Stanley Marcus: The Relentless Reign of a Merchant Prince

Stanley Marcus was undeniably America’s Merchant Prince. He created his own legend by becoming a fashion authority without parallel, an unerring arbiter of taste, a marketing genius, and a ham-like showman in the mold of Phineas T. Barnum. His unique talents transformed Neiman Marcus from a Dallas specialty store into a glittering internationally known and respected retail institution.

Thomas E. Alexander traces the history of the company, tells the colorful life story of “Mr. Stanley,” and shares his personal behind-the-scenes memoir of his sometimes tumultuous association with the man and the store. Humorous anecdotes clearly illustrate that there was much more to Stanley Marcus than was ever seen by the public eye. Photographs of celebrities such as Princess Grace of Monaco, Sophia Loren, John Wayne, Brigitte Bardot, and Queen Sirkit of Thailand serve to emphasize the world-wide appeal of Neiman Marcus and the man behind it all for more than fifty years.

THOMAS E. ALEXANDER is a commissioner for the Texas Historical Commission and has been integral in establishing historical markers at important sites of Texas World War II history. He is the author of numerous books on Texas history. He resides in Kerrville, Texas.