For Cheryl DiMauro, retail isn’t simply about putting merchandise in the hands of customers. It’s about establishing relationships and truly understanding their needs. As the first woman to serve as vice president/general manager at Neiman Marcus in St. Louis, the Detroit native has cultivated a lifelong passion for fashion and plans to build on the company’s reputation for custom-tailored shopping. “People can buy what they need anywhere,” she says. “They come here because they want to have an enjoyable time. All of our sales staff are ‘personal shoppers’–they create an elevated experience for our customers.”
what i like about my work … I’ve always loved fashion apparel. I enjoy working with emerging designers and getting behind interesting new labels. I also love marketing and the ‘people’ side of the business.
my career path … I have a marketing degree from the University of Detroit Mercy and started my career as a buyer with Lord & Taylor. I worked from home for a company called Etcetera while raising my daughter and son, and when my youngest started high school, I was ready to return to retail. There was an opening in fine apparel at Neiman Marcus in Troy, Michigan, and I felt like a kid in a candy store when I got it. I helped develop that department and also worked for the company in Illinois before taking this position.
a memorable experience … After I got back into retail at Neiman Marcus, I had a customer whose wife was a cancer survivor, and he wanted to buy her a lovely outfit to celebrate. I had a glass of champagne with him and got to know him, and we had a wonderful chat while he shopped. I love hearing people’s stories, learning about them and making them feel good.
what i want to explore … I would like to go to historic St. Charles, check out Laumeier Sculpture Park and find places along the rivers to hike or bike when it’s warm. I also want to see more of the local neighborhoods and take my family to Lake of the Ozarks.
what i enjoy … I haven’t had a lot of free time lately, but I love to read and experience local culture and events. St. Louis has such great museums and parks. I love walking around Forest Park with my springer spaniel, doing needlepoint, biking and working out. And sometimes I just get in the car and explore. I was excited about moving here because it’s a part of the country I hadn’t really been exposed to before.
what surprises me about st. louis … I’ve been amazed by the philanthropic community here. Giving is ingrained in the culture, and it continues from generation to generation. People here are passionate, intelligent and generous, and I’ve met some truly amazing women through the local charitable community. We had some of that in Detroit, but it’s really part of the framework here in St. Louis.
where you’ll find me at dinner … I live in the Central West End and have tried several restaurants in the area. I love Brasserie by Niche and Vicia—sometimes I go by myself and just enjoy a cocktail and a great meal. Olive + Oak in Webster Groves is another favorite. I took our executive chef there, and he loved it. So does my husband, Joe, who is from an Italian family and a great cook himself.
how i give back … I’ve gotten involved with the Saint Louis Fashion Fund, which speaks to my love of developing new designers and entrepreneurs. I also am on the board at the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis and want to get more involved with COCA; the arts are another passion of mine. I love promoting important things and connecting the dots for people, whether it’s in business or philanthropy.