Barney Pressman

Barney Pressman (December 14, 1894 – August 24, 1991) was an American businessman and founder of Barneys New York retail store.

Early life Pressman was born on December 14, 1894, in New York City, to a Jewish family, the son of an owner of a clothing store. By buying name-brand goods at a discount, he was able to severely undercut the manufacturer's selling price and although he did not have the most desired styles, his working class customers preferred brand name products for low prices.

Personal life Pressman was married twice. His first wife, Barbara, died in 1972; they had two children: Elizabeth (died 1971) and Fred who took over Barney's in 1975. His second wife was Isabel Pressman. In 1991, funeral services were held at the Central Synagogue in Manhattan. In 2025, his grandson Gene published They All Came to Barneys, a memoir about him.