Burt Tansky discovered a customer who loved luxury in 1974 after he left regional department stores in the Rust Belt to work for San Francisco-based specialty retailer I. Magnin.
For the next three and a half decades, he never left her side.
“Once I got into the luxury business, I was enamored with the idea of selling fine merchandise to a customer who understands it,” said Tansky, 72, who is preparing to retire as chief executive of Neiman Marcus Inc. after 21 years with....