For a seasoned department store shopper, a visit to a Dillard’s can feel like a trip back in time. The slightly harsh lighting and drab carpeting are straight out of the 1990s, and the not-especially-trendy clothing is stacked and hung on shelves, racks, and fixtures that wouldn’t have been out of place in the golden age of Sears.
But a Dillard’s is also a throwback in a good way: The aisles aren’t overflowing with a noisy flock of 30%-off discount signs. Unlike at too many of its rivals, there aren’t mounds of unfolded, unattended sweaters on the floor. And above all, there are a lot of staff around—quick to help, speedy in tidying up after messier shoppers, and ensuring you aren’t waiting at a cash register for an eternity.
