Bergman Luggage Gets New Owner

BELLEVUE

Bergman Luggage has been sold to The Luggage Center, a chain of 20 luggage stores in California that emphasizes lower prices and less selection than Bergman's, which has stores in Redmond and Bellevue.

Ron O'Neil, spokesman for The Luggage Center, says the new owners would meld their own philosophy with that of the 64-year-old Bergman Luggage.

"Ten or 15 years ago, Bergman concentrated on good quality and low prices," says O'Neil. "They've still got the quality, but they've gotten away from having the best prices. They have big stores - a huge selection - but not the lowest prices."

O'Neil says the average Luggage Center store is between 1,500 square feet and 2,500 square feet, which is about one-third the size of Bergman's downtown Seattle store. Simon Herwitz bought Bergman in 1955 and ran it until his death in 1986.