50 | DECEMBER 15 • 2022 SPOTLIGHT L arry Maloff appreciates excellent cus- tomer service — so much so that he has devoted his career to it. This past July, Maloff celebrated his 30th year of employment at Neiman Marcus at the Somerset Collection in Troy — and is going on 49 years total in retail. His understanding of the world of retail, and elevated customer service, comes naturally to him: His mom worked retail at stores like Lane Bryant at Northland and Marianne at Tel-12; his grandmother worked at Steven’s at Northland. On weekends, Maloff’s father, who owned a cab, was a hot-dog vendor at Detroit’s Tiger Stadium, where he landed Maloff and his brother the jobs of selling dripping Coke and sticky cotton candy to hungry fans. “It was such a thrill being at Tiger Stadium, ” he says of his first working experience. After graduating from Oak Park High School, Maloff earned an associate’s degree at Oakland Community College while working his first official retail position at E.J. Korvette’s in Southfield. “Korvette’s was unionized, so at age 18 or 19, I was bringing home a lot of money, ” Maloff says. “I really give kudos to them — they inspired me with the passion and drive to stay in retail. ” Maloff soon mar- ried, and he and his wife, four months pregnant, celebrated their first anniversary with a trip to Las Vegas. They made a visit to the Texas-based high- end department store Neiman Marcus on the Strip. “We fell in love with the children’s department, and Neiman’s, ” Maloff says. “We bought our entire layette there, and they packed it up and sent it to us. A won- derful lady waited on us, and she was so helpful and genuine. She wrote us a beau- tiful thank-you note, and even called us to see how the nursery looked. “I was so impressed with this lady who spent so much time with us, ” he says. “There was something very special about Neiman’s — I told my wife that if ever Neiman Marcus came to Michigan, I want- ed to work for that company. ” Little did he know that just three years later, in 1991, he would be chosen from among thousands of applicants to work in any department he wanted at the company’s newest location. Starting on his best foot, his late mother-in-law treated him to a new wardrobe. “I watched the transformation of the old Somerset Mall [in Troy] into the most beau- tiful collection of designer stores, anchored by Saks 5th Ave. and Neiman’s, ” Maloff says. Because of his passion for men’s fash- ion, he chose men’s shoes, and over the years watched as what began as a four-tier department transformed into an expansion that runs throughout the entire men’s com- plex, offering designers including Christian Louboutin, Alexander McQueen, Versace, Valentino and more. “Opening the store — stocking the shelves, looping ties, readying for custom- ers — was one of the most exciting times in my life. “ After several months, my boss asked me Larry Maloff celebrates 30 years at Neiman Marcus. A Perfect Fit LYNNE KONSTANTIN CONTRIBUTING WRITER LARRY MALOFF’S TOP PICKS FOR THE HOLIDAYS • Dior shoes • Moncler jackets • Burberry accessories • Ugg products • Christian Louboutins shoes and accessories YEVGENIYA GAZMAN Burberry Logo Wool Football Scarf Larry Maloff