Federated/May-Robinson's merger

[deadbear80]

Originally posted by Sister Havana
One bit of good news for those of us in the Chicago area - the Marshall Fields name will remain, at least for the time being. (If they're smart they'll keep it that way!) Lord & Taylor will not be converted to Macy's either.

Being from Chicago originally, I too was happy to see the article in the Chicago Tribune saying that the Marshall Field's name was staying for now.
However--since Federated has bought Lord & Taylor; they've been closing the stores! I think most of you will agree with me that L & T has always had a WONDERFUL dress department (as compared to a lot of other dept. stores)--especially if you weren't a size 2, 4, 6, or even 8. I hope someone picks up the slack when L & T is gone!!!
From what I've been told, L & T is pretty much in every market where there is already another Federated store--and usually within the same mall as another one. So, Federated is keeping the L & T name because they're phasing the stores out. I know here in St. Louis, the 3 malls I shop at the most have an L & T as well as a Famous Barr, so I don't see why Federated would keep them both (and all of the Famous stores are bigger of course since the May company used to have their HQ here).

[33girl]

I think L & T is supposed to be a slight step above the other May Co stores, although they haven't been as successful as they'd like in putting that message across IMO. The L & T here flopped because there was a 12 floor Kaufmann's across the street and too much merchandise overlap. If it had been competing against a regular mall Kaufmann's it probably would have made it.

Of course Fed will probably get rid of it because it's a competitor to Bloomingdale's.

[honeychile]

Originally posted by 33girl
Macy's just announced the stores they are closing - two Kaufmann's here (SH Village and Monroeville - GRR) and everything they keep open is going to be a Macy's. This is SO STUPID. The only reason the Macy's name has any cachet is because people think of it as a New York City thing. When every dept store everywhere is a Macy's, it won't be any more special than Sears or Penneys.

I just sent Dillards an email telling them to get their butts to the Burgh. LOL.

As someone who lives in the shadow of SHV, I'm livid that they are going to keep the Lazarus/Macy's (with the world's nastiest salesclerks!) instead of Kaufmann's!!

I don't know what I'm going to do about the whole shopping thing. I may just go nekkid for a year or so...

Here in Greenville, we HAD a Rich's . . . then it turned to Rich's-Macy's . . . now it's just Macy's. There's a Lord and Taylor store in Atlanta and I loved their dresses! I hope that won't change but it probably will since I said that.

I am just tired of Federated stores.

[Munchkin03]

Originally posted by 33girl
The only reason the Macy's name has any cachet is because people think of it as a New York City thing. When every dept store everywhere is a Macy's, it won't be any more special than Sears or Penneys.

I just sent Dillards an email telling them to get their butts to the Burgh. LOL.

That's funny...'cause I think the Macy*s in NYC SUCKS. I feel skeezy going in there, and it's in a sketchy part of town. When my parents came to town a few weeks ago, they were disgusted. It just can't compete with Barneys, BG, and Saks. Every other Macy's I've been to, especially the ones out in Cali, are very nice.

The Dillards in my hometown just became a Belk (or was it Parisian?). Don't you just love department store mergers?

[Tom Earp]

Sorry, while there are Local Store Names, there is only One Macy's Day Parade on Thanksgiving.

Speaking from an Ex RH Macy Employee who got Screwed.

Dont tell me about other Regionals in Fine Stores, I knew them All and they were and still are Fine Stores.

But, in the Day Of Walley World it is work together or die! I dont Like Wally World!

Jones Store In KC was Here Bfore Macys along With Embrey-Bird- Thayer, We bought them and I an another Macy ite went to see how We would divide the Stores up.

[DZHBrown]

Macy's is opening in Nashville, too. I don't know if they are actually closing the Hecht's stores and starting anew with the Macy's or just changing the name of Hecht's to Macy's.

[33girl]

Originally posted by Munchkin03
That's funny...'cause I think the Macy*s in NYC SUCKS. I feel skeezy going in there, and it's in a sketchy part of town. When my parents came to town a few weeks ago, they were disgusted. It just can't compete with Barneys, BG, and Saks. Every other Macy's I've been to, especially the ones out in Cali, are very nice.

I meant the same thing Tom mentioned, that people think it is a big deal because of the parade & all that. And once that name is everywhere it'll be just like any other huge chain store - some are gross, some are nice etc.

DZHBrown - They are changing the Hecht's to Macy's.

Does anyone have a truly local department store left in their town anymore? I'm curious.

[Munchkin03]

Originally posted by 33girl
I meant the same thing Tom mentioned, that people think it is a big deal because of the parade & all that. And once that name is everywhere it'll be just like any other huge chain store - some are gross, some are nice etc.

I understood that--I was just thinking that because of the parade, and because a lot of people still have the feeling that it's a high-end department store, people will get excited about having them, even if it means that they lose the regional stores. It's not worth it.

[Optimist Prime]

There are three new Macy's coming soon. That is good for me. Except that one will suck because of the mall it is in.

[exlurker]

More retailing changes in the works? Saks, Inc. is taking offers for its
regional department stores: Younkers, Carson Pirie Scott, Boston Store, Bergners, Herbergers, and I think one other that I can't remember. It intends to keep the Parisian chain. It has already sold Profitts and MacRaes to Belk. All this is complicated by some offers to buy the whole remaining shebaqng, including Saks Fifth Avenue (and Off fifth and Parisian). So several sets of possible deals are floating around.

Over the last couple of days Reuters, the NY Times and others have been reporting this.

When all the selling's done, I suppose therte'll be changes in the various stores.

[Lindz928]

One of my best friends works for Foley's Corporate office in Houston, and she's worried that she might either be fired, or that they will try to transfer her somewhere way far away. I think she's a little bit nervous about it.

[ISUKappa]

Originally posted by exlurker
More retailing changes in the works? Saks, Inc. is taking offers for its
regional department stores: Younkers, Carson Pirie Scott, Boston Store, Bergners, Herbergers, and I think one other that I can't remember. It intends to keep the Parisian chain. It has already sold Profitts and MacRaes to Belk. All this is complicated by some offers to buy the whole remaining shebaqng, including Saks Fifth Avenue (and Off fifth and Parisian). So several sets of possible deals are floating around.

Over the last couple of days Reuters, the NY Times and others have been reporting this.

When all the selling's done, I suppose therte'll be changes in the various stores.

Oh joy. I remember when Younkers used to be a good, upscale department store (as upscale as you can get in Iowa, anyway) before it was bought out by everyone and their mother.

At least we still have Von Maur's and their fabulous shoe sale room!

[jb1617]

Originally posted by RedRoseSAI
Unfortunately, it doesn't happen as much as it used to. The State Street store is usually better than the others in terms of service, although I did have two particularly nice experiences recently at the Woodfield store.

Did either one of them happen in the Coach/handbag department? My mother works there!!

For all of you that are still worried about Marshal Fields losing their name, there is a great site that my mother told me about www.keepitfields.org where you can tell Macy's exactly how you feel about it. Some of the testimonials are really emotional.

[exlurker]

Federated Wil Sell Some Stores to "Rivals"

Federated will sell some stores to competing department store chains instead of closing them, according to recent news stories, for example:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...05083001913.ht

While this won't bring back old familiar names of stores, it may provide alternatives to Macy's and Bloomingdale's in some areas.
The article mentioned above has a list of the stores / chains that Federated will be selling to.