded Barneys New York

Why he might be annoying:

    He got the money for his first clothing store by pawning his wife’s engagement ring.
    He would stock his store by reading the obituaries and divorce notices in New York City papers, then approach the widows or divorcees of wealthy businessmen and offered to buy their old suits.
    He also got suits on the cheap by buying up showroom samples, retail overstocks, and manufacturers closeouts.
    Even after his 1975 retirement, he would call the company offices daily.
    Five years after his death, mismanagement by his grandsons resulted in the company filing for bankruptcy.

Why he might not be annoying:

    He used the slogan ‘No Bunk, No Junk, No Imitation.’
    During the 1950s, Barneys sold more men’s suits than any other single store in the world.
    At the store’s peak, he employed 150 tailors to provide free alterations to customers.
    Under the leadership of his son Fred, Barneys successfully switched from discount suits to upscale fashions by Pierre Cardin, Hubert de Givenchy, and Giorgio Armani.

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2022, Out of 4 Votes: 25.00% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 7 Votes: 42.86% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 5 Votes: 60.0% Annoying