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Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spa to Leave Fifth Ave. Location After 80 Years

By Mary Johnson | January 5, 2012 3:45pm | Updated on January 5, 2012 4:34pm
Elizabeth Arden's flagship Red Door Spa opened inside the Aeolian Building in 1930. It has been there ever since.
Elizabeth Arden's flagship Red Door Spa opened inside the Aeolian Building in 1930. It has been there ever since.
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DNAinfo/Mary Johnson

MIDTOWN — Elizabeth Arden's flagship Red Door Spa is leaving the Fifth Avenue store it has occupied for more than 80 years — in pursuit of something more modern, DNAinfo has learned.

The spa, which occupies the upper floors of the historic Aeolian building on the corner of 54th Street will move some time early this year, and will set up shop in the Ferragamo building, just two blocks south at 663 Fifth Avenue. A spokeswoman for the company said the move was voluntary and was inspired by the need for a more modern space.

"Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spas is entering an exciting new phase, and we're thrilled to have a spectacular new NYC flagship to showcase our growth, modernity, and passion for innovation and expansion," said Todd Walter, CEO of Red Door Spa Holdings, in a statement. "Every inch of the new space will honor our classic heritage, while inspiring groundbreaking and exclusive beauty and spa treatments."

Elizabeth Arden has been a Fifth Avenue staple since 1910, when the first store opened. The company then moved into the Aeolian Building in 1929, officially opening to the public along with the Red Door Spa in January of 1930, according to the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission.

It has remained there ever since.

The spa's new location will be on the eighth and ninth floors of the Ferragamo Building, but Elizabeth Arden's retail store will reamain in its existing location.

The spa's new location — the former of home of Spa Chakra, which reportedly closed in 2010 — has a host of existing perks, including 21,000 square feet of space and an outdoor terrace and sundeck. 

There’s been no word yet on the exact opening date — or whether there will be a red door at the new location.

The company cemented its place in the building by installing an oversized red door at the entrance— now a popular photo spot for tourists. And the second-story cornice is adorned with the name Elizabeth Arden spelled out in metal letters.

The New York Times wrote about the opening in 1930, remarking on the “classic severity and yet modernistic feeling” of the spa's design.

“On the five upper floors, each decorated in individual style,” the Times wrote, “are treatment rooms, rooms for exercise, tap dancing, and rooms for the use of electric mask treatments and other innovations.”