AT Stewart, the first department store king of America, built the “Marble Palace” in 1846 as the centerpiece of his retail empire.  According to Forbes Magazine, Stewart died the 7^th richest man in American history.

Stewart’s featured a number of marketing innovations based on high volume and product standardization.  For example, he was one of the first to set fixed prices for his goods, to sell by catalogue across the country, and the first to target women with special sales and fashion shows.

Later, one of the city’s oldest newspapers, the New York Sun would occupy this building.  Those are their clocks on the corners of the building— you can still read their motto: “The Sun—it shines for All.”

Edgar Allan Poe once worked for the Sun, but he proved better at fiction than reporting.  His most infamous story recounted the first transatlantic crossing by balloon in only three days – back then it took about 12 weeks to cross by boat.  The story excited the whole city.  Unfortunately, Poe made it all up.

The editor of the Sun, John B. Bogart, is also credited with one of the most enduring credos of journalism: “When a dog bites a man— that is not news, because it happens so often. But if a man bites a dog, that is news.”

Experience these and other stories in our New York walking tours.  We offer a unique NY tour experience, told with audio narration, hundreds of pictures, video clips, gps-enabled map, trivia quizzes, local recommendations, and much more.  Walk New York with Racontrs in your hand and take a walk through history.