With a career start at Saks Fifth Avenue in New York City, followed by a stint with renowned retailer Bergdorf Goodman, Kim Kiss was primed for entrepreneurial success. She learned the nuances of the fashion industry under Bergdorf’s personal shopper Betty Halbreich a fashion icon that has dressed socialites and many of Manhattan’s elite.

“I learned from the best”, said Kiss of her career with Halbreich and iconic costume designer Ann Roth, who has created wardrobes for a lineup of Hollywood movies. Other career positions included a spell at the men’s department at Bergdorf, which Kiss spearheaded for two years.

Creativity in retail has always been a part of Kiss’s upbringing, as she is the daughter of an advertising executive and a Bay Head store owner. In 1996, fueled by that spirit, Kiss opened the doors to The Bee. Her vision? To bring the elegant, contemporary vibe of Manhattan’s fashion scene to the Jersey Shore, only with affordability in mind to satisfy a new and different customer. The resulting look is stylish, modern, and classic.