Business Notes RETAILING

Those laid-off Wall Streeters who can't afford a power tie shouldn't despair about finding work -- or natty clothes. Bergdorf Goodman, the ultra-tony Manhattan retailer, thinks displaced brokers would have a knack for peddling $1,000 suits on Fifth Avenue. To staff a new men's store, Bergdorf courted former financial pitchmen in a help-wanted ad in the Wall Street Journal: "From brokering to banking, if you've a proven track record in sales, the new Bergdorf Goodman Men's Store offers a career opportunity that is at once exciting and rewarding." Bergdorf says it swiftly received more than 100 applications for the jobs, which can reward persuasive salesmen with commissions that exceed $100,000 a year. Such incomes should help keep the former Masters of the Universe snappily attired in everything from tasseled loafers to silk cravats. As an added perk, Bergdorf is offering a 30% discount on merchandise.