(Apparently there's two pages for Von Maur, might as well post this here as well)
While Von Maur is surely out of my price range when it comes to shopping for clothes, I still find reasons to come here when I normally shop at Eastview. If you want a department store with a lot of class and elegance to it that makes shopping feel like more of an experience then just a simple purchase, there is a reason to check out this store.
Despite opening only two years ago, Von Maur has never looked any newer. The store is spacious even for the amount of clothing and furniture it holds. They make nice use of the green and gold colors that were once popular twenty years ago but instead of making it look dated, they match the feel of the store and adds to an overall, tranquil vibe that can be found around the store. In some of the separate clothing areas for men and women, they have created private sitting areas that look like they came out of someone's home office complete with old books, armchairs, and glass cabinets...fancy!
When you walk upstairs or even if you are still downstairs, it feels very open and airy and you are able to see most of the store if find the right place to view at somewhere by the escalators. Speaking of that area, there is a nice sitting room arrangement at the bottom of both the moving stairs next to a lovely pianist who is very skilled at moving those keys. It's interesting to have a department store take time to actually hire someone to play a piano to add pleasant and relaxing music in the background instead of a generic recent pop song that no one really cares about. It's never the same pianist though but all of them that I have seen are friendly and I have been told by some that they enjoy doing it to make Von Maur a calm and serene store to shop in.
As well as the piano players, the salespeople don't discriminate or annoy you with pushy sales tactics or rude inquiries. It may take a few tries to find one at first but when you ask for help, they are more than happy to assist you and from what I've seen, appear to be highly knowledgeable about the store and how it works and also, they appear to be a tad chipper...charming.
Back to the store itself, they have a small area near the escalators that contains a whole set of old Kodak cameras out for display which is nice to view when you first visit but with no protection over the cabinets, I fear someone may try to snag one in the mere future despite most of them having no true value anyways. Cameras aside, there are various antiquities around the store such as various musical instruments, lovely colonial tables, flowers in vases, and beautiful pictures. Did I mention they use brass? That's always nice to see in this day of age and even though it may look to be a touch out of times, it holds up quite nicely.
I have tried to make some purchases here a few times but I have always put them back because I realized I can't actually afford them. They are charging "High-end" prices for all of their items which are nearly triple in value of what you'll find at a JCPenney or a Macy's. However, these are nicer clothes made by some prestigious companies so if you can afford to buy them, I would take the opportunity and do it.
With all of these positive qualities such as the outstanding customer service, luxurious décor, and calm atmosphere, I can surely keep Von Maur under my radar whenever I return here for another great experience. Haven't made the visit yet? Even if you don't decide to buy anything, it's well worth one go to see what Von Maur offers to the public...hope to see more of these around Rochester in the near future! read more