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By MARY EVERTZ
© St. Petersburg Times, published April 27, 2001
When Dallas-based Neiman Marcus opens a new store, it likes to do so with a splash -- traditionally, a gala to benefit worthy organizations within the community.
Neiman Marcus opens its long-awaited Tampa store on Sept. 14 at the new International Plaza mall near the airport. But 1,000 enthusiasts get their first glimpse of the store's interior the night before, at a black-tie gala from 7 to 10 p.m. Sept. 13.
The invited guests will pay $125 each for a party to benefit six local non-profit organizations. Neiman Marcus will see that the evening's proceeds are spread to worthwhile causes around the Tampa Bay area, since it hopes to be the store of shoppers in the "golden triangle" of Tampa, St. Petersburg and Clearwater.
St. Petersburg's Museum of Fine Arts, the Mahaffey Theater Foundation, the Tampa Museum, the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, Clearwater's Ruth Eckerd Hall and Largo's Gulf Coast Museum of Art will benefit from the evening.
"We are thrilled to host this gala evening to introduce our new Neiman Marcus store to the Tampa Bay community," says Ken Downing, vice president for public relations and fashion presentation for Neiman Marcus. Downing, in Tampa last weekend exploring possibilities for the gala, promises, "It will sizzle with excitement."
He also anticipates that this will be one of the most successful opening fundraisers in the company's 94-year history.
Neiman Marcus opened its Palm Beach store last December with a miniversion of the planned Tampa party. The Palm Beach store is the smallest in the Neiman chain, so that party was limited to 300 guests.
The 90,000-square-foot Tampa store, the company's 33rd, was designed by Atlanta architect Richard Diedrich. "The store's architecture is an expression of mid-Florida contemporary style with the exterior of soft salmon-colored Venetian stucco trimmed with cast stone and an interior that is comfortably modern," Diedrich said.
Nordstrom is another major store coming to International Plaza this fall. Nordstrom has teamed up with the Junior League of Tampa, which is celebrating its 75th year of community service, to co-sponsor a Tile Painting Party on Saturday.
From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., some 222 children, each of whom has paid $35, will gather at the league's headquarters, 87 Columbia Drive, to design and paint tiles with sea-life themes. Those tiles will later be installed throughout Kids Wear departments at the new Nordstrom store.
"Nordstrom has really orchestrated the event," says league chairwoman Laura Gauthier. Nordstrom has commissioned Seattle artist Charlie Bigger to oversee the benefit event. Each child will paint two tiles, so there will be a backup in case one is damaged. Once painted, the tiles will be shipped to Seattle and fired in Bigger's studio. The tiles will then be sent back to Tampa to be installed in the new store.
Nordstrom is also donating an additional $10,000 to the Junior League of Tampa for its Kids Connection program. This multifaceted project, sponsored in conjunction with local business, provides meal packs and backpacks filled with essential developmental and personal-care items for children in foster care when they are moved from their homes.
The Gene doll, wearing the gown created by Busch Gardens designer Loren Bracewell, brought $550 when it was auctioned Sunday night at Tampa's FAO Schwarz store at WestShore Plaza. The money goes to breast cancer research.
If you are looking for a place to have a party, FAO Schwarz rents out the store after hours for $350 an hour. FAO Schwarz staffs the store, but refreshments are up to the party-giver.
The 9-foot sand castle erected on Redington Beach last Thursday was for a bridal shoot to appear in an ad in the summer issue of Martha Stewart Weddings. Dede Parker, the special sections editor of Premier Bride, was visiting good friend Diane Klingel at her sprawling gulf-front home recently. Diane and husband Rob's youngest son, Bradley, and Tifnie Gettig were married in the Klingel home on March 17, and Diane was still enjoying the 500 yards of tulle she had used to festoon the walls and 20-foot ceilings. The couple was married in the living-room-turned bridal chapel, and then the wedding party and guests moved to the terrace for the reception.
This gave Parker and Lindy Bengston, who owns the new Malindy Elene bridal shop in St. Petersburg, the idea for a bridal shoot on the beachfront in front of the Klingel home. The sand sculpture was created by Dan Doubleday, co-owner of Sanding Ovations.