The family created Pink Aid to provide emergency financial assistance to patients and also works with the Breast Cancer Alliance.

The Mitchell family has become well known for creating what is arguably the most successful independent multibrand luxury store chain in the U.S.

What isn’t as well known is its commitment to fighting breast cancer. Norma Mitchell, cofounder of the business and grandmother of its current top executives, died of the disease, and many other family members, employees and customers have been touched by it.

Twenty years ago, shortly after the family branched out beyond its first store in Westport, Conn., by buying the Richards men’s store in nearby Greenwich, it became acquainted with the Breast Cancer Alliance, which was based in Greenwich.

“We didn’t have a women’s business in Greenwich, but we were talking to some folks and they said it was a wonderful grassroots organization that could really use some help,” said Andrew Mitchell-Namdar, chief marketing officer and vice president of e-commerce for Mitchells Stores.

He said the BCA, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, focuses primarily on early-stage research. “The government funds a lot of later stage, big trials, but there are very few — almost none — working on early stage, which is needed to be able to apply for larger grants,” he said.

The group also provides breast surgical fellowships across the country. “In big cities, there are specific breast surgeons, but if you’re in smaller markets, the same surgeon that’s doing an appendectomy is during a mastectomy the next day and doesn’t really know the intricacies,” Mitchell-Namdar said.

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