Basement Bargains

Filene's Basement, the Wellesley, Mass.-based off-price retailer, is opening its Pittsburgh store Thursday, March 21. The 40,000-square-foot store is located at The Waterfront, one of Pittsburgh's fastest-growing shopping and entertainment complexes.

Filene's Basement carries current designers and brand-name fashions for women, men and children for up to 60 percent below regular store prices. It also carries brand-name merchandise for the home, fine jewelry, fragrances, gifts, shoes and luggage.

“Filene's Basement brings unique designer apparel to Pittsburgh as well as classic looks every shopper desires,” said Alan Schlesinger, president and chief executive officer of Filene's Basement. “Customers in regions like Boston, New York and Washington, D.C., have been enjoying name brands at discount prices for years by shopping at Filene's Basement. Now, Pittsburghers have the same opportunity to shop at this retail institution.”

Edward A. Filene founded the original Filene's Basement store in Boston in 1908. By opening the store, Filene thought he was simply creating a solution to clearing out excess merchandise from his father's department store upstairs. Before long, other retailers and manufacturers were sending him their unwanted goods, and the concept of “off-price” originated.

In addition to the flagship Boston store, Filene's Basement operates eight stores in the New York market, three stores in Washington, D.C., two in downtown Chicago, one in Columbus, Ohio, and nine in greater Boston. An original member of Federated Department Stores, the company was bought by Value City Department Stores in 2000.