Chicagoans in general have a dislike of New York City and being called the Second City. So when mega-Macy's took over the beloved Chicago Department Store Marshall Field's last year many protests were heard. As a matter of fact, much to my astonishment, four protests have been organized since then.
Taking over Field's is one thing, but putting the name Macy's on this Chicago icon ? That didn't sit well with many people who swore never to enter the store. The Field's name has stood for service an quality for over a century and a half . "Give the lady what she wants " was Marshall Field's motto. Marshall Field's was more than just a department store, it was a destination for many families to celebrate at Christmas and other special occasions. It was an integral part of the Chicago landscape.
The one year anniversary of the takeover was September 9 and no one expected anymore protests but a grassroots group called Field's Fans Chicago was organized and is protesting and calling for the return of the Field's name on that day in front of the famous Clock on State Street. I visited their website and was amazed at their determination to have the Field's name restored. They pointed out that customers demanded the old coke back when new coke was introduced, Chrysler divorced itself from Daimler, etc. and that Macy's should recognize its action as a major corporate blunder.
I asked my sister who works at Field's, now Macy's, about how business was going since the takeover and she said it was way down. I read that last month Macy's posted a 77 percent decline in second-quarter profits. Fieldsfanschicago is encouraging Chicagoans not to shop at Macy's or Bloomingdale's . I wonder if this was one of the causes for the sales slump.
What is Macy's reaction ? They plan to hire Donald Trump and Jessica Simpson for national ads starting this Fall. Not two of my faves. Everytime I see The Donald I want to get my scissors out and give him a free hair cut and Jessica, well I think she needs to be a more positive role models for our young'uns.
What's in a name ? A rose by any other name would smell as sweet ? Not this time and place. A lot of Chicagoans I know won't even step foot in the former Field's.
Good luck to the die hard fieldsfanschicago.
I am 1 of those people boycotting Macy's. I'd be happy if only the State Street store was renamed Field's. I'd then be willing to shop at Macy's in Woodfield or where ever. You'd think they'd get the message, but they seem a bit thick. I fail to see how a bimbo & a bozo are going to bring back the customers. I miss the green bags.
ReplyDeleteMacy's came through Indianapolis and bought out our beloved local L.S. Ayres department stores, and then proceeded to close them, as they were competing with the local Lazarus stores that they had also bought and renamed Macy's. It was the end of an era when they closed the L.S. Ayres stores. Today the Indiana State Museum even has a replica of the old Ayres Tea Room with mostly the same menu, and the old furnishings. People go there to remember how fun it was to dress up and go down to shop at Ayres and eat in the tea room.
ReplyDeleteMacy's hasn't made themselves all that popular in several cities!
Good for you, McGregor's Daughter. You are right about the bimbo and bozo, couldn't have picked any worse ones.
ReplyDeleteI miss those beautiful green bags as well . Red is SO New York !
Hi Carol,
ReplyDeleteI wasn't aware of their buyout of your Indianapolis icon. What a shame. Many people felt the same way about the Walnut room at Field's.
They sure haven't gained any fans with their takeovers. To lose 77 million in one quarter ought to give someone with sense a wakeup call.
Hello Carolyn,
ReplyDeleteMacy's irritated many Texans by taking over the Foley's stores and turning them into Macy's. They irritated Seattle folks by scooping up Bon Marche [might be spelled wrong] and changing the name to Macy's.
Marshall Fields is a name that conjures up both quality and nostalgia; seeing that dark green and gold logo on a package made you really want to see what was inside.
Frankly, the Macy company seems to have delusions of grandeur because Macy's means giant rubber turkeys to me, and their logo looks cheap. Donald Trump and Jessica Simpson are the perfect spokespeople.
I seldom even walk through my local ex-Foley's any more, but did buy one thing at a newly built Macy's when I was out shopping with a friend. For some weird reason it seemed more acceptable since that store had never been a Foley's. Not logical, I know, but that's how it felt.
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
Hi Annie,
ReplyDeleteThey're everywhere aren't they, doing their dirty deeds !
I had no idea that they took over Austin's Foley's and Seattle's Bon Marche.
Macy's took over my hometown mall's Lazarus in NW Ohio, and they exist around here, but... Dillard's is the beloved department store chain in Cleveland. Dillard's recently posted a 5% loss this summer compared to last summer, so profits may just be down in general. But 77% down... wow. That should be telling someone that they have a problem.
ReplyDelete