The Home Depot located on West 23rd Street in New York City is more than just a home improvement store; it’s a landmark with a rich history etched into its very facade. Above the bustling entrance, a carved lion’s head and the monogram “SB” offer a silent yet compelling narrative, hinting at the building’s prestigious past as the Stern Brothers department store.
Over a century ago, the area south of Madison Square Park was Manhattan’s premier shopping destination, known as “Ladies’ Mile,” and Stern Brothers reigned as one of its most opulent emporiums. Positioned at the northern edge of this glamorous district, Stern’s was briefly the largest department store in New York. It was also among the first to embrace plate glass windows, transforming the shopping experience by allowing passersby to admire the merchandise and popularizing the concept of “window shopping.”
Stern Brothers was established in 1867 by brothers Louis, Isaac, Bernard, and Benjamin Stern, initially on Sixth Avenue near 23rd Street. As their business thrived, they relocated in 1878 to 32 West 23rd Street. The new building, a six-story Renaissance Revival structure in cast iron, was designed by Henry Fernbach, a German architect renowned for his ecclesiastical designs, including the Central Synagogue on Lexington Avenue. Following Fernbach’s death in 1883, the Stern brothers commissioned another German émigré, W. M. Schickel, to expand their store.
By 1892, Schickel had tripled the size of Stern’s, extending it westward to 40 West 23rd Street. He skillfully mirrored Fernbach’s original design for the western wing and added a central section with a grand arched entrance, seamlessly uniting the two wings. This expansion resulted in what remains possibly New York City’s most extensive cast-iron facade. Painted a dazzling white and spanning eight city lots, the building became a spectacle, affectionately nicknamed “the big wedding cake on 23rd Street” for its grandeur.
Stern’s flourished alongside other prominent retailers on the block, such as Teller & Co., which later became Bonwit Teller, and Best & Co. The Stern brothers were personally involved in the store’s daily operations, with at least one brother always present to greet customers, impeccably dressed in tailcoats. Adding to the sophisticated ambiance, pianists on every floor provided live music, foreshadowing the orchestrated soundscapes of modern retail. However, by 1913, the city’s retail heart was shifting uptown, and Stern’s followed suit, relocating to 42nd Street opposite Bryant Park. The department store continued to expand, eventually encompassing two dozen branches across three states and becoming part of Federated Department Stores. In 2001, the remaining Stern’s locations were rebranded as Bloomingdale’s or Macy’s, and the Stern Brothers name faded from retail history.
Yet, the iconic building on 23rd Street endured. Despite a period of neglect, including a temporary pink paint job that diminished its once-splendid facade, the structure survived. For much of the 20th century, as prestigious retail abandoned 23rd Street, the building served as manufacturing and shipping space for various businesses. In 1968, a turning point arrived when Jerome M. Cohen, chairman of Williams Real Estate Co., and his partners acquired the property and initiated a comprehensive restoration of the cast-iron facade. The building was revitalized, attracting showrooms and offices.
In 1986, Hasbro, Inc., the toy and board game giant, became a tenant, hosting toy fairs and even providing the setting for a scene in the Tom Hanks movie “Big.” Hasbro occupied the building for nearly two decades before Home Depot moved in as the major tenant in 2004.
Today, Home Depot anchors the building, though clothing designer Marc Ecko maintains separate offices and showrooms accessible via 40 West 23rd Street. Intriguingly, Home Depot’s presence has, in a way, returned the building to its retail origins. As the company’s first Manhattan store, this Home Depot is specifically tailored to the needs of apartment and brownstone residents. Spanning 108,000 square feet across the street level, mezzanine, and basement, including space at 28 West 23rd Street, it stocks 20,000 products, with access to 100,000 more through special orders. In a nod to its department store heritage, this Home Depot even features a doorman, a modern echo of the Stern brothers’ era, albeit one who forgoes the traditional tailcoat. The Home Depot on 23rd Street stands as a testament to the evolving story of New York City retail, blending its grand department store past with its current role as a vital resource for urban homeowners.
