On Valentine’s Day in 1971, Bruce Cohen took a leap of faith and became a partner in Bari Jay. With a six-month-old daughter, Erica (left), it was a bold and risky decision. He borrowed money from a relative and took a chance. Not long after, his second daughter, Susan (right), was born. By then, Bruce had found success in a business he was passionate about—his world revolved around dresses. His daughters used to say he lived in “dress world.” As they grew up, both Erica and Susan spent their summers and free time working at Bari Jay. Even as young children, they contributed by making swatch cards in their basement to earn their allowance. Over time, the sisters pursued their own careers. Susan entered the finance industry, focusing on helping women invest, and eventually returned to school to earn an MBA in Finance. One of her greatest joys was attending almost every Jets home game with her dad. Meanwhile, Erica built a career in the movie industry, spending 14 years traveling between New York and Los Angeles. She and Bruce shared a deep love of movies and TV, spending hours discussing their favorite shows and films. In 2007, both Erica and Susan had welcomed children, giving Bruce four grandchildren—his favorite role of all was being their grandpa. At the time, Susan was running a business from home, and Erica had returned to school to become a teacher. That September, Bruce fell ill unexpectedly and passed away nine months later. Bari Jay is Bruce’s legacy. It continues to inspire Erica and Susan and remains a central part of how his grandchildren remember him. The business is still family-owned and operated, with Erica and Susan personally handling calls, speaking with stores, sending out swatches, ordering swatch cards (though they’ve been tempted to have their kids make them in the basement), trying on samples, and processing orders. Bruce built Bari Jay with his blood, sweat, and tears, and today, his daughters are doing the same to keep it thriving.