Very rarely do people work where they want, do what they want, and make a difference in the fiber of a community. Larry Bruce does. ìI feel I worked my whole career to get a position like this,î he says. ìI feel very privileged.î In a city world-renowned for its fashion retailers, Bruce manages one of the most luxurious, successful, and biggestótwo multi-level buildings 300 employees strongóretailers in Beverly Hills. He is the new vice president and general manager of Saks Fifth Avenue on Wilshire Boulevard.Ý

ÝÝThe fact that Bruce leads the largest Saks Fifth Avenue store outside New York City isnít surprising considering that heís been in the fashion business since he was a teenager. ìI started working at a small mom-and-pop shop out of high school,î he says of his beginnings at a sporting goods/fashion store in Northridge. ìHonestly, at first, it was just a job. Thatís how I looked at it.î However, what began as just a job evolved into an understanding of inner strengths and a great feeling of satisfaction. He had an eye for fashion and a unique ability to connect with customers. By the time he graduated college with a degree in marketing, he was the head buyer and manager of the 10,000 square-foot store, overseeing 15 other workers. Yet, even though he was happy with his success, he wasnít content with it. ÝÝ

ÝÝìWhen I was working at the mom-and-pop store, it was always my dream to work in Beverly Hills. Always. That was my whole thing. I was always going to work in Beverly Hills. The epitome of fashion was Beverly Hills.îÝ

ÝÝIntent on achieving that goal, Bruce entered the management training program at Bullocks. He did so well that he became a store manager in five years, and is credited with leading that department store through difficult times, such as the Northridge earthquake aftermath in 1994. ìHow do you get the store open quickly to service the needs of the community?î Bruce recalls of the questions he faced after the quake. ìHow do you lead a store in such a manner that makes everyone feel comfortable after a catastrophe like that?îÝ

ÝÝSince working at Bullocks, Bruceís career in retail has taken him all over our country. However, no matter where heís goneóbe it Seattle, Cleveland, New York City, Pittsburgh, Houstonóhis inspiration has remained rather constant. ì[E]ven when I was the store manager [of Bullocks], in terms of what I wanted my store to look for, I would go walk Wilshire BoulevardóSaksóalways.îÝ

ÝÝOf course, now Bruce isÝSaks Fifth Avenue, and his reputation and experience are indicative of it. Out of all the things heís learned on his journey, he says the key to running a successful high-end luxury store is fairly simple. ìProduct and people,î he affirms. ìYouíve got to have the right product and you have to have amazing people to sell the product and establish relationships with the customer.îÝ

ÝÝBecause each Saks Fifth Avenue location has its own unique market with different needs, it has to be aggressive about getting the right mix of products for each location. The key to getting the right products is ìCommunication, communication. Are you listening to the customer? Are you hearing that there is something you donít have at your location? And if you hear that, do you have relationships with vendors and merchant organizations, and are you able to react to that?î Since Saks Fifth Avenue is one of the most popular shopping destinations among celebrities, itís ability to provide the best fashions can be the difference between just selling clothes and setting major fashion trends.

ÝÝThis challenge of always staying at the forefront of fashion is one of Bruceís favorite aspects of his job. ì[The Beverly Hills] customer has very high expectations in terms of wanting it first. They are very, very knowledgeable in this market. And that keeps you on your toes.î But the relationship goes both ways, and thatís what separates Saks Fifth Avenue from most other stores. ì[Itís] our ability to connect with the customer,î says Bruce. ìIf youíre going to provide that true service, everyone wants a different level. Some [customers] want to be called regularly. Some want to be called just for sales. Just last week I was at an event at a museum. I was talking to a husband and wife who are customers. He told me an amazing story about how he was trying to buy an anniversary gift for his wife. He ended up in the handbag area, had a total connection with the associate [in the area]. The associate knew everything about this particular handbagóhow it was designed, why it was exclusive. He said, ëWhen I left, I felt like I was buying a piece of artwork for my wife.í He loved the associate so much, he got the associateís card, wants his wife to shop with him, and was so passionate about the connection he made with the associate, not only did he tell me about it at this event, but he actually e-mailed me the following day because he really wanted to be sure the associate got recognized. To me thatís great. Thatís what itís all about. Not only did we have the right product, the customer made a great connection.îÝ

ÝÝLike the aforementioned associate, going over and beyond the call of duty is something Bruce is more than familiar with. Not too long ago he was confronted with an emergency situation: A customer was throwing a very important Thanksgiving feast and had purchased a very large china order. The shipping order had to be rushed because Thanksgiving was quickly approaching, but when the order finally arrived at the customerís home, there was one big problemóthe courier Ýforgot to bring the actual platter the turkey was going to be served on. Realizing his customerís plight, Bruce personally delivered the platter all the way down to San Diego.

ÝÝWhereas Bruce still enjoys building relationships with customers, his job as general manager also entails running the store, and just as important, maintaining a strong relationship with the community. Needless to say, heís very busy. He arrives at work every day hours before the store opens, around 7:30 in the morning. He looks at the numbers, makes some calls to New York, and checks his e-mail. Then, for the next two hours heíll walk the floor and connect with associates and department managers to make sure the store looks pristine for business. The rest of his day usually consists of meeting with customers, vendors, buyers, merchants, the marketing department, or dealing with any issues that concern the storeís current renovation. Some shops are being added to the designer area, the cafÈ on the fifth floor is being touched up, and part of the main flooróparticularly the shoe, handbag, and jewelry areasóare being re-done.

ÝÝItís only by the time 6 p.m. roles around that Bruce re-grasps the difficult part of his jobóthere is never enough time. The store closes. But that doesnít necessarily mean that heís going home. A couple nights per week Saks Fifth Avenue hosts community events, such as its star-studded ìUnforgettable Evening,î which benefits the Womenís Cancer Research Fund.

ÝÝStanding at an important nexus of fashion, celebrity, and outreach in the greatest community in the world, Bruce couldnít be more excited about the future. ìIím excited to be here. Iím excited to meet the community, and Iím very proud of the store.î The pride he has in the store is great, but coming from a man who has wanted this his entire life, he ought to give himself a little credit too. We do. Job well done.

óDavid Krissman