Ah, after almost ten years somebody else has finally noticed that beauty.
I haven't seen that form anywhere else, ever.

And "comb over": funny!

hhp

So this stumps the typophiles?
Presumably this lettering style dates to when the store was designed by department store specialists Starrett & Van Vleck and built in 1922-24? The bronze letters may be more recent but the ampersand matches the style of the large letters over the entrance.
See photo of front entrance, with architecural information.

Don

As an aside, note from the ID request photograph that one of the bronze quatrefoil design squares is missing. Perhaps suggestive of a company that may be ready for takeover.
Don