Thoughtful comments and respectful opinions on the switch from Marshall Field's to Macy's are welcome below. Off-topic, slanderous, disrespectful or abusive posts will not be included at the host's discretion, although an attempt will be made to contact the author, assuming a valid email address is provided with the post. Please remember that this is a blog for opinions of Field's Fans. Due to problems with spam, posts are moderated and may take several hours to appear. Thank you for your patience.
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RALLY FOR MARSHALL FIELD'S, 1:00 PM, SUNDAY, 9/12/2010
Be there for Chicago! Be there to help bring back Marshall Field's!After the rally, there will be a special talk & book signing with
GAYLE SOUCEK, AUTHOR of MARSHALL FIELD'S: THE STORE THAT HELPED BUILD CHICAGOClick for FULL DETAILS.
2010: FOUR YEARS LATER, FOUR OUT OF FIVE CHICAGO SHOPPERS WANT MARSHALL FIELD'S INSTEAD of MACY's
Our latest survey shows 81% want Marshall Field's--13% prefer Macy's.See our 2010 Survey Page for complete details including survey results.
Date: Thursday, September 2, 2010 4:23 pm CT
Posted by: Jim
Macy's reported a 4.3% sales increase for August at stores open more than year. Perhaps that increase is great in the Chicago area, but consider how far the stores have fallen; moreover, consider that 81% of Chicagoans prefer Marshall Field's over Macy's. They could be doing even better.
I don't think Macy's will in the near future disappear and will exist for sometime in some way. But Macy's has its place in the American retail landscape--just not at 111 N. State Street. There are better uses for that very special international destination.
It came up in discussion today with a friend. I like Lord and Taylor but clearly, it doesn't have much a presence here in Chicago. I agree with the person who said that it was a shame that Macy's didn't leave the Marshall Field's stores Woodfield, Northbrook, Old Orchard, Oak Brook and Water Tower, not to mention on State Street. They should have turned the Lord and Taylor stores at those mall locations to Macy's.
According to today's sales figures, Carson's parent, Bon-Ton, isn't doing so well . Given that Macy's has taken multiple department store brands in several markets (L.A., Boston, Atlanta, NYC/Northern New Jersey, etc.), it's entirely possible that Carson's might end up in Macy's hands someday sooner rather than later. Both Carson's and Field's changed hands three times within a decade. It can happen again.
The retail landscape constantly changes--let's hang in there and see what seachanges happen to bring back the world's beloved Marshall Field's.
Date: Thursday, September 2, 2010 3:44 pm CT
Posted by: drew
To J. Gimbles: I noticed the whitish Frango Mint cookies at Watertower Place in Chicago recently. I was nauseated. I know this means the chocolate is old (possibly from last year or older.) They were full price, too. They only had the cookies, 1 lb boxes of Frangos, and only in the original flavor, as well as Frango Mint coffee. I was looking for a small package of something chocolate, so I just went across the street to Ghiradelli! (They sell fresh chocolate there!)
Date: Thursday, September 2, 2010 12:02 pm CT
Posted by: G.
A friend of mine knows how I much I detest Macy's so they decided to play a little prank.
They went to a Macy's and, without buying anything, they asked for a Macy's bag and placed the bag on my desk at work. We all had a laugh--but then the office discussion turned to how much we all hate Macy's and still can't believe how inferior Macy's is to Marshall Field's. Everyone was so intense and passionate about Field's and their dislike for Macy's.
And how about the Macy's bag: at Field's, they usually didn't give the bags away without a purchase because, as was explained by one kind sales person, "we'd give away hundreds--everyone seems to want a Field's bag as a souvenir."
I wouldn't be surprised if Macy's wasn't deseperate just to get their bags out there as an attenpt at advertising.
Date: Wednesday, September 1, 2010 11:41 am CT
Posted by: drew
More "magic" at the Red Star. Greg Norman golf apparel will now be featured! Wow! Wasn't Greg Norman really popular in the 1980s and 1990s?
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Greg-Norman-Tees-It-Up-with-bw-3568178633.html?x=0&.v=1
As I recall, Greg Norman clothing was sold by several other retailers back in the day; I believe Sears carried this line. Pairing Greg Norman with Tasso Elba (whoever THAT is!) should really attract those who seek unique, distinctive fashion! Tommy Hilfiger, Madonna and now Greg Norman. Wonder when Jordache jeans and Members Only jackets will be added to the "only at macy*s" fashion line-up.
Date: Wednesday, September 1, 2010 8:10 am CT
Posted by: gle
A co-worker in the elevator yesterday saw my button and gave the usual comment, "I want my Marshall Field's too." I respondend that everybody does, and added that Messy's thinks they are such hot stuff. She responded, "They sure aren't!"
Date: Wednesday, September 1, 2010 12:19 am CT
Posted by: K.B.
We loved Field's.
We visited Macy's in New York once. We weren't impressed. We came out of the store empty-handed.
Date: Tuesday, August 31, 2010 4:34 pm CT
Posted by: A Field's Fan
Crains Chicago Business on line, ChicagoBusiness.com, has a video story about the possibility of a major donor stepping forward to greatly enhance the Musuem of Science and Industry. In exchange for the donation, their name would be added to the MSI's name.
The story starts with what is now iconic footage of former Marshall Field's customers picketing on State Street on Saturday, September 9, 2006.
Keep in mind that the Columbian Museum was renamed in honor of its biggest benefactor at the time, the Field Museum of Natural History. The change was warmly received.
It comes down to whether something is better or not. Macy's is not better than Field's.
Date: Monday, August 30, 2010 7:25 am CT
Posted by: Don P.
I split my time living between Wisconsin and Florida. There are Macy's stores in both places, but I will not go to them because of what they did to Marshall Field's.
Like myself, I hear from more than a few who refuse to shop Macy's where ever they are in the nation because of what they did to Marshall Field's in Chicago.
Date: Sunday, August 29, 2010 10:05 pm CT
Posted by: Jim McKay
A warm "thank you" to all who helped make our leafleting efforts on State Street a huge success yesterday--A., G., J. and especially "gle". We were out under the clock at State and Washington from late morning to mid-Afternoon, until we distributed more than 1,000 leaflets. The response still expressed an overwhelming preference for Marshall Field's. There was a great deal of interest in a book about Marshall Field's that is being released in the next few days. This is the book by Gayle Soucek. Ms. Soucek will be having a book talk and signing at Borders on State and Randolph--kitty corner from the Marshall Field and Company Building--at 2:00 pm, Sunday, September 12, after the rally that we have scheduled.
We will be leafleting again this Saturday, September 4 from about 1 to 4 pm or longer. Please email info@FieldsFansChicago.org if you are interested.
We are also requesting your financial assistance so that we can continue our leaflet and button distribution programs and other activities. Again, please email info@FieldsFansChicago.org on how you may contribute financially.
Best regards, much respect and many thanks for all of your efforts.
Date: Sunday, August 29, 2010 6:02 pm CT
Posted by: G.S.
Today's Chicago Tribune had an editorial cartoon on privitization of the City of Chicago's assets and other civic services. The cartoon featured a City of Chicago flag with the six-point Chicago stars replaced with the stars of Texaco, Hardee's restaurants and Macy's. The Macy's star really ellicted contempt in our household.
Date: Sunday, August 29, 2010 2:32 pm CT
Posted by: gle
I was with Field's Fans distributing leaflets yesterday on State Street to promote our rally for September 12 at 1 p.m., to be followed by the book signing at Border's at 2 p.m. for Gayle Soucek's new release, "Marshall Field's, the Store that Helped Build Chicago." I thought the response was VERY encouraging. Many people said they will come and look forward to it, including the younger generation (Messy's target market). I understand we gave out about 1,000 leaflets. I can hardly wait to see the book. It should contain a lot of good memories.
Date: Sunday, August 29, 2010 11:36 am CT
Posted by: Jimmy Gimbels
How old are your Frango mints?
Would you believe those wacky folks at Macy's are selling boxed Frango mints from 2008? MMM, tasty. Not. I bet the candy is all nice and waxy by now after sitting on a shelf for two years. Macy's also have plenty of stock from 2009. Perhaps Macy's need to learn how to handle chocolate or how to rotate stock or will finally realize it was the fact the candy from Marshall Fields is what truly made it special.
Just got back from California. The red star stores are horribly understaffed, messy and have lots of broken doors. Why are so many exterior doors out of service at Macy's? It can't be from people rushing to get in the stores. Perhaps people rushing to get out?
Date: Sunday, August 29, 2010 11:25 am CT
Posted by: Jimmy Gimbels
Me bad.
I've got people talking about Marshall Field's over at the Project Rungay site. If you love Project Runway, you'll love the comments at Project Rungay. Very funny stuff.
All I said was:
Ivy's outfit was very Macy's.
Peaches outfit was very Marshall Field's.
Amzaing how many people knew exactly what I meant by those comments. Many blog entires about how people miss Marshall Field's.
Field's 4-ever. Macy's No No, Got to GO!
Date: Saturday, August 28, 2010 9:22 am CT
Posted by: Pam
I love out here in Arizona and have not stepped foot in a Macy's because of what they did to Marshall Field's.
They should also conside the business they lost across the nation when they foolishly dumped Field's.
Date: Friday, August 27, 2010 11:21 pm CT
Posted by: John P.
Macy's clearly doesn't listen to what customers want.
Date: Friday, August 27, 2010 9:49 pm CT
Posted by: Hello!!!
Count us in on Sunday the 12th!
Date: Friday, August 27, 2010 6:23 pm CT
Posted by: Ellen P., Wayne
We miss Field's FIERCELY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Date: Friday, August 27, 2010 5:34 pm CT
Posted by: Mary
I Plan to come to the protest and the book signing.
The book signing in 2008 was really great. I very much recommend it.
Date: Friday, August 27, 2010 2:19 pm CT
Posted by: Richard
Love the cause! Here's to Field's!
Date: Friday, August 27, 2010 1:31 pm CT
Posted by: drew
In general conversation with a friend, she mentioned how much she hates shopping. She said she had been shopping in the Red Star at Robinson Town Centre in suburban Pittsburgh and purchased a dress she liked. She later decided she wanted to buy the dress in another color she had seen at the store. She was upset to find that the two Red Star stores near her (Waterfront and Century III) did not carry the line. She said, "I though all macy*s were the same but evidently not. How stupid! It's supposed to be the same store but each carries different stuff."
She mentioned that a bra she bought at Century III was not stocked at Monroeville, the petite sections varied from store to store, and how unappealing and cheap the merchandise looks. She said, "They don't really carry anything for the adult woman. It's all kid fashions and old lady clothes. No professional clothing a woman could wear to work. Everything provocative and suggestive." While this person was a major shopper at Kaufmann's and Lazarus, she said there is nothing at the Red Star that appeals to her. She said her friends "don't even bother going there" because the stuff is so cheap looking. She mentioned that several relatives said they would never let their young daughters wear the fashions sold at macy*s because they are "inappropriate" for school and social events.
So the genius is merchandising the stores differently to appeal to the local markets, yet the stores all carry the same name. Wouldn't it be "confusing" if a customer enters a store looking for a particular item only to be told it isn't carried at that location? Since the idea of macy*ization was to offer consistent shopping, since the idea of "my macy*s" was to localize the assortments, and since the idea of dumping the regional nameplates was create a nationwide brand--why is the Red Star still sending out mixed messages?
What are you running, Mr Lunkhead? A discount store to compete with walmart and Target, a mass merchant to compete with JC Penney and Kohl's, or an mid/better department store to compete with Dillard's and The Bon Ton? Obviously you don't know, because shoppers can't figure it out either. You can't be everything to everybody.
Here's a suggestion: Give the shoppers what THEY want...
Date: Friday, August 27, 2010 12:06 pm CT
Posted by: mary beth moore
does anyone know when marshall fields gave away cymbidiun orchids? I think it was in the late 40's or early 50's. thanks
Date: Friday, August 27, 2010 7:24 am CT
Posted by: Susan NY
I finally finished the recommended book, Hendrickson's "Grand Emporiums." It was both enlightening and saddening. So much has changed since the late 70sC3 personal computers were not on very many minds then, and it was truly a different world. Nevertheless, I would like to think that we as a people have not changed so utterly that a Marshall Field's has become irrelevant or unsupportable.
I cannot bear to think of empty floors and herds of dust mice rolling across the marble beneath Tiffany's dome. (It will not suffice to suggest turning it into offices or the like.) The monster of profit-manipulation has been devouring once-great local institutions across the land, and there seems to be no St. George to go after the Dragon.
Date: Thursday, August 26, 2010 1:01 pm CT
Posted by: Jim McKay
JUST ADDED!A SECOND EVENT!
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2010
1:00 - 1:45 PM
RALLY FOR MARSHALL FIELD'S, RALLY FOR CHICAGO
2:00 - 4:00 PM
NEW BOOK TALK & SIGNING:Author Gayle Soucek
"MARSHALL FIELD'S:
The Store That Helped Build Chicago"
Be Part of History As It Is Written...
Be There for Marshall Field's!
Be There for Chicago!
SAVE THE DATE!
-------------------------------------------------------
~ E V E N T ~ O N E ~
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2010
1:00 PM
Under the Marshall Field's Great Clock at
STATE & WASHINGTON STREETSRALLY FOR MARSHALL FIELD'S, RALLY FOR CHICAGO
...Followed by A Talk & Book Book Siging at Borders on State
We're asking for less than an hour of your time at the rally
to stand up for our beloved international city
and also help bring back Marshall Field's
--the institution that brought us 154 great years.Make History!
Be There for Marshall Field's!
Be There for Chicago!
-----------------------
Please join us on Sunday, September 12, 2010 to remind Macy's, Chicago, Wall Street--indeed the whole world--that Chicago overwhelmingly STILL wants the return of its iconic MARSHALL FIELD & COMPANY to STATE STREET and more.
It has been almost four years since that very sad day in Chicago history when, despite wide local and international outcry, Chicago's international icon, Marshall Field & Company, became another of over 800 Macy's stores.
Overwhelming demand for Marshall Field's continues to hold steady among Chicago shoppers. Our 2010 survey of over 500 Michigan Avenue and State Street shoppers found that 81%--four out of five Chicago shoppers--still prefer Marshall Field's over Macy's. Similar results were yielded in 2009. Full results are at http://www.fieldsfanschicago.org/survey2010.html
These results were presented to Macy's top-level executives--including the CEO and Board of Directors--at the Macy stockholders meeting in Cincinnati on May 14, 2010. This meeting centered on Macy's enhanced commitment to, above all else, giving local customers what they want. Does that sound familiar? Of course it does--we all know that for 154 years, Marshall Field's was all about "Giving the lady what she wants."
Macy's presented a few small local success stories from this initiative, dubbed my "My Macy's"--but really, the stories made it more obvious than ever, Chicagoans actually want "MY MARSHALL FIELD'S!" Over 100,000 customers wear buttons with that message!
What Chicago doesn't want is dramatically less help on the sales floor. Chicago also doesn't want the State Street store consolidated down to fewer floors; much of the ninth floor has been consolidated with the eight floor, who knows what's next? What Chicago doesn't want is an iconic store building with broken escalators, elevators and the like. These are just examples of what is regularly reported on our web site's blog.
Macy's claims that they are experiencing some successes in doing some of the things Marshall Field's used to do, it makes complete sense that they would be hugely successful if they restored Marshall Field's full scale, starting at the historic State Street store.
Despite the tough economic times, the fact is that people will spend for quality, value and the latest must-have items and experiences. Gone for four years, there is more pent-up demand for Marshall Field's than ever. Does Chicago want to buy those special things at Marshall Field's and take them home in forest green Marshall Field's shopping bags? YES, more than ever.
So we need YOU to come out to State and Washington Streets at 1:00 pm, Sunday afternoon, September 12, 2010, to make the message even more clear to Macy's: Chicago wants its Marshall Field's!B
Please, come rally for our international icon, Marshall Field's, and our great city, Chicago. You will help to make history.
-----------------------
Mark the date and time!
MAKE HISTORY!
BE THERE FOR FIELD'S!
BE THERE FOR CHICAGO!...and bring friends and family!
-----------------------
* Field's Fans should start gathering at 12:40 PM under the Great Marshall Field's Clock at State & Washington Streets
* Wear your "Marshall Field's Best" or something
dark green (please, no profane t-shirts).
* Bring signs and placards with Marshall Field's slogans.
* A limited number of additional signs will be available at the protest.
* Carry a Marshall Field's Shopping Bag.
* Carry a City of Chicago Flag.
* Please be peaceable and dignified in the spirit of Marshall Field's.
* Please be careful not to obstruct the doors to the store.
* Please do not stand in or block the street.
* Check http://www.FieldsFansChicago.org, our Facebook Group,
B our Twitter crawl and your Email box for last-minute news and bulletins.
-------------------------------------------------------
~ E V E N T ~ TWO ~
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2010
2:00 - 4:00 PM
BORDERS on STATE STREET
State & Randolph StreetsNEW BOOK TALK & SIGNING:
Author GAYLE SOUCEK"MARSHALL FIELD'S:
The Store That Helped Build Chicago"-----------------------
Since 2006, we have been saying how all of us--you, I and everyone else--has been making history by working to restore Marshall Field's to State Street.
Gayle Soucek's new book, "Marshall Field's: The Store That Helped Build Chicago" covers the history of Marshall Field's from the 19th Century to TODAY. It even includes special pages covering our rallies, as well as others efforts to restore Marshall Field's.
This book is the first of several of which cover or allude to YOUR rallies, YOUR letter writing and YOUR efforts to bring back Marshll Field's. Others books featuring coverage of our efforts to restore Marshall Field's are also due in the coming months and next year.
Now that history is being written, you are indeed part of that history.
Chicago's loyalty to Marshall Field's is fierce. Dayton-Hudson even had to take out advertising around town to apologize for changing up Marshall Field's hallowed green bags. And with good reason -- the store and those who ran it shaped the city's streets, subsidized its culture and heralded its progress.
The resulting commercial empire dictated wholesale trade terms in Calcutta and sponsored towns in North Carolina, but its essence was always Chicago. So when "Marshall Field's" was retired in 2006 after the stores were purchased by Macy's, protest slogans like"Field's is Chicago," and "Field's: as Chicago as it gets," weren't just emotional hype.
Many still hope that Marshall Field's will be resurrected like the city it helped support during the Great Fire and the Great Depression. Until then, fans of Marshall Field's can celebrate its history with this warm look back at the beloved institution.B .B
Available in local bookstores or order online at
http://www.historypress.netPLEASE NOTE: This book, the talk and book signing, The History Press and Borders are in no way connected to FieldsFansChicago.org and is not a sponsor of our rally for Marshall Field's. FieldsFansChicago.org is simply passing this information along as a third party. The book and related events are not connected to nor endorsed by Macy's, Inc.
Date: Thursday, August 26, 2010 10:46 pm CT
Posted by: C. C. Chicago
"Save on Faves"? This is he latest big advertisement pull-out in yesterday's Chicago Tribune. In case Macy's is listening, these aren't my faves. Style & Co.? Everlon? Charter Club? Zaynee? What is this stuff? How about putting these real brands on sale: Stone Mountain, Eileen Fisher, Woolrich, Chaus, Laura Ashley, Free People, Bass, Timberland boots, etc., etc. Knock offs (copies) of Tiffany's sterling and diamond key pendants? (If I were a CEO of that company, I might sue.)
Date: Wednesday, August 25, 2010 5:32 pm CT
Posted by: Barbara W.
I am disgused with "Macy's" and their "monopolizing" the retail market. They have distroyed wonderful department stores that had been part of the culture of many of our cities (Marshall Fields, Wanamakes, Filenes, etc).Are we, in cities outside of NYC to have out cultures and selections underminded by a Macy's "brand". In Seattle we lost Fredrick and Nelson in the 80's but we continued with the Bon Marche. And, it tried to keep up with the culture here, even though it was under a "Federated" ownership. But, then came along a New Yorker who thought that the whole USA would be better off with a NYC brand on department stores (and an increase in investor dividends). Now we just have Macy stores that are, generally, disgusting.
I, for one, am cancelling my Macy's card. And, when I do have to buy at Macy's, I will use my American Express card (which is rather expensive for merchants).
Date: Tuesday, August 24, 2010 8:50 pm CT
Posted by: drew
Not a promising outlook for "those wacky folks at macy*s:"
http://online.barrons.com/article/SB50001424052970204719404575423442725338632.html
What analysts fail to address is "why" macy*s is on the decline with consumers. Their stores offer nothing special; and since they are now competing with discounters, the quality and service will continue to decrease. Their high-rent mall locations are incompatible with the discount store paradigm.
Lundgren has totally refused to listen to shoppers and forged ahead with his ill-advised scheme to "macy-ize" America's department stores. The baby step "localization" praised by retail analysts is nothing more than any other store has done all along; the Florida macy*s stores no longer carry snow boots and the Minnesota stores no longer carry swim suits in January--how brilliant!
Date: Monday, August 23, 2010 9:29 am CT
Posted by: Jim McKay
Regarding gle's post about the American Express card from Macy's, I'm not sure it's bad thing...I tend to think of American Express as being a little more exclusive than most Visa, Mastercard or Discover cards. I'm not sure what the switch is all about behind the scenes.
I HAVE been told one thing that impacts all Marshall Field's account holders--standard or "Regards" level. If you have been boycotting Macy's and haven't used your Marshall Field's credit card in the past three years (or th e Macy's card that Macy's intended to replace it with) then your account is now closed and and it cannot be re-activated. I discovered this during a routine credit check. Not clear if it is part of the US cerdit card indust ry laws that recently took effect, or if it has to do with Macy's or Citi or all of the above.
Date: Sunday, August 22, 2010 2:42 pm CT
Posted by: gle
A TV Channel 9 News program today about 8:30 a.m. discussed Messy's Material Girl hype and similar promotions. Some parents are admitting this is not the back-to-school image they want pushed on their daughters. They used words like "too-much-too-soon."
In viewing the Messy's windows on State Street, I get an impression of that's all there is (Material Girl) and that's all that is supposed to be. I wonder--what about encouraging students to take pride in a professional appearance, since they will hopefully be entering a business professional workplace some day. What about people who have other style preferences than Material Girl? Is there such thing as an option any more? Material Girl is NOT the image I want any student I care about to aspire to for their future.
Give our students some professional back-to-school options please. And while you're at it, just bring back Marshall Field's!
Date: Saturday, August 21, 2010 12:24 pm CT
Posted by: drew
Someone posted a comment about Kohl's TV commercial featuring a Lundgren-esque character fast talking all the exceptions to a customer being asked to open a credit card. Just yesterday I saw ANOTHER Kohl's commercial featuring a salesclerk offering a coupon to a customer when the same character appeared rattling off all the exclusions. The point was that Kohl's DOESN'T have exclusions to their promotions! Plus Kohl's has clean, well-stocked stores, features national brands as well as REAL designer and CURRENT celebrity merchandise.
While JC Penney coupons DO have some exclusions, these are nowhere near as extensive as those at macy*mart.
I think it's foolish that Lundgren took so many better department stores downmarket and thought he could beat Kohl's and JC Penney at their own game. Remember what happened when Kmart tried to compete with walmart's low prices and got pounded into the ground? Kohl's and JC Penney have proven they are good at what they do and have established solid customer bases. Lundgren alienated many shoppers, wrote off millions of dollars in goodwill, destroyed unique shopping experiences across the nation, and has failed to establish a niche in the marketplace. By continuously cutting merchandise offerings and services in order to maintain a "profit," Lundgren has given shoppers even fewer reasons to venture into his stores.
What EXACTLY does your store stand for, Terry? Nordstrom offers exemplary customer service, Target has the reputation for "cheap chic," JC Penney represents traditional styles and good values, walmart is associated with low prices, Kohl's means wide selections and HONEST sales promotions...macy*mart means "has been" celebrities (Madonna, Martha Stewart, Donald Trump), tired designers (Tommy Hillfiger), overpriced knockoffs (Alfani, Charter Club, American Rags), dirty, ill-maintained and understaffed stores, coupons that aren't valid on most merchandise, high prices--except on the overabundance of clearance racks.
Date: Saturday, August 21, 2010 12:14 pm CT
Posted by: gle
Messy's website www.macysinc.com announces another new card. I wonder if this will be more or less confusing than the multi discounts, benefits, coupons, etc. that are already confusing anyone who has tried to use them.
"New Macy's American Express(R) Card Provides Brand New Privileges and Benefits"
http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=84477&p=RssLanding&cat=news&id=1461488
P.S. I look forward to the Field's Fans rally September 12 "Under the clock" at State and Washington!
Date: Saturday, August 21, 2010 11:50 am CT
Posted by: drew
The Red Star's newest "celebrity" fashion designer is being sued over her "Material Girl" line:
http://cincinnati.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2010/08/16/daily44.html?ana=yfcpc
Yet another "faux pas" brought to you by "those wacky folks at macy*s."
Date: Friday, August 20, 2010 3:23 am CT
Posted by: Laura
Keep up the good work. Thank you for the button!
Date: Thursday, August 19, 2010 4:34 pm CT
Posted by: Mary R.
Even on a bad day, Marshall Field's was better than Macy's best day. Even circa 2005-2006.
Date: Wednesday, August 18, 2010 9:21 am CT
Posted by: Alice in the U.K.
I wonder if you could help me. I am trying to find out if Marshall Field has an archive library covering material during the 1890s. The reason for my interest is that I am researching a painting by an English painter A A Glendening, which was purchased from Marshall Field in 1895/6 and bears one of their labels numbered 250B. Would you know who I should contact to discover more about what paintings the department sold
With many thanks indeed
Date: Monday, August 16, 2010 1:37 am CT
Posted by: S.B.
Saw the Madonna story. Too bad what was once a fabled store has become a series of silly stories. I don't know what to say anymore. These guys are trying all type of things to get people in the door. Seems like marketing is run by a bunch of college kids who start everything by saying "Wouldn't it be cool if we...?"
Date: Sunday, August 15, 2010 8:58 pm CT
Posted by: Ronald
I was walk down State Street on Saturday walk past Messy and near the entrance on State Street near Randolph there were 3 buckets near the entrance with waters that Macy's did have water leak in the store and do not care about the store anymore!
Date: Sunday, August 15, 2010 5:17 pm CT
Posted by: gle
Last week I walked past the building that used to house my favorite store (Marshall Field's). It's windows were all hype for either Material Girl or Shrek, as if there was nothing else in the world and no people who actually like anything else. Marshall Field's didn't have to be a billboard for a bunch of trend celebrities--it as an entity in itself and still is.
Thank-you for the article posted by Zelda. It finally says what many publications don't appear to want to take the time to find out. Messy's little rosy pictures have a lot to do with manipulating bookkeeping, rather than providing quality products and service the way a store is supposed to.
I still miss Marshall Field's, and so does much of Chicago.
Date: Saturday, August 14, 2010 5:17 pm CT
Posted by: drew
There was a surprising flurry of activity on the main floor of the Red Star in downtown Pittsburgh this afternoon. People were actually looking through the merchandise! As I got closer, I noticed young ladies pinning inventory sheets on various items while others were using bar code scanners. These people were inventory takers, NOT shoppers.?
The merchandise selection has gotten even thinner since my last visit; there is so much space between display fixtures that an elephant could walk through without touching anything. More "alcoves" that held only a paltry assortment of merchandise, display shelves that featured only large styrofoam red stars and lots of empty floor space. In some areas the merchandise was spread out to fill space.
I was especially appalled to see a large acrylic display with a picture of "the world's largest store" in New York. Evidently shoppers are supposed to be "excited" to know their lowly store in Pittsburgh is somehow part of "the magic of macy*s."
The floors WERE clean, but badly in need of wax. The carpets were pretty much filthy and were badly in need of cleaning. The windows along Forbes Avenue were nice enough displays of home wares and luggage; nothing special or creative. The display windows along Smithfield Street featured furniture and accessories; again these displays were nice enough but nothing exceptional. The windows under the landmark clock at Fifth and Smithfield were covered with plastic "billboards" advertising Levis.
Something else I noticed were the many, many young sales clerks throughout the store and precious few of the familiar faces who worked at Kaufmann's.
BTW there was a decent looking red batter bowl that I considered purchasing for a cousin whose kitchen theme is red. Then I remembered it wouldn't be anything "special" since she has a macy*s nearby--and hates them. Wow! Mr Lunkhead a gift from Kaufmann's would have been special to someone whose favorite store was JL Hudson's/Marshall Field's.
Date: Friday, August 13, 2010 5:17 pm CT
Posted by: Another Field's Fan
I have to agree that it looks like they significantly reduced staffing at Macy's on State St. (Please note: they now have signs up saying 'We're hiring' in Cosmetics.) On several recent occasions, I took some walks through the store formerly known as Marshall Field's. It is not just my observation. Another shopper on the 6th floor said to me: "Doesn't anyone work here anymore? God, I miss Field's!" She had walked around the entire 6th floor (as had I) and had not seen a single sales person. That's not to say they weren't there. We just couldn't find them. If there was anything she and I wanted to buy, Macy's made that impossible. Something like this would have been unheard of at Marshall Field's.
Date: Friday, August 13, 2010 2:19 pm CT
Posted by: C. C. Chicago
One thing I've been thinking about recently is Marshall Field's Candy Department. It used to be on the first floor, in various locations. I remember my father bringing home lavender colored paperboard boxes of the BEST candy I've ever had in my life on special occasions. I'd like to know who has the recipes now for that wonderful Marshall Field's candy. What are they going to do with the recipes? Just store them in a file drawer? Is there a Marshall Field's History Museum or Archives somewhere? Even if it's in one room it would be worth a visit.
Date: Thursday, August 12, 2010 3:28 pm CT
Posted by: S.
I am originally from Milwaukee, WI and I now reside in St. Louis, MO. I was raised with Marshall Field's and you never stepped foot in a Field's store without knowing you were someone special. I began my career in the cosmetics industry at the Mayfair Mall Field's location and I will ALWAYS love this store. I would do anything to bring a company back with so much culture and history. No retailer could ever be Marshall Field's and what you are doing with these efforts is so relevant and necessary in my mind.
Date: Thursday, August 12, 2010 2:27 pm CT
Posted by: Multiple sources
Sun-Times articke on Macy's 2nd quarter earnings and Madonna's fashion line. There is a place to comment, but you need a quick-and-easy login so that they can prevent spam, etc. As of this writing, three readers have commented.
http://www.suntimes.com/business/2591184,CST-NWS-macys12.article#Comments_Container
Date: Wednesday, August 11, 2010 9:19 pm CT
Posted by: Josh
I went to the Chicago Cubs game last Saturday at Wrigley Field. During a quiet moment toward the end of the game, I overheard a conversation in front of me, between two macho, "outdoors-type" of men.
One said, "Well, what do you want to do afterward? Afterall we DID drive 260 miles to get here."
The other replied, "Well, if Marshall Field's were still here, I would be over at State Street having a brew downstairs, and then heading upstairs to surprise my wife with something very special from Marshall Field's...along with a half-dozen boxes of FRANGO mints!" "That would be sure-fire payback for letting me go to this game! But SINCE it's only disgusting macy's, let's just get on the road and get something to eat along the way home."
The other seat-partner replied, "You shop at Marshall Field's too?" His friend responded, "My friend...EVERYONE wants to shop at Marshall Field's when they are in town!
Date: Wednesday, August 11, 2010 1:24 pm CT
Posted by: Susan NY
Marshall Field had it right a loonnngg time ago:Give the lady what she wants.
What don't they understand? I know -- anything.
Maybe it would help to look closer at the live lady in question, and stop inventing who she is at dept meetings.
That is, I just looked up Walmart on Wikipedia. Given that surveys show their shoppers to be generally among the least affluent in the land, I am amused to learn that they consider their 'ladies' to be a) "label-aspirationals," "price-sensitive affluents," and "value price shoppers." Translation: Poor wannabees, compulsive or avocational pennypinchers, and poor-indifferents. They never imagined, apparently, that in a place like ours, there is another shopper: the "desperate-deprived". We have few alternatives less than an hour away, partly because Walmart drove most of them out of business. Another example: the "Expedient," wanting a cheap, expedient product because that is all it is worth to me, like the more-or-less rainproof jacket I bought when caught in a rain storm far from home. The selling points for choosing Walmart was that a) we were already near the store and b) there was a reasonable certainty I would find something without spending all day searching other stores and c) even if I hated the coat I would have one that met my emergency for $15!
Date: Wednesday, August 11, 2010 1:24 pm CT
Posted by: Jim McKay
Macy's bucks the trend of other stores and earned 35 cents a share this past 2nd quarter. Macy's attributes the earnings to better inventory control in conjunction with the MyMacy's program. An analyst on WBBM AM 780's Noon Business Hour show attributed the earnings to a drop in the amount of store staffing and inexpensive clothing imports that could still make a profit even with discounts of 30% to 40%.
Date: Tuesday, August 10, 2010 9:50 pm CT
Posted by: Jim McKay
The Washington Post article Zelda brought up below is a fascinating one. Please do read it and comment as you can.
As "gle" points out, Macy's second quarter results and conference call is tomorrow. Check under "investor relations" at MacysINC.com
Date: Tuesday, August 10, 2010 6:06 pm CT
Posted by: drew
Please keep us updated about Gayle's book. It is not listed on amazon.com yet, and I hope it will be available. Gayle has been an active participant in this blog; her comments are always interesting and well-written.
Date: Tuesday, August 10, 2010 4:31 pm CT
Posted by: Kathy, Champaign
We miss Field's and travel to Chicago less often since it is gone.
Macy's is not the same.
Date: Monday, August 9, 2010 6:31 pm CT
Posted by: L.G.
In the Chicago area, Macy's should have converted the Lord and Taylor stores to Macy's and left the Marshall Field's stores in those malls as Marshall Field's. Lord and Taylor is popular on the East coast but not so much here. Chicago would have gotten over the loss of Lord and Taylor and there would still be Marshall Field's and Macy's at Water Tower, Old Orchard, Northbrook Court, Woodfield and Oak Brook--the best locations. And of course, we'd have to have Field's at State Street. Field's at Stratford, Springhill, Hawthorn would be missed but Chicagoans would have managed and not have such hatred for Macy's.
Macy's blew it!
Date: Monday, August 9, 2010 1:54 am CT
Posted by: S.B.
I recently was on a extended trip to Louisiana and was considering taking a weekend trip to Houston. Talking to my mother the first thing she said was "Go see Foley's!" I had to tell her that it no longer was Foley's but now Macy's. She couldn't believe it. Even though I've told her about the macyification of regional stores in the past... this conversation hit home. No more Field's (in home for the last 30 years), no more Foley's (in her hometown Houston), wow... they really did ruin a lot of wonderful regional stores! I think my mom now more than ever appreciates the uniqueness of regional stores.
Date: Sunday, August 8, 2010 9:37 pm CT
Posted by: B
Hi All
Haven't posted for a LONG time but I have been keeping tabs---
I travel for my business and on Friday, returning, I packed my suitcase and had a bit too much and I did not have a proper carry on. My regular larger suitcase had taken it's last trip last week and I did not have time to replace it before my next and latest trip--so I squeezed into a smaller case-- I also had a briefcase with my laptop-- -- I opened the front pocket of the smaller case I was using and low and behold -- a MARSHALL FIELD's shopping bag folded and then folded in half sideways -- I really did NOT want to use it but I needed it for the few things I had left over-- so off I went with the shopping bag --
Upon returning my rental car the next associate over at the car rental company, who was not helping me, stopped and asked me if Marshall Feild's was open again -Most Enthusiastically and hopefully. I told her it was simply an old bag and she said she was sorry and hoped that I would tell her it was back--
I checked my suitcase and I had my briefcase and the shopping bag. During the rest of the trip I had 11 -- Eleven --people approached me or questioned me, to inquire if I had shopped at Marshall Field's and if it was Back-- One lady ran up to me in a busy concourse to stop me and ask me --Her answer to me when I answered was "I hate Macy's for killing Field's"--I was sorry to dash the hopes of those people and I saw the sadness and disappointment in all of them for the loss of Field's. One Lady and I sitting in the gate area talked of all the great memories we had about the State street store and the Oakbrook store- we were both "Chicagoans" no longer residing in the metro area--
I told several of them -- when there was time-- about Field'sFansChicago, and the site.
This occured in the south central part of the country.
Take care all
to the Once and Future, Great, Marshall Field and Company!
Date: Sunday, August 8, 2010 4:24 pm CT
Posted by: gle
Messy's website www.macysinc.com announces a webcast earnings conference call for August 11, 2010 at 10:30 a.m. ET:
http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?p=irol-eventDetails&c=84477&eventID=3273026
I assume the call will be in line with an August 5, 2010 press release also from their website:
"Macy's, Inc. Same-Store Sales Up 7.3% in July"
http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=84477&p=RssLanding&cat=news&id=1456876
Keep in mind that July sales in 2009 were down about 11% and that July sales in 2008 were also down and so on. Sales still aren't up to what they were when stores were Field's. And I'm sorry, but living in Chicago with regular access to State Street, I find it impossible to believe any rosy-picture narcissism Messy's still uses to try to convince the public. With Material Girl juniors as their idea of something to get excited about, I am even less convinced. If I had a daughter, I would want a much better image available to her. I think anyone who cares about the future generation should demand the quality and diversity that Marshall Field's carried, instead of settling for whatever Messy's decides is hot!
Date: Sunday, August 8, 2010 12:52 pm CT
Posted by: Zelda
Hi Field's Fans:
Check out this great article in the Washington Post, which shows what shaky ground Macy's rests on. They are in debt up to the eyeballs!
Look at Macy's: U.S. tax code encourages companies to rack up huge debt Macy's has become the great American department store, with 850 locations scattered across all but four states. And it has gotten there the great American way, by running up huge debts and flirting with default, or worse.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/06/AR2010080606249.html
Your friend in Field's,
Zelda
Date: Saturday, August 7, 2010 4:38 pm CT
Posted by: Jeff S.
The Fox Valley store used to be so nice when it was Marshall Field's. Was in the store earlier today--very sad. It is just not kept up. The escalators in particular; they were noisy and squeeking and made a terrible vibrating noise. Marshall Field always had quiet, efficient, oiled and well-maintained elevators and escalators. So many of the former Field stores have had broken escalators as part of their "business as usual".
Date: Saturday, August 7, 2010 9:38 am CT
Posted by: Arthur
Kohl's has been running commericals that Kohl's coupons and rewards can be used on anything in the store, unlike some stores (Macys)that let you only buy a certian items. Now they have a new commerical where a quick talking man who looks very much like Terry Lunkhead comes the customer at the register to disclose the limmted terms of the coupon. I think it is great that Kohl's is showing how Macy's has the same inventory as Kohl's but is more expensive and has more limitations on coupons and rewards.
Date: Saturday, August 7, 2010 8:14 am CT
Posted by: Judy M.
I've worked in the "loop" for almost 30 years and many lunch hours were spent on State Street at Marshall Field's or Carson's. Now, it's a vast wasteland of dumb-downed stores which I have no desire to enter. No longer is State Street "that great street". I'm dating myself here, but I remember a song (probably from the '70's) by Tom Post - "little boxes on the hillside, little boxes made of ticky-tacky, little boxes on the hillside and they all look the same". That's what *messy's* has done to so many famous and beloved stores in this country. They've become those little ticky-tacky boxes - all the same, no personality, no quality. And the worst of it is that Lundgren doesn't care. But obviously, a lot of people in Chicago care. So I'm proud to carry on the fight!
Marshall Field's Forever!!
Judy
Date: Saturday, August 7, 2010 8:06 am CT
Posted by: Susan NY
Yay Team!
Surely someone is Out There who thinks buying and restoring Field's (at least on State) would be a fun challenge...but I doubt its current owner would EVER turn it loose because he wants to see it turn pale and die. This is not about selling stuff. If TL intended to nurture his investment, there would be no duct tape. I can't help but wonder what will come first- the downfall of TL or the obliteration of MF on State.
Keep up the good fight.
Date: Friday, August 6, 2010 7:20 am CT
Posted by: A Field's Fan
While Macy's same store sales are up, the thing to ask is are former Field's locations up from four or five years ago when they were Marshall Field's stores?
Date: Thursday, August 5, 2010 2:34 pm CT
Posted by: Jim McKay
Gayle Soucek's new book, "Marshall Field's: The Store That Helped Build Chicago" is due for publication in the coming weeks. It should be one of the definitive books on Marhsall Field's.
Another book due next week is Darlene Quinn's "Tangled Webs," her followup to "Webs of Power." Both books are a "factionalization" of the recent consolidation of departement stores during the past 25 years. It is a little more than loosely based on the story of Macy's and other departement stores. Should be fascinating.
Date: Wednesday, August 4, 2010 12:34 pm CT
Posted by: L.W.
Field's is NOT macy's!!!!!
I was brought up in Chicago -- MARSHALL FIELD'S IS CHICAGO!
Date: Tuesday, August 3, 2010 12:34 pm CT
Posted by: Pete
I was reading about how GM has started to come back. They went wrong when they sopped caring about quality and service. And now they are coming back because they have increased their quality and service. This sounds similar to the story of Macy's take over of Marshall Field's. If they bring back Marshll Field's it will be like GM's comeback.
Date: Monday, August 2, 2010 5:07 pm CT
Posted by: Matt E.
Terry J. Lundgren, President, CEO...AND...Chairman of Macy's Inc. will go down in history as making the worst mistake in retailing and as the one who destroyed shopping and took the adventure out of destination shopping for countless millions. Making famous regional department stores ALL macy's stores, and lowering them to macy's low standards of service, style, selection and atmosphere has already been judged in both my MBA and PhD marketing classes as the worst decision a retailing CEO/Pres/Chairman has EVER made in U.S. History. What's worse, is that he obvisouly MUST realize the error of his ways, but his ego stands in the way of his giving the customers back what they truly want..and what should be!
Date: Monday, August 2, 2010 1:08 pm CT
Posted by: Francis P.
Marshall Field's on State Street was the huge shopping destination for us when we would come to Chicago. It makes no sense to have the same store everywhere as Macy's now does.
I hope you are all successful in your quest.
Franc
Date: Sunday, August 1, 2010 7:34 pm CT
Posted by: North Riverside
I just heard about this site. KEEP GOING!
Date: Sunday, August 1, 2010 2:32 pm CT
Posted by: gle
It seems pretty obvious by now that Chicago is NOT going to love Messy's. I continue to hear comments whenever I wear my button (which is most of the time) about how Messy's line of merchandise is NOT special, and is nothing compared to the quality of Marshall Field's. While some say they don't think Marshall Field's is coming back, one thing that IS certain is that Chicago has not warmed up to Messy's--THAT'S A FACT.
I look forward to the Field's Fans rally in September to continue to make our point, and would even more look forward to a rally to celebrate the return of Marshall Field's to State Street.
Date: Saturday, July 31, 2010 9:23 pm CT
Posted by: Mark
Chicago wants its Marshall Field's!!!!
Date: Saturday, July 31, 2010 11:01 am CT
Posted by: S.A.
I last shopped at Marshall Fields's on Friday, September 8, 2006.
I have not shopped there since.
Macy's is arrogant not to give the customers what they want.
Date: Saturday, July 31, 2010 10:23 am CT
Posted by: Mary S.
Bless you all for your on going efforts and your goodness. All of the generosity of time and spirit most assuredly will breathe life's vigor into the struggle to regain this iconic and deservedly legendary store which is remembered both wistfully and with great fondness. Fields was a integral part of the fine tapestry which illuminated the soul of Chicago; hopefully--through your collective efforts--this ghastly error soon will be rectified.
Date: Saturday, July 31, 2010 9:01 am CT
Posted by: Mary S.
I'm glad this continues.
We won't be happy until we have our Marshall Field's back.
Date: Friday, July 30, 2010 10:23 pm CT
Posted by: Mary S.
I fully support the rteurn of Marshall Field's and Company to State Street.
Date: Friday, July 30, 2010 8:23 pm CT
Posted by: Scott Johnson
I received the newsletter today and I am glad to see our cause continue.
Date: Friday, July 30, 2010 7:01 pm CT
Posted by: Samantha
They should at least bring Marshall Field's to State Street. Let them have the suburban locations, at least the newere ones.
I might shop Macy's for a few things if they had left Marshall Field's on State Street.
Date: Friday, July 30, 2010 6:23 pm CT
Posted by: Field's was the best
Hi!
thanks for your news email today. Field's was the best. It had everything and had great value for the money. It was an experience. Macy's should bring it back as a special store.
I plan to be there on the twelfth.
Date: Friday, July 30, 2010 5:59 pm CT
Posted by: James Z
The m**y's display department has a has a whole new take on window dressing. I was walking by on the Wabash/Randolph side yesterday & there was pigeon sh*t splattered at the foot of the display windows that extended 2 feet out onto the sidewalk. (I was not tempted to look up... Boyds... as they say in NYC)
Date: Friday, July 30, 2010 2:49 pm CT
Posted by: Pete
I WANT MY MARSHALL FIELD'S!!!!!
Date: Friday, July 30, 2010 2:03 pm CT
Posted by: Toni Smith, Rockford, IL
My husband and our two kids will be coming to the rally in September. We miss it lot.
Date: Friday, July 30, 2010 1:47 pm CT
Posted by: P C
My husband and I and my parents (Chicago born) will be visiting Chicago in mid Aug. and we would like to wear the Fields buttonB . Please send 2. We lament the loss of Fields frequently and our yearly visit to Chicago has lost a lot of its excitement since Field's became Macy's (mom and I are consummate shoppers)--we have Macy's here at home so what's the point of shopping at the same storeB in Chicago? Boring.B Same old merchandise everywhere. And if you get good service at Macy's,B 9 times out of 10, the salesperson is a former Field's employee who remembersB what customer service really meant.
Fields wasn't just a store, it was an experience that brought back memories of my grandmother taking me for lemonade at the juice bar in the basement while she drank coconut milk served in paper cones. I have a prized collection of MF shopping bags.
Date: Friday, July 30, 2010 11:59 pm CT
Posted by:
Since Field's became Macy's, I don't even bother going to State Street. It stinks that Carson Pirie Scott is gone from State Street.
Thank you for continuing to do this.
Date: Friday, July 30, 2010 11:40 am CT
Posted by: B.S.J.
I wish I could be there underthe clock right now, cheering for the return of Marshall Field's!
Date: Friday, July 30, 2010 10:01 am CT
Posted by: David E.
I"ve been to Macy's
I've been to Bloomingdale's.
I've been to Nordstrom .
I've been to Nieman Marcus.
I've been to Saks .
I've been to Carsons.
I've been to Lord & Taylor.
The sum of these does not measure up to Marshall Field and Commpany.
Date: Friday, July 30, 2010 9:40 am CT
Posted by: J.A.D.
Marshall Fields forever!!!
Date: Friday, July 30, 2010 9:39 am CT
Posted by: John T.
We're down in Indy but plan to come up and support Marshall Field's on September 12. Viva Marshall Field and Company!
Date: Friday, July 30, 2010 9:39 am CT
Posted by: D. A.
I was a Marshall Fields Shopper. (grew up in Chicago ) Now I live in Orlando Florida. Burdine's is now Macys too. I refuse to shop Macy's.
Date: Friday, July 30, 2010 9:32 am CT
Posted by: Paul P.
Ths inside of the former Marshall Field's reminds me of when the Dollar store moved into my favorite Walgreen's. Down market.
Date: Thursday, July 29, 2010 7:25 pm CT
Posted by: CMZ
I haven't bought anything at Macy's in last five years except for a few Frangos.
Date: Thursday, July 29, 2010 11:03 am CT
Posted by: Sara Freeman
Hey everyone,
My name is Sara and I'm a writer based in Chicago. I loved Marshall Field and feel sad whenever I walk by Macy's. I'm currently researching an article about the film director Vincente Minnelli and his early days in Chicago. He was hired as a Window Dressing apprentice by Arthur Fraser during the early 1920's and worked there for a few years. I'm trying to find some photographs, newspaper articles, etc. about Marshall Field's window displays during that time. Does anyone happen to have any info about the subject? I'd be eternally grateful for any help! Please feel free to e-mail me or reply here. Thanks a bunch! :-)
Date: Tuesday, July 27, 2010 6:00 pm CT
Posted by: Jim
Plans will be finalized in the next few days, but it's pretty certain that the next rally for Marshall Field's will be held at
1:00 pm,
Sunday, September 12
under The Clock at State and Washington.
SAVE THE DATE!
Be there for Marshall Field's!
Be there for Chicago!
Many thanks and best regards.
Date: Monday, July 26, 2010 3:12 pm CT
Posted by: Pete
I keep hearing from others: The only reason I might buy something from Macy's is all the coupons.
I thought Macy's was going to cut back on coupons from the days of May Department stores.
Date: Saturday, July 24, 2010 10:14 pm CT
Posted by: L.R.
My husband and I both grew up with back-to-school clothes from the basement of Fields on State. We were both long-time Fields customers.
I dressed my kids in Fields' children's department. Our youngest son started his first post-high school job in the Mayfair, Wisconsin store. Only one of our 6 children ever buys from Macy's (she sends me a Spode Christmas Tree piece every Christmas); the rest of us haven't been inside a Macy's store since the change.
We stand in solidarity with your boycott.
Date: Friday, July 23, 2010 5:08 pm CT
Posted by: Frank Link
I have not nor will I ever shop at Macy's since the change from Marshall Fields to Macy's. Chicago is Marshall Fields and it holds a special mystique that can never be replaced.
Date: Friday, July 23, 2010 11:21 am CT
Posted by: J.F.
I was glad to receive the "I Want My Marshall Field's" button. I will wear it at the September rally.
Date: Thursday, July 22, 2010 3:17 pm CT
Posted by: C. c. Chicago
To Gary H.: Wow. Do I miss Bonwit Teller, I. Magnin, Lord & Taylor at Water Tower and, of course, FIELD's, even more after reading your post. I think Chicago can stand to lose Marshall Field's at Water Towe Place, as long as we get Marshall Field's on State St. back.
What I don't understand is how Macy's can hope to sell basically generic merchandise to the public. On a walk through the store yesterday (I need some air conditioning,) I noticed a few things.
On the 6th floor, I was checking out sheets. Oh sure, they have the same designer sheets, like Tommy Hilfiger, that lots of other stores have. Only at Macy's on State St. they're more expensive. Martha Stewart? I don't know. I don't like her that much. Most of the rest of what they had to offer was: Charter Club, and Style & Co. These "brands" just do not compute with me.
Perusing the books at Barbara's in the basement, I noticed a big, prominent display of books on Chicago. This is obviously aimed at tourists. Border's on Michigan Ave. has many, many more books on Chicago.
Date: Wednesday, July 21, 2010 5:15 pm CT
Posted by: Sandras O.
Walked through a suburban Chicago Macy's today. I say walked instead of shopped because I have never bought anything from Macy's and never will. Was amazed to see there was no one working the Estee Lauder cosmetic counter! And there were customers asking where is the sales assistance? Also walked through the main floor of the State Street store last weekend while in the city. It was really sad to see the state of some of the cosmetic counters. Really heart breaking as my mom used to work for Fields in the 40's and growing up that was our store.
Date: Saturday, July 17, 2010 11:34 pm CT
Posted by: drew
I attended a family wedding this weekend in Columbus OH. Out-of-town guests stayed at hotels directly across the Mall at Tuttle Crossing. I hadn't been to this mall for years and was APPALLED to find a macy*mart anchoring BOTH ends of the mall. I parked at the store that was formerly Marshall Field's. The dark green granite entryways were marred by the Red Star nameplate. Signs between the entrances indicated this store catered to "a more moderate lifestyle." Indeed this was merchandised as a lower-end macy*mart, but there were some nice architectural touches including offset display areas and a central elevator/escalator area. The store was clean, but it appeared nothing had been painted or waxed since the days of Marshall Field's.
At the other end of the mall, the macy*mart had some better brands such as All-Clad cookware mixed in with their typical discount store merchandise. This store was formerly a Lazarus and WAS a very nicely designed store, but the new owners are doing only minimal maintenance.
I shopped at Van Maur at Polaris Fashion Place, also on the north side of Columbus. The macy*mart at that mall was rather unusual--a young adult department, male and female fashions close together, with exposed ceiling girders, cement floors and industrial shelving units. Right next to this was a traditional men's department which blended into the kitchen wares area. I'm like, "What's this?" The layout was confusing and misleading. Was this an urban clothing store, a traditional men's shop, a Bed, Bath and Beyond or what? The other floor was just as confusing.
>From what I saw at the three Columbus area stores indicated macy*mart doesn't know what it represents as each store had different layouts and merchandise. Wasn't Mr Lunkhead's grand plan to have all stores the same? If each store is so different, how can the nameplate develop any sort of image or clientele. Marshall Field's, Lazarus, Kaufmann's, Filene's, Burdines and the others stores all had an image and reputation in their respective communities. macy*mart is inconsistent, bland and nondescript.
Family members said that people in Columbus lament the loss of Lazarus (and Marshall Field's) and haven't warmed up to macy*mart. And guess what--NONE of the out-of-town guests bothered to stop at macy*mart whereas in the past much shopping would have been done at Lazarus and Field's. Good move, Terry! Think of all the visitors to each city who don't bother going to your stores because they have one back home--and probably don't shop there either!
Date: Saturday, July 17, 2010 5:14 pm CT
Posted by: gle
I think of how many other people grabbed the Field's Fans leaflets out of our hands at the July 4 fireworks show at Navy Pier. Many who had time to stop said they hoped Field's could come back, and expressed disappointment with Macy's. Nobody said they were excited about Macy's.
Then, I was at a public concert in Evanston about a week ago. A woman leaned over to me and said, "WHERE DID YOU GET THAT BUTTON!" I told her about the protest in Chicago. She kept saying, "I HATE Macy's, I HATE Macy's, I HATE Macy's!" Of course I had to give her the button. She thanked me the way people usually do when they find out about our cause.
I continue to be unable to find anything exciting about Messy's, and would love to see that beautiful building on State Street restored to something to get really excited about--obviously MARSHALL FIELD'S.
Date: Saturday, July 17, 2010 6:39 am CT
Posted by: Susan NY
All of us here seem to be witnessing a "scourge" (perfect word!) of a scale few suspected when it hit, and probably we would be wise to assume the worst devastation will indeed be realized. In the meantime we have been scoffed at for whining about losing a silly store.
It's not silly. If it is 'whining' to continue to object, to resist, and to monitor widening and deepening depredations.... well, whine we shall. We might ask-- is it a mark of high character to shrug off a marauder?
I would hate to have this monumental fouling act indelibly etched onto my record. As with BP, although this is not exactly environmental pillage, it certainly entails the loss of a good way of life and even of employment and community prosperity. The common motive is that old favorite: egotistical, arrogant greed. I don't know how that can be stopped when it's on a roll, the way being paved by those who figure it's a good deal.
I came upon a new book on the history of department stores-- the author made a very pithy observation to the effect that our day is too different from the day of Marshall Field's and its ilk. Women no longer stay at home. They do not need to look for amusement at a palace of commerce where the day may be spent in one building, meals taken, entertainments enjoyed, and sights seen. And shopping taken care of. All of us are in a hurry-- in/out/get it done.
Maybe that is the reason all department stores will die, but someone might ask why a mall format is superior, from the busy customer's point of view. People have plenty of time to spend at malls for the above reasons, we all know.
The question now arising is-- why go to a department store OR a mall if the offerings are generic, mediocre, and ubiquitous? Why go if the destination is dirty, slipshod, lame, or uninviting? That's why I seldom crossed a Wieboldt's threshold in the day. Or Walmart now. But we have a Macy's force apparently determined to make the point that generic, mediocre, ubiquitous, dirty, slipshod, lame and uninviting are all we can afford, no less than we deserve, whether it be one venue or the other.
This is not a question of merchandising, it is one of a core philosophy about how people want to spend their hard-earned money, and under what circumstances. Dump or palace? Marshall Field gave the lady- or man- what she or he wanted, which most emphatically was not a dump, guys.
Date: Friday, July 16, 2010 12:16 am CT
Posted by: Ron H.
Four years later and macy's continues to break their promise- they said St Louis would be a major player in their game. LIES-LIES! They got rid of most of the employees and have started downsizing the downtown store to 3 floors! I am sure they will close the store completely in a few more years.Have you seen the state of their stores in St Louis? Most are dirty and the carpet needs to be cleaned or replaced. It seems as though they took over Famous Barr and have done no maintenance or repairs in the last four years! Way to save money macy's!
God I miss Famous Barr! Still refuse to shop macy's and never will! Hopefuly someday macy's and Lundgren will meet their fate!
Date: Thursday, July 15, 2010 10:37 pm CT
Posted by: Gary H.
I grew up in NYC in the 60's and 70's. Macy's was pretty well known as a middle-of-the-road store. It was not trying to compete style-wise with Saks, Bonwits, Bloomingdales, or Bergdorf Goodman. When I moved to California, my company worked with Macy's in San Fran. The store there was much more high end than the NY counterpart. It was more like Bloomies in style. The first signs of trouble appeared in 1985 when the bean counters in NY "re-merchandised" the San Francisco store and, in turn, homogenized most of its charm, all in the name of reaping more retail dollars out of every square foot of selling space. By the 90's, it was becoming obvious that Macy's was starting to devour a lot of the local merchants. In Southern California, in the 70's, we had the Broadway, Robinsons, May Company, I Magnin, Bullocks, Bullocks Wilshire. By the 2000's all these stores were gone -- they all became this scourge called Macy's. I travel quite extensively with my business and came to love Chicago. I would always visit Marshall Fields. Even I as a frequent tourist knew that Marshall Fields was Chicago. And many of the people I knew from Harrods in London considered Marshall Fields like a sister store (a lot of the same people worked for both stores at one time or another). When Target Corporation took over Marshall Fields, I started to worry that the Fields cache would be lost. Even Target Corp were wise enough to allow the Fields brand to remain. Why destroy the golden goose? Not so with Macy's. The short-sightedness of their bean counters, which I could see as far back as the mid-80's, has just gone rampant. Not content to "merely" destroy famous regional department stores throughout the US, their top guns were going for the crown jewel: Marshall Fields. I was sad to read that the famous State Street (and to a lesser extent, Water Tower Place) Marshall Fields were now Macy's. What an insult to the people of Chicago! It is like a sharp slap in the face and I hope people continue to NOT shop at Macy's. As for myself, I refuse to shop at ANY Macy's stores throughout the US. I lump Macy's with Wal Mart on a level of greed and vulgarity and corporate ignorance. I will not come close to a Wal Mart store either. I appreciate all the Chicagoans who want to bring Marshall Fields back. It's a good idea, however, I would be concerned that these corporate bullies will simply slap the Marshall Fields name onto the mediocrity called Macy's. I remember when Donald Trump tried to bring back Bonwit Teller into his then new Trump Tower. It failed miserably. You cannot recreate magic and memories with tacky merchandising and poor service. I can only suggest that the good people of Chicago be especially mindful that the spirit and high level of quality represented by Marshall Fields does not get tarnished even more simply by taking Macy's corporate philosophy and cloaking it in the old Fields' logo. That will not bring back the shoppers. It seems like the only way to accomplish this is for a private consortium to buy back a few major Fields stores from Federated/Macys. I would start with State Street and Water Tower, plus prime suburban locations: Northbrook, Oak Brook, and Woodfield. Bring back the high end labels Fields was known for. Design the stores to be shopping palaces again: don't try to copy the boring look of every other department store. Think Harrods. Hire some of the Harrods people to accomplish it. And bring in top draw salespeople. Service at Macy's is on par with Wal Mart. Bottom line, Macy's was never anything exceptional. Their Herald Square store is big, but so were all the other major NY department stores (in their heyday). Macy's merchandise was on par with Gimbels and Korvette's. All of a sudden, over a generation, this middle-of-the-road store becomes a bohemoth. Corporate stupidity at its best or worst. Now that Macy's sales are flat to faltering, it is my hope that some civic-minded Chicagoans with vision, taste, and money to back it, will at least buy back some of the prime Fields locations. Good luck, Chicago. The bean count ers in Cincinnati will soon learn that you are not another backwater.
Date: Wednesday, July 14, 2010 7:24 pm CT
Posted by: D.B.
I grew up in South Bend and always shopped at Marshall Fields, taking the South Shore to get to the loop. My one and only visit to a Macy's was to one of their stores in New York City in 1967. HATED IT! No comparison to Marshall Fields. Even though there are many Macy's around the Detroit area, I NEVER shop there, just because I am so peeved. Especially after Hudson stores had become Marshall Fields here in Detroit, and for a few years I was happy!
Date: Tuesday, July 13, 2010 1:23 pm CT
Posted by: Goeff
I have to agree with the acclaimation of Hilton Hotels and how they are able to run brands to exploit the unique character of certain historic hotels.
While it might be excessive to operate dozens of brands, the fact that they can't run a few variations sucgh as Marshall Field's on State Street strongly suggests that Macy's management has a narrow range of talents.
Date: Monday, July 12, 2010 4:52 pm CT
Posted by: Michael Russell
Was at a dinner party Thursday night. Somehow Macy's got brought up. The comments were "the store is such a mess it looks like a thrift shop on a bad day." "Stores are filthy." "Low end merchandise" "Everything is exclude from coupons" We live in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, so we don't have a Macy's store. The closest is Appleton. Unfortunately the Macy's upper management doesn't realize that we all travel. None of the people will step into a Macy's store. They all go to Nordstrom's and Von Maur. It's not only people who live in communities that have a Macy's store, but thousands of people who travel to communities that have a Macy's store, that won't step one foot into these low end stores.
Wake up Macy's and give the people what they want. Style, quality, and service!!!
Date: Monday, July 12, 2010 3:45 pm CT
Posted by: Brian Betts
I have some memorabilia type items i'm thinking of parting with from the Marshall Fields stores. My father was the master carpenter for Marshall Fields in the 60s and 70s contracted by Pepper Construction. His base shop was located in basement of Old Orchard. My father also went to state Street to remodel the Walnut Room and build displays as well as traveling to the 3 other locations to build displays and do repairs. I have items such as solid red brass MF logos in the script style that are about 2 foot by 1 foot, and actual walnut from the walnut room when he and others remodeled it. I'd really have to look through all the stuff and make a list if theres any interest.
I was on this site trying to find out what year the Walnut Room was remodeled. I personally did work there for Pepper Construction in the late 80s on the walnut room and other floors.I was going to build a bar from all the wood but my rec room is now destine to become a playroom for the lil one. If anyone knows then the Walnut room went through its major facelift in the 60S or 70S let me know please. My father passed away a few years ago and i failed to ask him specific questions about the items. i just know the logo came from Old Orchard and the wood came from state street.
Date: Saturday, July 10, 2010 8:12 am CT
Posted by: Mark F
Dear Fields Fans - I have never been to Chicago or Marshall Fields but have followed this blog because of my own frustration with Messy's and their devastation of Jordan Marsh and Filene's in Boston.You are experiencing exactly what we saw here with Jordan Marsh. A department store of several floors above ground and a basement was whittled away to two above ground floors and a basement. The rest of the building is now office space. What remains is a dirty disorganized store with a handful of cashiers selling mediocre merchandise.
The beautiful historic Filene's department store across the street is now a shell - the interior has been gutted and the facade remains - because of a failed redevelopment.
A once vibrant downtown shopping district has become a disaster thanks to the folks at Messy's. I feel your pain.
Date: Friday, July 9, 2010 9:41 pm CT
Posted by: drew
You Chicagoland folks can bet your Marshall Field's charge card that macy*mart will definitely downsize your beloved State Street store--and probably some of the larger branches. The closing of the 9th floor is the start of changes to come. As more and more departments are dropped and selections within remaining departments are pared down, there is really no reason to maintain all the floor space. If you walk around the store, you will probably notice lots of empty spaces and wider expanses between merchandise displays.
As I have reported, the downtown Pittsburgh store operates 10 floors, but many sections have been closed off and former display alcoves are empty. Merchandise is spread thin to take up space. The store has recently been placed on the market with macy*mart offering to lease back space for their store. I am afraid the same fate awaits the Field's building.
It's obvious Terry has no desire to run a full service, well stocked department store and he envisions something like a typical mall store in every location. Evidently the "my macy*s" initiative has fallen by the wayside as the stores offer even fewer choices, less service, and nothing unique to attract shoppers. The only people who shop at macy*mart are those who stock up on the overabundance of clearance merchandise and those bargain hunters are those who keep the stores afloat.
Date: Friday, July 9, 2010 9:25 pm CT
Posted by: drew
Can't get enough of that "exclusive" Martha Stewart merchandise? Just stop by your local PetSmart which now has a large display of Martha Stewart pet supplies! Doggie brushes, combs and grooming tools with her signature robin's egg blue color handles are available, as are a wide assortment of dog collars and leashes.
Martha Stewart paints at Home Depot, Martha Stewart craft supplies at Michael's and walmart--and Martha Stewart linens, china and kitchen wares at macy*mart! If Mr Lunkhead was the "marketing genius" he fashions himself to be, he should have insisted that ALL Martha Stewart merchandise be sold at his lovely macy*mart. Since he dropped all the brand name home goods in favor of Martha, he should have made macy*mart the "exclusive" distributor of everything she licenses.
Since his vision of "America's department store" competes with JC Penney and Kohl's, Mr Lunkhead should diversify his merchandise offerings. I think Charter Club dog food, Alfani detergent and Tasso Elbo snack crackers should all be real winners.
Date: Friday, July 9, 2010 12:23 am CT
Posted by: Chris a
Just to save elctricity is such a waste to close the 9th floor. They really cannot do much with the store. Target tried to rent floors 10 and above and it did not work for them. It does make me sad to see the classy Field's furniture and accessories gone. Macy's had a special thing going with State Street and yet they are re not capitalizing on the store as a special store. They are trying to make it just like Herald Square. I say where is the MY Macy's program? IF they had any sense they would keep State Street special and make it a destination store for people all over to come and visit. They would rename it Macy's at Marshall Field's. The sales are getting better for them, but the State Street stores sales would excel much more if they made it a destination store which they are not. The idiot bean counters and Lundgren do not care they want to Wal-mart retail everywhere
Date: Thursday, July 8, 2010 3:12 pm CT
Posted by: C.J,
As someone below implied, a major way Macy's makes stores profitable is by relying on deferred maitenance and a skeleton-size floor staff. It's a strategy that doesn't work in the long run.
Date: Thursday, July 8, 2010 CT
Posted by: Jim McKay
Don P. is absolutely correct. In fact, it was under Taubman's ownership that it was shrunk down to five floors and then to three under May Department Stores. During that time, the Wannamaker flagship was also run under the Hecht's and Strawbrdge names. The basement was converted into parking.
It should be always kept in mind that even more prominent department stores like Wannamaker, Jordan Marsh and Filene's were deeply revered by the cities and tourists of the cities they served. However, none matched Marshall Field's in terms of historic importance to their cities and in terms of international reputation. In Chicago, we don't have all that colonial history and destinations that the likes of Boston, NYC and Philadelphia have. Instead, Chicago had Marshall Field's.
Regardless of who did what at Wannamaker's, it is Macy's that appears to be doing the same RIGHT NOW with the former Field's flagship on State Street. As I stated at the annual shareholders meeting this past May, since Macy's considers its management the most talented, it should have the talent to give what four out of five Chicago shoppers want at 111 N State St--Marshall Field's--while somehow also honoring the goals they have with Macy's. Rather than be utually exclusive, achieving such a goal would not only bring back Marshall Field's, it would also make Macy's much stronger.
Date: Thursday, July 8, 2010 12:07 am CT
Posted by: Don P
To Pete:
May Company had shrunk the John Wanamaker store to 3 floors years ago. Macy's inherited the store from Lord & Taylor in it's present state.
Date: Wednesday, July 7, 2010 4:14 pm CT
Posted by: C. C. Chicago
To Jeff S.: Horrors! I wonder what they plan to do with the 9th floor on State St. (Closing it could just be a way to save on the electricity bill.) They could cut some more staff, too.
I happened to walk into the store formerly known as Marshall Field's on State St. on Tuesday morning. Hey. NO ONE was working in the Hosiery Dept. on the first floor. NO ONE was working in the Scarves Dept., (or whatever that department is.) NOT A SINGLE register was opened in the south east corner of the store. I had a question about an item, but why bother?
I skipped the food courts and the Walnut Room. I had lunch at the Corner Bakery instead.
Date: Wednesday, July 7, 2010 2:15 pm CT
Posted by: A Field's Fan
Macy's releases June sales figured tomorrow, as do other retailers. Most retailers--not just Macy's--have been experiencing a huge drop in stock prices in the past couple of weeks.
It will be interesting to see how it goes.
Date: Tuesday, July 6, 2010 6:12 pm CT
Posted by: R.H.
We miss Marshall Field's.
Macy's doesn't compare.
Date: Tuesday, July 6, 2010 11:59 am CT
Posted by: Pete
Regarding the ninth floor:
I say it's all in their scheme. Macy's wants to flatten State Street down to three or four plans. They've done it at Wannamakers and Daytons and Famous Barr. They are planning the same here. It's all about bean counters.
Date: Tuesday, July 6, 2010 10:23 am CT
Posted by: F.D.
I'm glad to see this site.
Date: Monday, July 5, 2010 9:18 pm CT
Posted by: JimmY Gimbels
After all the hoopla about Organic Frango Mints and candy production returning to Chicago but not made with the original recipe), is Macy's phasing out Frango Mints? Once front and center at register displays and in the candy department, Frango mints now have a much smaller profile in the stores. Godiva products have prime display space throughout the stores. Frango Mints are now tucked away in housewares since the candy and food departments are now closed.
In several branches, the selection is limited to original mint flavor in the green 1 lb boxes. Gone are the flavors and well as the Frango-flavored teas, syrups and seasonal products.
Date: Monday, July 5, 2010 8:05 pm CT
Posted by: J.F.
Thanks so much! I plan to attend the rally on September 12th and want to get others involved!
Date: Monday, July 5, 2010 5:34 pm CT
Posted by: Kathy B.
I was glad to meet Field's promoters at the lakefront last night. Chicago needs Field's back. It was one of Chicago's best things.
Date: Monday, July 5, 2010 4:45 pm CT
Posted by: Brad H.
My wife and I received a handout about Marshall Field's coming back. Macy's made a big mistake getting rid of Field's. We come from Boston to visit family every other year. There's no reason to shop at Macy's in Chicago since we have them there, in too many places. When it was Field's, it was a tourist destination that we had to make.
Best of luck.
Date: Monday, July 5, 2010 1:20 pm CT
Posted by: Mary
Thank you for keeping on with this.
Date: Monday, July 5, 2010 11:20 am CT
Posted by: Jim McKay
We were sort of caught off guard when we passed out leaflets at Navy Pier yesterday evening, before the fireworks there.
We had a "clearance" of sorts, bringing along what amounted about at least 1,000 miscillaneous leaflets from the past couple of years--perhaps there were 1,100. I didn't expect that we would go through all of them. After all, we were about a mile from the nearest former Marshall Field location and it was the Fourth.
It turned out to be one of our top three leafleting events in the entire time FieldsFansChicago.org has existed. All of the leaflets were eagerly snapped up in about an hour. People came back from the crowd to get more leaflets or came up to us explaining that they saw someone else with the leaflet and they wanted their own. More than a few said that they planned to come out for a September protest. Even more said they missed Field's and it was a huge reason that they shopped Chicago and State Street.
The only leafleting days that had a faster rate of distribution were one or two of the Black Fridays and Saturday, December 23, 2006.
Clearly, Chicago still wants its Marshall Field's.
Special thanks to "gle" who got the ball rolling.
Date: Monday, July 5, 2010 9:31 am CT
Posted by: Me
Chicago and Marshall Field's! there's nothing like it! I received one of your brochures last night.
Date: Sunday, July 4, 2010 3:41 pm CT
Posted by: drew
Some retired friends enjoy taking bus trips during the summer. They haven't been to New York City for several years and decided to sign up for a trip this summer. When they were going over their itinerary, the agent told them their NYC trips no longer include shopping at the Red Star. The agent said people complained that "macy*s is everywhere," "that store is nothing special any more," "how would a souvenir gift from macy*s be a memento from New York when they are in any mall."
So the great marketing genius diluted the value of his own beloved 34th Street outlet by creating a nationwide brand. Bringing home a "gift" in a Red Star bag wouldn't be any more "exciting" than a purchase from walmart. A shopping bag and gift box from a well-known department store in another city would tell the recipient "I thought of you while I was away." A gift from the Red Star could say "I forget about getting something for you so I stopped by the mall on my way here."
The Red Star--you don't shop there when you are at home, why would you shop there when you are away?
Date: Sunday, July 4, 2010 10:01 am CT
Posted by: Susan NY
If the truth were to be known, this probably was the plan from the very start: to disembowel and sell off the flagship stores. After the honeymoon frolic, why spend money maintaining a bride you will consume and whose bones you will spit out?
I used to work on the 9th floor. It was not especially glamorous but it was full of good stuff. I cannot imagine the dead air, dust balls and ghosts drifting though the place. It breaks my heart.
If there were perfect justice in this world, Mr. Classy Lundgren would be condemned to do all his shopping at his Chicago flagship store, and live in an unmaintained 9th floor restroom, forevermore. His Macy's, no doubt about that.
We have Bernie, BP and Macy's--- between calamitous weather and our high caliber internal enemies we really don't need the services of terrorists. Thankfully there are also high caliber heroes amongst us as well.
Date: Saturday, July 3, 2010 6:19 pm CT
Posted by: Jeff S.
Last call for Memory Lane on the 9th Floor! Took my one last walk around the almost empty 9th Floor of the State Street Store today. If you want to see it for one last time, I'd encourage you to hurry. It is all cleared out except for the section that sells oriental rugs. After the rugs are moved down to "8" the 9th Floor will be but a memory of what was once a great department store.
Many, many years ago, this floor sold antique furniture, drapes, appliances such as washers, dryers, and then in the 50's and 60's it sold televisions, lawn furniture, etc. This was a floor basically dedicated to "things for the home".
It is interesting to note that the Executive Offices are still located on "9" as is the Event Center and Human Resources. They may get downsized and moved to a lower level; who knows.
Date: Friday, July 2, 2010 9:34 pm CT
Posted by: Jim McKay
Sunday, July 4, 2010
HELP US PASS OUT LEAFLETS & BUTTONS RIGHT BEFORE THIS SUNDAY'S FIREWORKS near NAVY PIER
This Sunday, July 4, Field's Suppoters will be out near Navy Pier from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm before the fireworks display distributing leaflets and buttons in support of the return of Marshall Field's.
If you would like to assist in the leafleting and button distribution, please email: INF O at FIELDSFANSCHICAGO dot ORG by Noon, this Sunday. Someone will contact you back via email or phone.
The parade will kick off at Noon near Belmont and Halsted.
Please note: There will also be leafleting and button distribution associated with Independence Day fireworks in Chicago, although such activities will be held at Navy Pier this year. Look for more details here.
Date: Friday, July 2, 2010 3:36 pm CT
Posted by: Andy Johnson
Macy's is further downsizing the former Dayton's flagship store in downtown Minneapolis. It looks like the entire 5th floor is being eliminated -- furniture and rugs are being discontinued and mattresses are being moved to the lower level. I've been extremely loyal to shopping downtown Minneapolis at Dayton's (and later the regional Marshall Fields which was essentially the same high-quality merchandise with a new name) but I've barely spent a dime since Macyfication took place a few years ago. So sad...
Date: Friday, July 2, 2010 10:34 am CT
Posted by: Jeff S.
Macy's no longer holds the title as having the world's biggest department store building. There is a store called Shengsae that took over that title in South Korea a few years ago!
Date: Thursday, July 1, 2010 7:34 pm CT
Posted by: Paul R.
Received info about this site at this past Sunday's gay pride parade on Halsted.
My partner and I will be at any events that you may have, whenever we can be there.
Date: Thursday, July 1, 2010 4:54 pm CT
Posted by: Pete
It was four sad years ago today that, very sadly, Fields.com became Macys.com and KeepItFields went on hiatus.
Date: Thursday, July 1, 2010 8:13 am CT
Posted by: drew
Further info on macy*mart's plan to sell its downtown Pittsburgh building:
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10182/1069555-28.stm
Since the store is three times the size of suburban locations, look for the downtown stores too be even LESS of an attraction since they will offer nothing more than a typical mall store.
Date: Wednesday, June 30, 2010 9:17 pm CT
Posted by: drew
Here's a link to another article about the landmark downtown Pittsburgh department store being sold by macy*mart:
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/business/s_688340.html
It's interesting that the ultimate question is how much space does the store want and for how long? If the company doesn't OWN the building, wouldn't it be easier just to close the store and walk away?
Audrey Guskey is a well-respected marketing professor at Duquesne University; she is often interviewed in the local media and is considered an expert in marketing. Dr. Guskey's comment that macy*mart's reception in Pittsburgh has been "lukewarm" is putting it kindly. If the downtown store was Kaufmann's sales leader for so many years, why is the new ownership seeking to downsize? Didn't Mr Lunkhead say people would just adore macy*s and forget about their regional department stores? Guess not.
It's a safe bet that macy*mart will soon announce plans to sell off their remaining downtown department stores and "lease" space in the buildings. I don't know anything about the Chicago real estate market, but I would think the former Marshall Field's building would be prime office space. Since so many departments have been eliminated and merchandise offerings have been trimmed, Mr Lunkhead and friends could easily consolidate the merchandise on fewer sales floors.
Date: Wednesday, June 30, 2010 7:37 pm CT
Posted by: Zelda
Hi Field's Fans,
I still miss Marshall Field's soooooo much! I felt a special pang today because I was watching an old classic movie on TV, "Sitting Pretty," with Clifton Webb as Mr. Belvedere. In the film, Robert Young is making a business trip to Chicago, and his wife, Maureen O'Hara, tells him to make sure and go to Marshall Field's to buy something. Then, as now, even after the store is gone, people have continually thought of Field's as being something really special about Chicago. It was the destination of vacationers, business travelers and all those who grew up with its traditions, its excellence, its great service. And right up until Macy's changed the name and quality level of the store, it still retained something of its original greatness, right up until 2009. Wouldn't we all love to have it back!
Continue the boycott, and, to paraphrase Winston Churchill, "never never never never give up."
Your Friend in Fields - Forever,
Zelda
Date: Wednesday, June 30, 2010 4:02 pm CT
Posted by: drew
I have reported several times about how the downtown Pittsburgh macy*mart has greatly reduced inventory and services. Today's Post-Gazette reports the building is up for sale and macy*mart will "lease" space:
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10181/1069346-100.stm
Want to bet that Mr Lunkhead will now try to sell ALL the downtown flagship stores and lease back a portion of the space? Some people have reported that departments in the former Chicago and Minneapolis stores are being moved downstairs, so I'm thinking this is the new way to show a profit--sell the stores, get rid of maintenance and upkeep costs, downsize the selling space and offer even less merchandise. The former downtown flagships will be "right-sized" to match the typical suburban store...nothing unique, distinctive or "exciting."
Date: Wednesday, June 30, 2010 9:21 am CT
Posted by: Jon C.
Absolutely fascinating. I'm sure you all will think the same after seeing this detailed website on historic regional department stores. The author, a currently unemployed architect who lives in Michigan, has superbly accomplished an ongoing tribute to department stores across the nation and Canada.
http://departmentstoremuseum.blogspot.com/2010/05/marshall-field-company-chicago.html
I enjoy all facets of the website, however the detailed floor-by-floor listing of merchandise is thoroughly interesting. Reading the "Second-Middle State" and "Fourth Holden Court" brings back memories of newspaper ads which indluded the precise floor areas to find the advertised pictured merchandise.
Be sure to check out the other regional department store links as well.
Date: Tuesday, June 29, 2010 8:34 pm CT
Posted by: D.B.
Good show on Sunday! Good show!
Date: Tuesday, June 29, 2010 3:27 pm CT
Posted by: gle
There was an interesting comment about Macy's in a "Chicago Tribune" article by "Associated Press" in relation to some changes China has announced regarding its currency:
"Stocks close down after China currency enthusiasm fades" June 21 by Associated Press
"The news from China hurt retailers because inexpensive imports from China would become more expensive. That could cut into earnings. Macy's Inc. fell 3.4 percent, while Wal-Mart Stores Inc. dr opped 1 percent"
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/la-fiw-markets-20100621,0,2559224.story
I'm not financially savvy enough to interpret the currency changes being made and certainly hold nothing against China, but I think the comment reflects on Macy's' reputation for being cheap.
Date: Tuesday, June 29, 2010 2:51 pm CT
Posted by: Sherrie T.
Hi. I miss Marshall Field's and I really don't like Macy's. I still have quote a few Marshall Field's bags and use them when I go out. I get a lot of comments about how they too miss the store and don't like Macy's.
Date: Tuesday, June 29, 2010 2:19 pm CT
Posted by: C. C. Chicago
I think it is getting increasingly difficult to shop without Marshall Field's on State Street. When will decent stores return to that Great Street?
Recently, I needed an evening dress for a big occasion. I went to the following stores: Carson's, another Carson's, Nordstrom, Filene's Basement, Lord & Taylor and Kohl's (just in case). I ended up having a dress shipped from a Boston Store in Milwaukee, and buying another back-up dress from Nordstrom (in case the first dress got lost.) That is just the dress. There is also the problem of finding a jacket, purse, shoes, etc., etc. to go with it.
I don't have time to spend eight hours a day shopping in all of these far flung stores. The whole time I just kept thinking: "If Marshall Field's were still here, I could just go downtown and find everything right there, like I did the last time when I needed a day formal dress for a wedding!"
Date: Tuesday, June 29, 2010 12:05 pm CT
Posted by: Richard in Houston
I was at our 25 year class reunion last weekend. Foley's takeover by Macy's came up. One of my old friends said her mother worked at Foley's customer service for years and, of course, now works for Macy's. She said it is just terrible for her mom. She made the comment that her mother told her little sister and her friends (in high school) that she could get them gifts from Macy's with her discount. They told her no way as they didnt want anything from Macy's. Goes to show you that Macy's has no only alienated all the former regional stores' clientele but also has failed in attracting the young, hip market they were supposedly targeting.
No one likes Macy's. I don't know how they are surviving in this climate.
Date: Tuesday, June 29, 2010 10:23 am CT
Posted by: Leslie F.
I have pride in Marshall Field and Company and what it did for Chicago. Macy's--ICK!
Date: Monday, June 28, 2010 11:45 pm CT
Posted by: John
Was at the picket on the day it became Macy's, 2006. Saw the signs for Field's to come back on ABC7's coverage of the Gay Pride Parade. Glad to see you guys still going.
It's criminal what Macy's did to that store!
Date: Monday, June 28, 2010 9:37 pm CT
Posted by: drew
I visited the downtown Pittsburgh macy*mart on Saturday. The display windows along Forbes Avenue were covered in BLACK curtains. The display windows along Smithfield Street featured fashions that most parents would forbid their daughters from wearing.
The main floor was clean, but badly in need of a coat of wax. The displays were neatly organized but merchandise was sparse, and there was ever more space between the fixtures. While the men's room on the second floor was clean, there were no paper towels in any of the dispensers. Fortunately I didn't have to use the rest room because the stalls had no seat covers or toilet paper in the dispensers.
Maintenance on the building has greatly diminished. I noticed several electrical outlets hanging out of the walls, cracked and chipped tiles, letters missing from signs (Cha_ter C_ub), filthy carpeting where display fixtures had been removed. Much of the Martha Stewart kitchen ware has been moved to the Arcade level from the upper floor. The upper floors feature even more wide open spaces than before and merchandise is spread thin. There were several display tables with boxes of glassware. On further inspection, I noticed that three tables were stacked with boxes of the exact same glassware--so much for selection and variety. I look for a major downsizing of the store because they are not merchandising all the floor space properly.
Although we haven't yet reached the Fourth of July, the downtown macy*mart had very limited assortments of summer shorts and tops. Lots of winter merchandise on clearance but not much one could wear on these hot, humid days. While Kaufmann's was often OVER stocked on merchandise, this store is pathetic in depth and breadth of selection.
Many of Kaufmann's long-time services (post office, snack counters, jewelry repair, Ticketmaster) have been discontinued. This store had the highest sales per square foot of all Kaufmann's stores, but macy*fication turned a winner into a loser.
Date: Monday, June 28, 2010 5:23 pm CT
Posted by: Mike H.
Viva Marshall Field's!!!!! How Chicago needs it's Marshall Field's!
Date: Monday, June 28, 2010 4:12 pm CT
Posted by: Alan G.
I saw the Marshall Field signs at the parade yesterday and it tears well up in my eyes. Is there a chance it can come back? If any store could come back, it would be Marshall Field's.
Good luck! I'm behind you!
Date: Monday, June 28, 2010 4:04 pm CT
Posted by: D.F.
Got a flyer at the Chicago Gay Pride Parade. I'm proud of myself and my city and Marshall Field and Company. I worked there in the 1980's, Macy's is not the same, 34th St store in NY not withstanding.
We need Marshall Field's!
Date: Monday, June 28, 2010 12:09 pm CT
Posted by: Pete
Watched the Pride Parade coverage on Channel 7 last night. Oh so cool to see the signs supporting the return of Marshall Field's in the background of all the floats. Good on all of you!
Date: Sunday, June 27, 2010 9:45 pm CT
Posted by: Saul
Good to see you people at the Pride today!
Date: Sunday, June 27, 2010 8:23 pm CT
Posted by: Jim McKay
Thanks to all of those who pased out leaflets and buttons at the Pride Parade today.
At least a couple of dozen people came up to us and asked to hold the signs we had while someone took their photo. There was not a heckler in the crowd.
Look for a new photo in our front/home page photo gallery.
Date: Sunday, June 27, 2010 10:17 am CT
Posted by: Carol H.
I am an American History teacher in Florida but was born and raised in Chicago. Our textbook pays tribute to the history of Marshall Fields by stating that it was the first modern department s tore concept in American.
I am PROUD to wear the Field's button. I have NOT entered a Macy's store since the name change and WILL NOT. In fact, my father and I traveled back to Chicago in September 09 and we walked pa st the Marshall Field's State Street store on the way to the lakefront. I can only say that I had tears in my eyes walking by.
Date: Sunday, June 27, 2010 9:32 am CT
Posted by: Paul F.
My name is Paul (F.) and I am a Chicago lover. I live in Prague, Czech Rep., but come often to the States. I have very fond memories of my four visits to Chicago within last couple of years when I was also introduced to the Marshall Field's department store story and people who love it. I follow Field's Fans on Twitter and am always glad to hear some news or see the community living.
I have to request three more of those buttons you offer. I have seen them in Chicago, my friend gave me one but I passed it on to another person, Donald Stoltenberg, who had lived in Chicago till the 50's and even did some graphic design work for Mr. Fields.
I would be very proud to wear your button and also give it to somebody who cares. Thank you so much for your enthusiasm.
Date: Sunday, June 27, 2010 9:30 am CT
Posted by: Pete
Today's Chicago Tribune has an ad for a rugs clearance at the State Street Store only. It seems that rugs are being moved down from the 9th floor to the 8th floor.
Is this a sign of Macy's further shrinking down the State Street store and eliminating things? I think so.
Date: Saturday, June 26, 2010 5:47 pm CT
Posted by: C.B.
In support of movement for bringing back Marshall Field's we proudly wear "I Want My Marshall Field's Back" buttons.
Date: Saturday, June 26, 2010 8:29 am CT
Posted by: GRA58
I was at Six Flags Great America yesterday, and saw that Six Flags Corp. had saved the Little Dipper roller coaster from the recently, and tragically, demolished Kiddieland. They had a plaque next to the ride's entrance describing how the coaster was built, how much it was loved by generations of Chicagoans, and how they were proud to now be the current owners and stewards of a piece of Chicago history and tradition. It really made me feel good. Here's a big corporation who sees value in preserving local color and cultivating customer good will. The line for the Little Dipper was really long too. Obviously a crowd pleaser. Contrast that against Macy's shut-up-and-do-what-you're-told attitude towards local color. "Perplexed" should take a look at what Six Flags did. That's a real piece of marketing genius, not an imagined one.
Date: Saturday, June 26, 2010 6:51 am CT
Posted by: Susan NY
Am I the only one tired of the fashion etc media requiring us to be "hot"? Sorry- the Madonna line looks as desperate as the rest of them and Madonna jr, at least in the provided image, looks like she wants to be somewhere else. Good idea.
And JRB: Yea! I always called it Field's even in the 60s but I agree- when I get serious it is still Marshall Field & Company. Familiarity breeds contempt. My Field's. No thrill in that-- we have a diminished Field's if I can possess it. (Actually I always regarded it as mine but in common ownership with countless others of varying tastes and resource, and no one had to remind me it was "mine.")
But then-- today we are instant buddies with total strangers, and few are called by a title and surname. Many, if not most, Americans have a historical abhorrence of someone appearing (or being) more important than themselves. Who but an American photographer (Liebovitz) would have the hubris to ask the Queen of England, posing in full regalia for an official royal portrait, if she would remove the crown? Net result: My Macy's. Well....not *mine.* I don't want it.
WE want OUR Marshall Field & Co.!
Date: Friday, June 25, 2010 6:36 am CT
Posted by: Ronald
I ride the Chicago L a lot when I past the Macy on State Street on the Wabash side of the building a piece of wood is covered a window that is broken and the company that does not care because people on the street can not see it and only people who ride the L could see it. In my opinion that we know Macy does not care about Marshall Field building and they are CHEAP.!
Date: Thursday, June 24, 2010 6:00 pm CT
Posted by: Jim McKay
Sunday, June 27, 2010
FIELD'S LOYALISTS at CHICAGO PRIDE PARADE
Fans of Marshall Field's run the gamut from conservative Republicans to leftwingers with 30 piercings, from the very wealthy to the kid who sent money from her lemonade stand to help fund our cause, and everyone in between.
This Sunday, a subset of Field's supporters plan to leaflet and pass out buttons at the Chicago Pride Parade. This will be the fourth year in a row. As of a couple of days ago, Macy's was not listed as participant in the Chicago parade as they were in 2008, but Macy's has been participating in other cities' similar parades so it's possible Macy's will be there this year. Or maybe not.
Regardless, some Field's supporters will be there.
If you would like to assist in the leafleting, button distribution, and the carrying of a sign, please email: INFO at FIELDSFANSCHICAGO dot ORG Someone will contact you back via email or phone. The leaflets, from what I have seen, are quite interesting and classy, talking about the history of Marshall Field's.
The parade will kick off at Noon near Belmont and Halsted.
Please note: There will also be leafleting and button distribution associated with Independence Day fireworks in Chicago, although such activities will be held at Navy Pier this year. Look for more details here.
Date: Wednesday, June 23, 2010 8:11 am ET
Posted by: gle
Another has-been "celebrity" fashion line launches "exclusively" at macy*mart:
No doubt Madonna and her daughter have wide appeal to female teens--especially those who enjoy "oldies" radio.
Date: Tuesday, June 22, 2010 4:45 pm CT
Posted by: Richard in Houston
I have compiled some old commercials from Marshall Fields and other regional stores that will bring back the uniqueness we used to have for each region:
Field's
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qx1GOmUyM2k&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NORB7KOiqU&NR=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bls23ycDQeA
Foley's
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7zlsr_foleys-department-store_lifestyle
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QDuwtsYz6g&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orI24F4c5g8&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEcCPq2m_cg&feature=related
Joske's
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4ajek_joske-s-department-store
Bamberger's
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpg9fzlUqns&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJ2yt7TiYio&feature=related
Gayfer's
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2e2xb_gayfers
Gimbel's
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ChbWTPHE9Y&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNVllkbUspI&feature=related
Jordan Marsh
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZGk5tkyl5M
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lz8WxiILMwY
Lazarus
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHPZlik14aA
Robinson's
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4e0Il1PbAfI&feature=related
May Company
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4e0Il1PbAfI&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_ClCChFAX0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZcv3UTBkGU&feature=related
Sakowitz Houston
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOkWfOPBofs&feature=digest
Sanger-Harris
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BF4kJSC9hTI
The Broadway
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8gww-mbwns
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gG4G3ezOMKc
Vintage Saks Fifth Avenue Commercials
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIJQ57mT4RQ&NR=1
Date: Sunday, June 20, 2010 1:54 pm CT
Posted by: gle
I notice the State Street store windows (the ones displaying all the perfume and cosmetic bottles) have the theme DISCOVER beauty at Macy's. You got to be kidding!
Date: Friday, June 18, 2010 1:50 am CT
Posted by: PL
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!
Date: Wednesday, June 16, 2010 1:26 pm CT
Posted by: Jon C
For all Fans of Marshall Field's and regional department stores - - -
If you read only one book this year, I highly recommend this one:
THE GRAND EMPORIUMS - Am Illustrated History of America's Great Department Stores
by Robert Hendrickson
Stein and Day, Publishers
Scarbough House
Briarcliff Manor, N.Y. 10510
Copyright 1979
488 pages
I bought it in hard-bound over twenty years ago on Amazon.com. Every few years I pull it out, read it over again, and still learn things about what made America's large, medium-sized and smaller department stores so very great.
Enjoy!
Date: Tuesday, June 15, 2010 1:26 pm CT
Posted by: gle
I just checked out the State Street store about 12:30 p.m. on a pleasant Tuesday afternoon.
What stood out to me:
Various cosmetics are on display in the State Street windows.
Displays in the aisles almost obstruct anyone trying to walk through, but that's not what immediately catches my eye on entering the store. Dirty, cracked floors are still the first thing I see.
Balsa wood airplanes still dangle under the Tiffany dome.
A large American flag hangs at the north end of the first floor. A sign does give Marshall Field's credit for originating the flag tradition at the store.
"Hero" specials for Fathers' Day included white underwear. (Didn't a person used to give Dad a nice tie?)
An up escalator is broken between the 5th and 6th floors.
I noted 8 tables of "statistics" eating in the Walnut Room around a simple floral centerpiece, with about 3 tables occupied by the rear windows. There was no line during peak lunch hour.
The Frango Cafe next door was less than half full.
A general laid-back unkemptness seemed to cheapen everything in the store, even such merchandise as sparkling jewelry.
I checked out Sears down the street for comparison. The shiny clean (uncracked) floors, air conditioning, and general airy cleanliness made it feel like the more upscale store.
I still don't understand Messy's attitude. It appears so obvious they don't love the place, but still expect everyone else to regard it as a #1 celebrity trend. Customers can't help what they see. I guess we just don't have those rosy-colored Messy's sun glasses.
Date: Tuesday, June 15, 2010 6:26 am CT
Posted by: J.S.
I think what you are doing is great, keep up the awesome job.
Thank You.
Date: Sunday, June 13, 2010 1:56 pm CT
Posted by: gle
GO HAWKS, GO FIELD'S, GO CHICAGO!
I watched coverage of the Hawks victory on Friday, and thought about how Chicago loves our winners. The Hawks are winners. Marshall Field's is still a winner over Messy's as a shopping preference. If Field's were to come back, there would be a big celebration and people might have to even take a number to get into the building.
I also attended a large neighborhood festival over the weekend, and had several conversations with passionate Field's supporters who noticed to my "I want my Marshall Field's" button. Chicago knows a winner and knows Field's is still a winner. We would love to have another reason to celebrate by having Field's return as our # 1 store.
Date: Saturday, June 12, 2010 12:34 pm CT
Posted by: Field's Fan
Maybe the author is too hard on this mistake...but geez, it shows how mad people are that Marshall Field's is gone.
Date: Friday, June 11, 2010 1:56 pm CT
Posted by: Jeff S.
Was visiting the Oak Brook Store last evening. Very quiet and not busy at all. They are preparing for "changes" such as luggage going up on 3. Children's clothing coming down to the basement. The Food Court moving across the aisle. Seems business is so slow, the 3rd floor could be completely closed off and no one would notice!Also, of note, the Oak Brook Store was designed by the man who also would construct the Cozy Cloud Cottage every year at Christmas!
Date: Friday, June 11, 2010 9:27 am CT
Posted by: gle
Chicago loves a winner. The Hawks are our winners. Marshall Field's is still our winner in shopping preferences over Messy's. If Field's returned to State Street, there would have to be a rally for the store as well. Just imagine it! Chicagoans are the most loyal fans in the word. GO HAWKS, GO FIELD'S, GO CHICAGO!.
Date: Thursday, June 10, 2010 2:09 pm CT
Posted by: Katie
We are looking forward to this year's rally for Marshall Field's and Chicago. We are coming out with a book all about Marshall Field's in the coming months and plan to release it around the time of the rally.
Date: Thursday, June 10, 2010 12:22 pm CT
Posted by: Nina
Several years ago I did some holiday shopping at the Marshall Field's in Lake Forest, just a short walk from the downtown Metra station. I was in the area last weekend and had "mixed feelings" about the current fate of the Field's store.
Good News: It's not a Macy's. According to the locals, Macy's tried and failed to make a "go" of the locatoin.
Not-so-good news: The building is currently occupied by J. Crew and a cosmetics store. Couldn't a town like Lake Forest find some "classier" emporia to occupy this beautiful space (which still bears the Marshall Field's signs on the exterior, like State Street, but no clocks)?
Response from the webmaster:
I must respectfully disagree. I don't see any good news. I think it's sad that the store as Marshall Field's is gone.
Date: Wednesday, June 9, 2010 11:13 pm CT
Posted by: J.R.B.
I visit your web page a few times a year to see what is happening, and today, I added our name to you email newsletter list. I left Arlington Heights ( not quite a suburb then) in 1958 to go to college and became a Chicago visitor after that. Marshall Field was special in every way, and a high point at Christmas and for back-to-school shopping. The crowds were awful, but who cared; is was like a fantasy. My grandparents lived on North Dearborn Parkway and we would ride the subway directly to the Marshall Field station. Later, the store for men on Wabash was a stopping point each time I returned. Our family Christmas tree has Uncle Mistletoe, Aunt Holly, Fred and Marcia ornaments from a trip with our then six-year old daughter in 1981.
I am writing to ask you to consider something more: The name "Marshall Field's" irritates me almost as much as Macy's. The elegant grand name "Marshall Field & Company" was the elegant grand store in my memory. We always referred to it a Marshall Field, never Marshal Field's or Field's. I believe the 's came about when the Dayton-Hudson stores acquired the company because their stores were marketed as Dayton's and Hudson's.
So, my plea is not to go back just to the Marshall Field's era, but recapture the true nature of the enterprise with its more prestigious earlier name. Neiman Marcus is not Neiman Marcus's, Von Maur has no 's
Date: Wednesday, June 9, 2010 1:20 pm CT
Posted by: Michael M.
Boy that (perplexed) comment sure seemed bothered by us kooks blathering on about Macy's......If we've hit a nerve than you guys at Macy's corporate are really getting paranoid or maybe us whackjobs are starting to make some progress.......either way Terry you are just rearranginging the deck chairs on the Titanic my friend. The Fields name means so much I am confident someone will buy it in the chapter 11 proceedings
Date: Tuesday, June 8, 2010 10:23 pm CT
Posted by: A Field's Fan
I came across this story from five years ago (July 30, 2005) from the AP.
It's interesting to note the hesitancy in Terry Lundgren's comments. Field's CEO Frank Guzetta's sounds outright opposed to Field's being replaced. Guzetta was brought in as the CEO of Field's under the short ownership by May Department Stores of around only 15 months.
Later, of course, Guzetta had the job of convincing Field's customers that Macy's was just as good. In November 2007, he was quoted as saying that Macy's was no longer interested in courting Field's customers and that Macy's was looking for new customers. At the time, it seemed snarky; now it seems that he was simply speaking the truth. A few months later, after Christmas 2007, Guzetta retired. He since came out of retirement to head up Ralph Lauren.
It seems to me as if, in retrospect, that Guzetta was pushed out in part for not drinking the Macy's Kool-Aid about Field's.
Here's the story:
Marshall Field's stores to keep their name -- for now
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Marshall Field's department stores will keep their venerated name, for now at least.
Terry Lundgren, chairman and chief executive of parent company Federated Department Stores Inc., said Thursday the company will survey customers before making a decision later this year about whether to put its Macy's nameplate on Marshall Field's stores.
"Certainly, there is something different about Marshall Field's," Lundgren said in an interview with the Star Tribune. "It's a long-established name, particularly in the Chicago market ... and we need to talk to a broad range of customers before we make a decision."
The newspaper said Lundgren's comments kept alive the possibility that Federated will preserve Marshall Field's headquarters in downtown Minneapolis, where about 1,500 to 2,000 people work for the company.
"(Marshall Field's) doesn't fit the mold of Macy's. It doesn't fit the mold of Bloomingdale's," said Frank Guzzetta, president and chief executive of Marshall Field's. "It has remained a stronger part of the local retail scene than some of the other department store chains. ... In the final analysis, I think the decision will be made to keep the brand."
Cincinnati-based Federated is paying $11 billion for May Department Stores Co., which owns Marshall Field's and its 62 stores. Federated said Thursday it plans to convert 10 department store chains it bought from May into Macy's, nearly doubling the size of Macy's to 730 stores nationwide. Shareholders of both companies approved the takeover this month. Federated expects the deal to close in the third quarter, following completion of regulatory review.
"It was just about everyone's assumption that the Marshall Field's (name) would not survive" the acquisition, said Jim McComb, a Minneapolis retail consultant. "Now, I say it's not out of the realm of possibility that the name will remain."
On Tuesday, Nick Potts, 25, of Minneapolis, launched a Web site created "with the intention of preserving the Marshall Field's trade name for future generations." Nearly 2,400 people have added their names to a petition on the site pledging to take their business elsewhere if Federated changes the Marshall Field's name to Macy's or Bloomingdale's.
Date: Tuesday, 8, 2010 4:32 pm CT
Posted by: Pete
Even if Macy's is profitable, it could do a lot better by bringing back Marshall Field's to State Street. There is pent up demand as someone said.
Date: Tuesday, June 8, 2010 6:29 am CT
Posted by: Steve
Make your own model Marshall Field's truck
http://www.freewebs.com/jlrev/Marshall%20Field%20&%20Company%20Delivery%20Van.bmp
Date: Monday, June 7, 2010 8:48 pm CT
Posted by: Reginald R.
Drew and so many others are correct when they write about the current "sameness" of shopping malls from city to city, state to state because of the "macy-ification of the U.S. It used to be that every city or region had its own "local" name department store. When I was visiting a city on business or a vacation, I would be drawn as I drove on an Interstate highway or busy street near a mall. I would "stop and pull-in" when I saw an anchor department store with a "new" and different name than what I had been used to shopping back home.
Now there is no compelling reason to take time to shop a mall with the regularly common Sears, JCPenney and macy*s. I just drive right on. In the past I would have stopped out of curiousity and spent an hour or two, and spent several hundred dollars. It's the "something-different" name, especially the famous, legendary Marshall Field name that would immediately get my attention. Mr. Lundgren has ruined shopping for millions by making everything macy*s.
No more Foley's, Jordan Marsh, Filene's, Woodward & Lothrop, Hecht's, Burdine's, Liberty House, Bon Marche, Jones Store, Famous-Barr, Kaufmann's, Strawbridge's, John Wanamaker's, Robinson's..and most of all, Marshall Field's to add some excitement to shopping a different store. I'm sure shopping center owners and management firms do not like the macy-ification one bit, and are suffering as a result. Just think of the small shops inside the malls that are missing out because of the absence of a strong magnetic anchor to draw the customers inside the malls!
I'm with you all in your quest to bring back Marshall Field's and the regional department stores not only in name, but in uniqueness, guest service, selection and style.
Date: Monday, June 7, 2010 7:06 pm CT
Posted by: susan wilgus
A friend of mine has 2 4-drawer file cabinets that formerly belonged to the executive offices of Marshall Field's. Are there any collectors who might be interested? Reply to Swilgus AT Ameritech DOT net.
Date: Monday, June 7, 2010 6:50 pm CT
Posted by: Rick
From time to time I've read your emails. I too miss the various department stores. I'd like to shed a little light on your comment about The Drake Hotel. In the 1960s TWA purchased the international operation of Hilton Hotels. Hilton International also owned a few properties in the United States, but was prohibited from branding them Hilton. The only exception was the former Kahala Hilton in Hawaii. Similarly, the Hilton Hotels Corp was prohibited from using the name Hilton outside the United States.
Since The Drake was onwned and operated by the Hilton International it was never permitted to use the Hilton name, even though it used the Hilton reservation system. Hilton Hotels even had different booking codes HH & HL.
In efforts to expand their markets, Hilton Hotels created the Conrad International brand for hotels outside the US. Likewise Hilton International created the Vista International brand for properties in the US.
In 2005 Hilton Hotels re-acquired Hilton International from its then British owners consolidating the two companies with similar brand names.
It's fairly common for well known exsisting hotels not to carry the chain's name on the door like the Drake, Waldorf-Astoria, Beverly Wilshire, but that also is changing.
It's too bad it didn't stay that way in retail with Dillard's, Belk & Macy's dropping all the familiar names.
Date: Sunday, June 6, 2010 4:45 pm CT
Posted by: A news reader
What I don't understand is how any time Macy's sales inch up a notch, Lundgren crows like the public is supposed to take it as a sign of success. A June 3, 2010 press release from Macy's official website www.macysinc.com boasts:
"Macy's, Inc. same store sales up 1.4% in May"
http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=84477&p=RssLanding&cat=news&id=1434008
The release also quotes Lundgren as saying, "... same-store sales in May would have been up by approximately 5 percent were it not for the later Memorial Day, which shifted the Sunday and Monday of the holiday weekend by one week into the June reporting period this year from the May reporting period last year," [HUH, blame Memorial Day because sales weren't even higher?]
Yet a June 4, 2010 "Tribune" article reports that Macy's stock fell 6.5 percent and stated "Retailers were among the hardest hit stocks after investors bet that a weak job market would discourage consumers from spending."
"Stock plunge to 4-month low on disappointing employment report and and drop in Euro; Dow falls 323" June 4, 2010 by Stephen Bernard, AP business writer
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/sns-ap-us-wall-street,0,7695507.story
Then, a most recent Macy's story from several news sources is about a guy who breaks a record by applying lipstick to a bunch of women at Macy's. Who cares? The only time I ever see crowds at Macy's on State is when there is a free give-a-way such as that. They don't all come pouring in the next day after the give-a-way.
There are those who say Marshall Field's isn't coming back, as if people should shop at Macy's because we're stuck with it. I don't see that as a reason to shop anyplace. If all a store can do to attract crowds is apply free lipstick, it doesn't say much.
It still makes more sense to me if 81 percent of a bunch of shoppers would rather shop at Marshall Field's than Macy's. Marshall Field's did have more than free lipstick and trendy junk that actually doesn't appeal to much of Chicago.
Date: Sunday, June 6, 2010 8:42 am CT
Posted by: GRA58
Hey "Perplexed": How do you square your claim of "marketing genius" with a $5.4 billion write-off of goodwill in early 2009?
Some genius.
Date: Sunday, June 6, 2010 6:21 am CT
Posted by: Susan NY
Wellll- we have to travel an hour minimum to get past the Walmart orbit. Finally got to a Bon Ton last week. THAT was depressing. I don't know what is going on there but it was scantily stocked and unkempt- there was even lots of open space (BT has always been way overcrowded). The counters for jewelry were all but empty, replaced by tacky freestanding units apparently bought that way complete with merch. My husband could not obtain short-sleeved cotton shirts at Penney's and we didn't bother with Macy's. He found some underwear at BT, squirreled in a disorderly display unit missing lots of its formica veneer, like its neighbors. Long ago BT replaced its shoe department with storage shelving, a complete DIY thing which I detest, especially since I do not care to shop at Shoos-R-Us. The one checkout station by the main external entry was closed (mid-day) by the time my husband got there, and he finally located someone at the cosmetic counter to take care of it. The girl at the shoe cash register had an air of desperate pleasantry, she had little to do and certainly was not tidying up the shoe boxes on their shelves. After the girl at the checkout station left, I think those were the only 2 employees left in the store and maybe about 6 shoppers besides us. It sure looks like that place is dying. Do I want to go back? Nope. We went there for brands, BTW.
We went out of our way to shop in a real store but it was hardly worth the effort. Even at a languishing new strip mall near the large mall, at a Jos. Banks, my husband had no luck with shirts; he finally purchased some online out of desperation. We prefer to buy what we can see and touch first, but it is becoming necessary to buy from catalog/internet.
Is this all there is? If this is an indicator of our national mercantile/cultural health we are in big trouble.
I keep calling it a cultural issue because it is or we would not be so upset with the way things are going.
Date: Saturday, June 5, 2010 11:00 pm CT
Posted by: A Field's Fan
"The Consumerist" features an item on how Macy's and Estee Lauder set a record for most lipstick applications in an hour. The Consumerist astutely notes that the other record is the record number of Chicgo shoppers Macy's has, as they put it, "pissed off" by replacing Field's with Macy's.
There have been several responses there, long before the item was posted here. It's not just a thing with person or two at this website. EVERYONE wants Marshall Field's to come back. Be sure to leave your own comments.
Date: Saturday, June 5, 2010 2:07 pm CT
Posted by: Donna K.
I was so happy to have Marshall Fields come to Columbus, Ohio when it did. I loved the store in Chicago and was thrilled that it had become part of my community. When Marshall Fields left, I was extremely upset. It's departure meant the departure of quality merchandise, quality employees, and a store that really knew what customer service meant. The merchandise carried at Macy's is inferior, the staff are not informed in their line of merchandise (when you can find them), the store is over crowded with merchandise that is topsy-turvey in the aisles and the shopping experience is not a pleasant one. I really would like to see Marshall Fields return. I currently shop at Von Maur or Dillard's but must go out of town to shop at Dillard's. It would be wonderful if Marshall Field's would return!
Date: Saturday, June 5, 2010 12:04 pm CT
Posted by: Bruce Allen Kopytek
Thank you for keeping the idea of Marshall Field & Company alive!
As a frequent visitor to Chicago when I was younger, I learned how special Marshall Field & Company was. What has since transpired is a shame.
The history and unique nature of many of America's best stores should not be forgotten. If you would like to share a little of this history, please visit:
http://departmentstoremuseum.blogspot.com/2010/05/welcome-to-museum.html
I have acquired a lot of information and material about department stores, and am always looking for more. The Field's exhibit is by far the most comprehensive in the "museum," and I encourage all "Field's Fans" to check it out. remember, though, the whole thing is a "work in progress" and I hope to embellish it more . . . soon, I hope to post some photos of the store's classy 1970s First Floor remodel.
Best wishes!
Date: Saturday, June 5, 2010 9:24 am CT
Posted by: RichW
I just read the post from "Perplexed" in metro Cincinnati, which is where Federated/M*cy-mart corporate headquarters are. Unfortunately, the person is "Delusional" based on the content of the comment. This site is about much more than Chicago people wanted a Chicago icon back. I am a New Yorker. My first job was working for Macy's in NY when it was a much better run department store and not a national chain store. This is about the loss of national treasure. I loved shopping in Marshall Field's in Chicago. It was like shopping Harrod's in London- surprising and adventurous- AND CLASSY. I loved shopping at A&S in Brooklyn, Filene's and Jordan Marsh in upstate NY, Burdine's in Florida. All those stores are gone now, replaced by a cookie cutter store with absolutely no differentiation from its own stores across the country (big deal that in Florida they bring in short sleeves and shorts yearround- Penney's, Sears and Target have done that for decades) and no product differentiation from its competitors (Kohl's and Penney's). I will say that Kohl's, Penney's and Target keep clean stores, well stocked fixtures and sufficient customer service associates. THOSE are key points where the new national m*cy-mart clearly is lacking. One other comment- IMagnin was indeed a major department store as everyone in SF knows. It was not a small specialty store. Chicago had a nice sized IMagnin on Michigan Avenue. I think this "perplexed" person needs to do some homework, not only on the history of the department store- but on brand management. Everyone in Omaha is "perplexed" as to why m*acy-mart runs tv ads all day here and there is not one store here closer than a 3.5 hour drive. Then again, Lunkhead&Co do not seem to be very smart about the way they run their business (into the ground). I still will never spend a penny at a m*cy-mart or bloomingdale's store again. The cards were chopped up long ago. Any gifts from there are immediately returned. Keep up the fight!!!
Date: Friday, June 4, 2010 12:55 pm CT
Posted by: Jim McKay
When I attended Macy's annual shareholder meeting three weeks ago, my ears perked up when I heard a former director at Hilton Hotels, Mr. Stephen Bollerbach, introduced as Macy's, Inc.'s "Non-Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors."
Hilton owns about ten brands of hotels with certain back-room functions that tie-in for efficiency; at the same time, clearly Hilton maximizes its profits by maintaining hotels' distinctive identies where it makes sense. It's what customers want.
A prime example of this is the Palmer House Hilton.
Or consider the Hilton Hotel that is still run as "The Drake."
These are Hilton Hotels which not only retain their names, but also have distinctive personalities while still operating certain aspects centralized under the Hilton division of Hilton.
I think this makes perfect sense in the case of Marshall Field's on State Street, although in some ways I would see Field's be a class akin to Hilton's Waldorf Astoria or Conrad.
And considering Mr. Bollerbach's relationship with Macy's, it's clear that Macy's has access to someone who could offer substantial advisement and experience in successfully pulling that off.
It's very doable, it's what four out of five Chicago shoppers want, and Macy's made it very clear at the sharehoilders meeting that they are all about giveing customers what they want-they want "My Marshall Field's."
Date: Friday, June 4, 2010 11:14 am CT
Posted by: D.
I grew up in Chicago and love Marshall Fields. I moved to the east coast where I became a Macy's employee for ten years. I was so devastated that Macy's was taking away our beloved Marshall Fields.
I since lost my job due to cut backs. I still go back home to Chicago and I miss My Marshall Fields. I remember as a child going to Marshall Fields to look at the best Christmas windows ever. Mom would take me into the toys department and I would love to see the beautiful dolls on display. Oh how I miss them.
Living on the east coast and working at Macy's people would come in to shop and tell how they missed Jordan Marsh Department store. I didn't understand until it happened to My Marshall Fields. I had never shopped in a Jordan Marsh store but realized what they missed.
Even though I worked for Macy's I couldn't understand how they could take our Marshall Fields away. I am thankful that they did keep the yummy Frango Mints.
I would be so proud to display the "I Want My Marshall Field's" button. Letting people in the east know how I miss Marshall Fields.
Date: Wednesday, June 2, 2010 6:13 am CT
Posted by: Joanne Rodriguez
I, JUST LIKE SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE WANT MARSHALL FIELD'S DEPARTMENTSTORE TO RETURN TO THE WONDERFUL STATE STREET AND THE WONDERFUL
MICHIGAN AVENUE IN CHICAGO. I WANT MARSHALL FIELD'S DEPARTMENT STORE TO RETURN WHEREEVER THERE WAS A MARSHALL FIELD'S DEPARTMENT STORE.
I AND EVERYONE LOVES MARSHALL FIELD'S.
MARSHALL FIELD'S DEPARTMENT STORES COME BACK SOON. WE (THE PEOPLES
IN CHICAGO AND EVERYWHERE LOVE THIS STORE. MARSHALL FIELD'S DEPARTMENT STORE YOU ARE THE GREATEST STORE IN THE WORLD. WE ALSO LOVE CARSON PIRIE SCOTT, SEARS AND ALL THE CHICAGO STORES.
COME BACK SOON, MARSHALL FIELD'S. WE MISS YOU.
MARSCHALL FIELD SENIOR.THE FOUNDER OF MARSHALL FIELD
S DEPARTMENT STORES, ALSO IS GREAT.
Date: Tuesday, June 1, 2010 6:13 am CT
Posted by: K Anderson
To Perplexed in Metro Cincinatti.... You almost fooled me for a moment there Terry! ;-)
I post on here is because in today's world choices are dwindling! Banks swallowing other banks... Airlines....Automakers etc. But in retailing I understand certain stores don't fit today's clientele but what I miss and Macys/Federated has dropped the ball is the uniqueness of a store in different city! I remember there was a time when I air travel and at the airport one can tell where one was coming from with the shopping bags! Federated had stores with strong ties to their communities and I can tell you living in Florida... There isn't a day go by I hear I miss Burdines! So
I can imagine that is said in the midwest of Marshall Fields! What Macys should of done of the historic Department Stores like Marshall Fields, John Wanamakers, Strawbridge and Clothier, Richs and others is have that one flagship store with a unique. Go to other countries and see how Department Stores are operated! When I was in London there were so many choices with stores Harrods,Selfridges,Debenhams,Marks and Spencer and in Tokyo it was Seibu and a dozen other I can't pronounce! But here in the states the choices are dwindling and they are stale! We don't need another national retailer like Sears and Penneys! Macys is trying to force the public to accept it! They don't know who they are! Some Macys are trying to compete with Nordstrom and there are others that looked like a Low tier Penneys Store and that's what is so upsetting! Sure CIncinatti they are making money but they have lost the respect a long time ago! Let's see if they can cash that check in the future!!!!
Date: Monday, May 31, 2010 CT
Posted by: Jim McKay
I'm not so sure I concur with all of the specific examples that Jimmy Gimbels offers in his post below.
Could the stores now be profitable...more than when they were Field's? So they say...however, it reminds me of when I was in College on a tight food budget. Yes, I cut my grocery bill to $20 a week --how great is that? The problem was that in the longer term it was not sustainable and detrimental to my health. If I ate better, I would have had a lot better health and more energy to do more.
I think that might be what's going on at more than a few of the former Marshall Field's stores in Chicago. Sure, they have slashed so much that they could be doint better in the short term--but I don't think it is sustainable nor good for Macy's long-term corporate health.
Regardless of the current situation, the fact that four out of five Chicago shoppers have a preference for Marshall Field's says that Macy's could be doing so much better if they gave the customers what they wanted.
Date: Monday, May 31, 2010 6:34 pm CT
Posted by: Jimmy Gimbels
Dear PERPLEXED:
What you need to understand is everything those wacky folks at Macy's tell the press is just SPIN. It is pure PUFFERY. Transparent sales figures are never released...apples are compared with oranges. Consumer reporters at the Trib and Sun Times run the press releases line by line because they are just too lazy to check the facts. One thing that Macy's does well is spin a good story.
Example: Macy's claims that they do not rely on coupons. True. But only becuase Macy's call them "shopping passes."
Example: Macy's claims sales in the Chicago region are better than ever. True. But compared to what? Field's? NO. Compared to their own drastically reduced sales plans. Go to a Macy's store in the Chicago area and it is always lower on the shopper count than any other department store in the mall. Count shopping bags: you will see fewer with that red star on the side.
Macy's needs gimmicks to bring people in. A $2000 necklace for $99. Seriously. Comparing a Style & Co. blouse to a Lauren blouse to get a compared to price of $65..now $19.99. Macy's has lost several large law suits during the past five years for misleading ads featuring pretend regular prices and "compared to" prices. Read all the fine print at the bottom of ads and in the mailers.
Macy's market is the bargain shopper who accepts price over value and quality. Trouble is, their lower to middle class demogrpahic will only do trade when Macy's has a sale. We call them "rainy day shoppers."
You will be hard pressed to find a person who looks to Macy's for fashion and quality....or service.
Date: Monday, May 31, 2010 6:46 am CT
Posted by: Susan NY
Oh my! Perplexed thinks this site is hateful? He or she must not have visited very many other sites and blogs- I find many which you would expect to do better, dripping with venom and obscenities at least in the comments. But then some people feel hated if another disagrees with them. In describing the mood of this site I would use the words "disdain," "disappointment," and "disgruntlement," which you must expect from people who have been given stones for loaves and have been required to like it. Why praise the giver of stones?
Why is it genius to homogenize? What is so compelling about a mediocre store you find everywhere, one among many?
What we are being told is that someone has decided there is no more room in this nation for a Marshall Field's and its ilk. That life has changed, and we no longer can support what was meaningful through world wars and the Great Depression. That a youthful middle class requiring granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, bedroom suites, wireless internet, and 2 SUVs cannot and will not have anything to do with top-rate shopping.
The role of tradition is a topic too deep to discuss here, but dismissing something as "traditional" is not a persuasive argument against it.
Where are Perplexed's "sitations"?
Date: Monday, May 31, 2010 12:55 am CT
Posted by: Robert
In reguard to the comment by perplexed I wouldn't say going to market with one world wide name is marketing genius J.C.Penny did that already.Just keeping Fields on State which was a top tourist destination, that would have been marketing genius. Visitors to Chicago would have continued to flock to it instead of seeing it as just another macys.
Date: Sunday, May 30, 2010 10:41 pm CT
Posted by: Stephen G.
Walked thru a local suburban Macy's this weekend while accompaning my wife to her new favorite store for everyday cloths (after MF became Macy's obviously) Coldwater Creek. While walking thru Macy's, I stopped in the men's dept. looking for a couple of new summer items (comparable to Field Gear), and asked the sales person what was being sold differently in this store than stores in any other city...i.e., what was the "My Macy's" promotion giving the Chicago market different from say NYC? The clerk could not answer the question nor could the co-worker he consulted. Looked around for a few minutes but saw basically the same stuff avaialable at stores throught the mall; some marketed under the same brand name as other stores, some with the exclusive Macy brands. Clerks were nice, but merchandise was comparable to Penny's, and much at higher prices. Macy's needs to do a better job explalining what they are exactly selling in each city that defines it as a "MY MACY's" destination. What exactly is State Street selling different form the "Worlds Largest Store" on Herald Square that Chicago (as well as tourist) shoppers REALLY want to buy? One example, where is the "Field Gear" of MF quality for both men and women that should be uniquely marketed in the Chicago area? "My Macy's" is a mystery to me!
Date: Sunday, May 30, 2010 9:33 pm CT
Posted by: R. H.
The poster "Perplexed in Cincinnati" seems to me like an employee of Macy's. The arrogance ladened synopsis puts Macy's at the forefront of "saving the department store" with Lundgren as the white knight. To say this is a hate-generating blog is incorrect. There are positive comments about other quality department stores (the few left) like Nordtroms, Von Maur, Saks Fifth Avenue, Lord & Taylor and Dillards. Simply because we disagree with the Macyfication of America does not mean we are hate mongers.
Date: Sunday, May 30, 2010 8:52 pm CT
Posted by: L.A.K.
Good luck with the campaign
Date: Saturday, May 29, 2010 9:52 pm CT
Posted by: Jimmy Gimbels
You better sit down before you read this item.
OK, continue.
More than 30,000 readers of Consumer Reports responded to a survey about the best places to shop.
Is Macy's number one? Surely. you jest.
Is Macy's top three? Nope.
Top five? HA!
In terms of value, service, checkout, and returns, the scores are:
Costco 85
Dillard's 82
Kohl's 81
JC Penny 80
Target 79
Sam's Club 78
Sears 77
MACY'S 77
Meijer 77
Walmart 73
Kmart 72
There you have it. Those wacky folks have taken our beloved Marshall Fields from a world-class department store to a "general merchandise store" like SEARS. If Macy's works real hard on their "magic", the red star store might make it to a Penny's or Kohl's level. Hmmm...doubt it.
Date: Saturday, May 29, 2010 6:33 pm CT
Posted by: drew
Just received a wedding invitation from a cousin who will be getting married this summer in Columbus OH. The last time I was in Columbus I shopped at the huge downtown Lazarus (now closed), Marshall Field's and Jacobson's across the street in the Columbus City Center (now demolished). My cousins live near Polaris which hosted beautiful Marshall Field's and Lazarus stores. What a great shopping mall! Several of us from the Pittsburgh area are going to the wedding but we are NOT doing any shopping since we don't patronize macy*mart here.
Wonder how many visitors who would happily explore a popular regional department store and spend hundreds of dollars there have been lost since the macy*marting of America? Why bother visiting a shopping venue that has the same stores as the mall back home? Whenever I've traveled across the nation, I always looked for a "new" department store but never bothered to go into Sears, JC Penney, Kohl's or Kmart. I will be visiting friends in Cleveland later this summer and look forward to shopping at Dillard's since it is something different!
Date: Friday, May 28, 2010 CT
Posted by: Jim McKay
To respond to those Field's supporters as well as the one "perplexed" poster apparently in the Cincinnati area.
Let's continue on from this statement that Macy's is profitable, thanks in part to the "My Macy's" program, and, let's face it, more coupons than have ever been offered by Field's in its last decade.
So what perplexes me, in light of the success of My Macy's, is why not follow through? "My Macy's" apparently nudges in the right direction but why not go all the way in what customers want? The fact that four out of five Chicago shoppers on Michigan Avenue and State Street want Marshall Field's over Macy's clearly demonstrates that the program in Chicago needs to turn in to "My Marshall Field's." Clearly there is pent up demand for Marshall Field's--it's a huge asset that goes unused, especially wnen so many want it. It's perplexing that the CEO doesn't want what is clearly the "It thing" in the current Chicago retailing scene--it's what 80% of shoppers currently want. I think it's pretty negative when a company doesn't want to give what four out of five people want. I can't understand why a company wouldn't want lots and lots of positively happy customers. Based on Macy's premise, customers are supposed to be kind of happy with Macy's, but it appears they would be even happier with Field's. It should be obvious to anyone.
I don't like to get personal, Perplexed, but with your claim that this is a negative site with a teeny-tiny following, why do you even bother reading it so much and take such time to write such an extended reply? If I came across what I believed was a really lame site followed by few, I wouldn't give it the time of day, let alone take time to post to it. On the other hand, if a site really concerned me, I probably would follow it regularly and even post disuasive opinions.
"Perplexed": In the future, please leave your legitimate email address and I will keep it private. I don't have anything to hide behind--in fact, that's part of why I make the trip to Cinci and argue my case in person every year.
Date: Thursday, May 27, 2010 9:51 pm CT
Posted by: Kathy Gerash
So glad to have found your site. My great grandfather worked as an upholsterer at Field's. My grandmother would take the El train from Maywood every week to Field's. The El terminated in Field's basement! My mother worked there in the 30s and was re-hired in the 70s. One of the people she worked with the 30s was still there and remembered her. My mom would tell me how she would meet my uncle, her brother, at the 28 Shop over their lunch hours. My mom would take me and my best friend to one of the dining rooms where we would have hamburgers with chili sauce - fancy ketchup - served in tiny white bowls. When my family moved away from Chicago my mom and I would return every year to go to Marshall Fields. I bought the most beautiful wool sweater with long wool skirt there in the 90s. Pheasants were embroidered in the wool knit. When my mom was in assisted living I bought her a nice sweater with the Marshall Field's label. My husband is now also a Marshall Field's fan. We got one of the last canvas totes (I think) at the State Street store in 2006 or thereabouts. Embroidered on the tote is Marshall Field's Frango. I have a box that held tapered candles from Marshall Fields. Thank you all for fighting for the Field's name. I had no idea.
Date: Thursday, May 27, 2010 8:39 pm CT
Posted by: Perplexed (Metro Cincinnati)
I read some of your blog and I am totally perplexed. I am into business news and there has been nothing but great news about Macy's lately. It's a national brand that is keeping it's local flavor via My Macy's and doing so quite successfully. It's decision to close regional offices and replace them with districts reporting to a central office has been a win for the company of substancial proportions. Going to market with one worldwide known name was marketing genius. While we all love tradition, that can take you right into oblivion. Mr. Lundgren, via Macy's, has saved the traditional department store from certain extinction. For that, we should all be grateful.
If Field's was the great company you incorrectly think it was, Target Corporation would have never sold it, considering what it sold was Field's in name only and actually a chain called Dayton's, which had started Target. But remember what I said above about tradition. While you and your small group of supporters don't shop Macy's, millions do day in and day out, including on the web.
Bottom line, what I am reading on your blog is not at all reality. Marshall Field's is not coming back. By operating a site whose sole purpose is to crucify Macy's, you do nothing to honor Marshall Field's. I would like to see this site do just that....with one rule: nothing but positive comments. The world is in terrible enough shape without reading the hate on the blog. And the peddling of hate is exactly what goes on here.
PS That post about I. Magnin was total BS. Bullocks bought them in the 1940's and Federated bought them in the 1960's. Macy's got them in 1988 as part of an agreement not to pursue a takeover of Federated so that Campeau could buy it. This idea that someone from the Magnin family wanted to resurrect the chain is nowhere to be found on the web. I tried to find it and couldn't. Besides, this chain was mostly small specialty stores.....not large department stores. (And they were obviously losing money!) You should require your posters to site references.
Date: Thursday, May 27, 2010 3:24 pm CT
Posted by: Pete
I noticed another of Lundgren's rosy-picture broken-record reports in the "Chicago Sun-Times," about how Macy's is doing better and hyping My Macy's, though admitting it's too early to predict outlook for the year due to economic uncertainty.
"Macy's returns to profitability in 1Q" May 12, 2010 by Associated Press
http://www.suntimes.com/business/earnings/2264728,macys-earnings-051210.article#Comments_Container
Economic uncertaintly or not, even with reports that many stores do see improvement, persons who live in Chicago and go through the State Street store can't help but notice the picture that blatantly continues to contradict any amount of words Lundgren puts into his press releases. Floors are still adorned with duc tape, merchandise is still trashy and unappealing, and there don't seem to be enough "statistics" eating in the Walnut Room to brag about, at least not as many as we remember from Marshall Field's.
CHICAGO STILL MISSES MARSHALL FIELD'S!
Date: Wednesday, May 26, 2010 9:59 pm CT
Posted by: Pete
The Chicago Tribune's Blair Kamin talks about the Marshall Field's Department Store Building on State Street and its architectural sibling in Philadelphia, the Wannamakers Department Store Building, both "now part of the Macy's empire."
"D.H. Burnham & Co., the firm led by Chicago's Daniel Burnham, designed Philadelphia's great John Wanamaker's department store (1911), an East Coast sibling of the former Marshall Field's on State Street. As at Field's, an austere classical exterior gives way to inner glory, a five-story atrium topped by a vaulted mosaic ceiling. Like Field's, Wanamaker's is now part of the Macy's empire."
Date: Wednesday, May 26, 2010 1:23 pm CT
Posted by: Helen T. of Niles
I applaud what you are doing. It's about our identity as a community.
Look what happens when corporations are too big to fail.
Date: Tuesday, May 25, 2010 1:48 pm CT
Posted by: Jim W.
Don't we have anti-trust laws these days?? I can remember up to several decades ago when mergers were disapproved by the Federal Trade Commission and Senate committees because there would be less competiton among name brands and companies controlling those names. Washington DC was protecting the consumer, so monopolies would not result. Keeping competition strong was the aim. How did Mr. Lundgren get by with his U.S.-wide "macy-ification" scheme of dominance?
Date: Monday, May 24, 2010 8:34 pm CT
Posted by: Leanne, Lincolnwood
I'm a huge fan of Sex In The City. Over the weekend I saw that there was or maybe still is a tie-in promotion with the Sex In The City 2 movie.
SITC2 isn't out yet, but in all the years I have watched the show, I don't think I ever recalled them shopping at Macy's. I don't think they even once carried a Macy's bag. And "The City" in this movie is NYC, synonymous with Macy's which is synonymous with middle of the road.
Now I know such situations can be manufactured out of producted placement, but when they shopped at Bergdorf's, I don't think it was out of product placement. It was clear that that is where these ladies aspired to shop. It would be less-than-consistent to any SITC fan for these girls to aspire to shop at Macy's.
I understand that most of us don't have the money to shop Bergdorf's on a regular basis. I can understand that most of us have Macy's or JCPeney budgets. I know that Sarah Jessica Parker promotes here fragrances at the likes of Macy's and Carson's. But if SITC were set in Chicago, We (and the SITC characters) would all aspire to shop at Marshall Field's.
Having a SITC promotion at Macy's is like having a promotion for the Julie and Julia movie at Applebee's.
Date: Monday, May 24, 2010 4:45 pm CT
Posted by: Jimmy Gimbels
Talk about an odd couple: Macy's is running in-store promotions and co-op printing advertising for the movie "Sex and the City 2.C. You know, the movie based on the hit HBO show that features big name designers, high fashion, and trendy looks. All which CANNOT be found at Macy's...but Marshall Field;s had it all.
I propose a new contest for this site: Find the unique way that Macy's uses duct tape in their stores. Since those wacky folks cut maintenance and display staffing, the Red Star Store has really become best friends with the duct tape industry. I have witnessed duct tape used to repair rips in carpeting, keep a cracked floor tile in place, affix a handbag to a display, seal a package of bedding, hold a clock on the wall, indicate an elevator is (still) out of order, and reposition a broken door handle. What have you seen?
Date: Monday, May 24, 2010 1:06 pm CT
Posted by: gayle soucek
To John D: Qatar Holdings LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Qatar Investment Authority. Here's contact info:
Qatar Investment Authority
P.O. Box 23224,
Doha,
Qatar
Tel:
+974 4995900
+974 4995859
Fax:
+974 4995991
Contacts:
Admin Affairs Department
Tel: +974 4995900
Fax: +974 4995813
E-Mail: sarahs@qia.qa
Asset Management Department
- Equity and Fixed Income
- Hedge Funds
- Private Equity
- Real Estate
Tel: +974 4995836
Fax: +974 4995937
E-Mail: amenquiries@qia.qa
Finance Department
Tel: +974 4995901
Fax: +974 4201812
E-Mail: monia@qia.qa
Investment Policy and Strategy Department
Tel: +974 4995914
Fax: +974 4201816
E-Mail: manar@qia.qa
gayle
Date: Monday, May 24, 2010 11:32 am CT
Posted by: Richard in Houston
One thing that concerns me about Lungreed: Not only was he successful in eliminating what was left of regional nameplates, quality merchandising, service and uniqueness from the retail landscape, but he also continues to make sure those never come back. Case in point is I Magnin. I Magnin was a treasure on the west coast. A truly top quality jewel that had respect nationwide for their quality and service. When Macy's took over (the post bankruptcy Federated/Macy combination), I Magnin and Bullock'sBullocks Wilshire were promptly shut down and Macyfied. The I Magnin family attempted to rescue the name and bring the brand back to its former glory. However, Lungreed made sure that did not happen. He marketed a line of cheap lingerie called I Magnin within Macys to ensure the copywright did not expire thereby causing the I Magnin family to scrap their plans. His ego makes me sick. I can see him doing that to Marshall Fields, Foley's, Burdine's and the other stores to prevent a white knight from bringing the treasured brands back to the public.
Date: Monday, May 24, 2010 9:46 am CT
Posted by: Jon C.
The following link will provide some recipes from the 1940s and 1950s of Marshall Field & Company in Chicago. These are recipes not reviously discussed in our Field's Fans website, as far as I recall.
http://www.lostrecipesfound.com/recipes.html
Enjoy the tastes and aromas of Marshall Field's until Marshall Field's returns!
Date: Sunday, May 23, 2010 10:42 pm CT
Posted by: John D.
Would someone be able to find the phone number, snail-mail or website/email address of Qatar Holdings for us, please?
The "White Knight" needed to rescue Marshall Field's, could be Harrod's new owners, who promise to restore Harrod's greatness.
Date: Sunday, May 23, 2010 7:29 pm CT
Posted by: L.L.
What a loss ,I visit and used to shop at marshall fields--no more.
Date: Saturday, May 22, 2010 7:29 pm CT
Posted by: drew
Some unhappy "side effects" of macy*fication are surfacing in the Pittsburgh area:
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/business/s_682336.html
Monroeville Mall was once a "destination" shopping center in this region, anchored by Pittsburgh's own Joseph Horne Co. (later operated by Lazarus) and Gimbels (later bought out be Kaufmann's)as well as JC Penney. Since Lazarus was downgraded into a macy*mart, the purchase of the May Company forced the closure of Kaufmann's. (Boscov's operated the store for a time, but they had internal issues which forced the closing of former May Company stores they purchased.)
Since Mr Lungreed eliminated the competition, there really aren't any other department store operators to fill vacant mall locations caused by macy*fication. Perhaps walmart might look better than an empty store in the eyes of mall owners. What a great shopping experience--a mall anchored by two low end retailers at each end. I predict the better specialty retailers will leave because neither walmart or macy*mart would attract the middle to better shopper; in fact, JC Penney is far superior in quality, value and selection to macy*mart. I would venture that desperate mall owners across the nation might now be willing to allow walmart to take over vacated properties.
Terry's already dismal legacy promises to get worse if walmart enters regional malls! Picture a large regional mall full of downmarket retailers anchored by two huge discount stores; neither store attracts the demographic that supports middle, aspirational or better stores.
Date: Friday, May 21, 2010 1:20 pm CT
Posted by: H.V.
Thanks for your work. Keep the faith. Keep it Field's.
Date: Friday, May 21, 2010 11:20 am CT
Posted by: Tim Wrenwick
I have to agree with those who are pointing out two things:
One, that regardless of how Field's did before, there is clearly pent-up demand for the store to return.
Two, If Macy's were to bring back Field's, they would have some mighty happy customers on their hands. Happy enough to even consider shopping Macy's when they weren't near a Field's.
Date: Friday, May 21, 2010 7:01 am CT
Posted by: Carole S., Batavia
I used to work for Marshall Field's. While I am not able to travel to Ohio for a stock meeting, I do send my good wishes to those who go. I wish the CEO would listen to the customers. GIVE THE LADY WHAT SHE WANTS!
Date: Thursday, May 20, 2010 11:39 am CT
Posted by: K Anderson
I read today's newspaper and noticed that nearly all major retailers are seeing record profits. Target, Wal-Mart (always),Dillards,Nordstroms,Penneys and even K-Mart! Macys is still trying to find answers and make excuses for their short comings! They are a store without an identity! I live in Florida and the original Finkelstein operated Macys was first class! It was a social status if you drove to Aventura and shopped there! I was recently there and it looked like a flea market! Junky and cluttered clothing nobody wants, cracked glass counter tops and mannequin parts stashed in dressing rooms! The wost decision is converting Burdines into Macys! You see, just like Marshall Fields, Burdines was Unique and Brian was right! The Florida Store! The chain has won numerous awards for designs and visual menchandising plus the interior has the palm tree tropical motiff! It's just retarded that they are Macys and it's cheap looking! Mr Lundgren has got to be one of the worst businessmen in the country! You can have sucessfull a company with many divisions. Look at The Limited, they own Victoria Secrets, bath and body works, express, Henri bendels and other brands and profits are soaring! Federated could have kept the same formula: check with brands are popular when one shops in Chicago=Marshall Fields, Philadelphia=John Wanamakers and Strawbridge and Clothier, Atlanta=Richs, Texas=Foleys and Florida=Burdines! I have a feeling this guy will be ousted soon... And Chicago you have our support because we want back Burdines which was our Marshall Fields!
Date: Thursday, May 20, 2010 CT
Posted by: Jim McKay
Regarding Susan in NY's post: Mr. Lundgren acknowledged that Marshall Field's was a revered brand that a lot of positive respect. But he didn't go much further than that.
Date: Thursday, May 20, 2010 5:50 am CT
Posted by: Susan NY
I love this part of JIm's report: "Mr. Lundgren said that Marshall FieldC-s is a great brand and that MacyC-s hoped to do more with it." That was so reassuringC3C3as much as if I said my kitchen sink is a great sink and I hope to do more with it.
He's already done what he could TO that great brand to drive it into oblivion, so we can imagine what "more" means.
Date: Wednesday, May 19, 2010 7:29 pm CT
Posted by: Zelda
Many thanks to Jim McKay for representing the feelings of all who continue to miss Marshall Field's. The fact that the poll replicates the last poll -- a year later! -- shows that the wish to have Field's back has not diminished one bit. The key to good business is to figure out what people want and find a way to deliver it. Terry must have been absent when they taught that one in business school. WE WANT OUR MARSHALL FIELD'S BACK. CAN YOU HEAR US NOW?
Date: Wednesday, May 19, 2010 6:52 pm CT
Posted by: Jim McKay
In response to State Street spectator, at Friday's Annual Stockholder meeting, Mr. Lundgren said that the Walbut Room has been recently experiencing the most visitors since statistics started being kept. He didn't say when that was, but he implied that it had been a long while.
Throughout the meeting, the message I kept returning to is that regardless if things are trending upward or not, it's very clear that today in 2010 there is a great pent-up demand for Marshall Field's on State Street that would darmatically increase whatever is going on currently. Four out of five Chicago shoppers want Field's.
Date: Wednesday, May 19, 2010 5:23 pm CT
Posted by: L. Grand
So proud of you, Jim, for not only attending the shareholders meeting, but for standing up and giving a report! Though I haven't posted for a while, I'm sure I'm one of countless people who STILL are rooting for the return of Marshall Field's! I happen to believe it will happen, and not too long into the future.
Proud of all Field's Fans, and glad to be one of them!
L. Grand
Date: Wednesday, May 19, 2010 4:11 pm CT
Posted by: A State Street spectator
I just went through the State Street store circa 2:30 p.m. It was one of Chicago's rare sunny days, obviously resulting in a little more walk-through traffic on the main floor. Lively vocal music played in several areas of the floor, giving an impression of people and vitality. As I went up the escalator, however, the floors were less occupied the further I went. There did not seem to be ANYBODY eating in the Walnut Room even though a hostess waited at the reservation desk. I checked the hours to see if the restaurant had closed for the day. The sign said 11 am to 7 pm. I then noticed ONE table was occupied--way in the back near a window. Two tables were occupied in the Frango Cafe next store, which was scheduled to close in about 15 minutes. In the 8th floor furniture department, a couple of salespersons sat at desks; otherwise the floor echoed an eerie silence. I was glad to get downstairs and outside.
How I would love to see genuine vitality of Marshall Field's returned to that beautiful building on State Street.
Date: Wednesday, May 19, 2010 3:02 pm CT
Posted by: Michelle T.
BRING BACK MARSHALL FIELD'S! IT'S CHICAGO!
Date: Wednesday, May 19, 2010 11:02 am CT
Posted by: Lisa G.
The 81 percent number should be quite convincing that Marshall Field's should come back.
Date: Wednesday, May 19, 2010 6:34 am CT
Posted by: Barbara, Lake Bluff, Illinois
I just read here occassionally and almost never post.
Had to post that I miss Marshall Field's.
We're rooting for it to come back.
Keep it going!
Date: Tuesday, May 18, 2010 10:43 pm CT
Posted by: L.V.
I had a similar experience to Brian's in Harrod's last month. When I was making a purchase, the professional salesman asked where I resided. I said, "Chicago, Illinois, USA"!
He responded: "Oh, what a travesty it was what happened to your shopping emporium, Marshall Field's. I'm so sorry. Macy's has devastated it down in the gutter, from what I hear. It's sadly laughable to think that of all stores, Macy's thinks it is America's store." The States deserve better." He concluded by saying: "Marshall Field's represented the best of the States...clearly not Macy's."
Date: Tuesday, May 18, 2010 9:23 pm CT
Posted by: Joanne
I'm from Indiana.
L.S. Ayres brings back fuzzy memories but we all miss Marshall Field's.
I wish Macy's would listen to its customers.
Date: Tuesday, May 18, 2010 7:23 pm CT
Posted by: G.R.
I appreciate what everone is doing to bring back Field's, but I can't help but think that this is all about the CEO wanting to save face. Any other corporation would have acquiesced to their customers' desires. Not so with Macy's. Maybe you should all take a psychology course persuasion.
Date: Tuesday, May 18, 2010 7:01 pm CT
Posted by: Lorianne S.
When we travel to Chicago, we no longer bring home bags of merchandise. We used to when it was Field's. We have Macy's here.
Marshall Field and company made our shopping in Chicago unique and fun. We looked forward to it.
Date: Tuesday, May 18, 2010 11:59 am CT
Posted by: David Carlson
Keep up fighting the good fight.
Date: Tuesday, May 18, 2010 6:34 am CT
Posted by: Susan in Bartlett
Thank you for continuing this.
Date: Monday, May 17, 2010 10:12 pm CT
Posted by: David G.
I was glad to get the latest newsletter. Marshall Field's is still sorely missed.
Date: Monday, May 17, 2010 7:23 pm CT
Posted by: Bill R.
To Whom It May Concern:
Keep up the efforts.
Date: Monday, May 17, 2010 4:32 pm CT
Posted by: Lesle R.
Still have not shopped at Macy's since they took over and got rid of Marshall Field's. I have not spent a penny.
Date: Monday, May 17, 2010 4:02 pm CT
Posted by: S.C.
Given the outcry for Marshall Field's, I can't help but think that Macy's people knew what they were doing when they removed our beloved icon from the international shoppingscape: they got rid of the superior competition.
I refuse to shop Macy's and don't forget not to shop at Bloomingdale's either.
Date: Monday, May 17, 2010 10:00 am CT
Posted by: Janice
The return of Marshall Field's would herald such an astronomical sales growth in Chicago for macy*s Inc that it would go down in the record books! The CEO of macy*s should realize that it was not only the Marshall Field's name, but also everything that made Field's famous around the world---the classy sophistication and quality brands---not duct tape over dirty torn carpet, and not Martha Stewart assortments previously in Kmart and Tommy Hilfiger's clothing from the'80s.
Date: Monday, May 17, 2010 9:54 am CT
Posted by: J.C.
Given Mr. Terry Lundgren's comments that sales are up, he would be wise to consider how much greater the revenue would be if Marshall Field's State Store was reverted back to its world-class sohpistication, distinctive merchandising, immaculate housekeeping, clean assorted food options, forest green trademark color decorating within the store and in shopping bags and boxes, as well as designer lines of apparel. Every other CEO wants optimum sales revenues coming into their stores. Other CEOs are not happy unless they have the full potential for maintaining the highest number of customers. Terry Lundgren has immense sales potential he is losing since 2006, without the name and culture of Marshall Field's. Also he should consider that customers like variety in names when traveling to other cities. Once again, macy*s has become like Sears, Kohl's, JCPenney in that travelers have those stores back home. Why would they waste their time even entering macy stores in Chicago or anywhere??
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hiCGKmUcmNbAV74nzyc7VXcbrTKgD9FMRS0O0
Also, I read that the proposal to elect board members by majority of votes rather than a plurality of votes had been approved by the shareholders, going against the recommendation of the macy*s board. Mr. Lundgren's response: The board will take the results "under consideration". What?? I thought that approved actions by shareholders HAD to be implemented, after all it IS the shareholders who control the
Date: Monday, May 17, 2010 8:42 am CT
Posted by: Susan NY
Ohhh- I am sure most of us are thinking the same thought about Harrod's new owners. I find it hard to believe that this era is less able and willing than prior ones to support a Fields-on-State.
I have only been to Harrod's once in 1995. While I admired and enjoyed Harrod's English flavor I came away convinced that Field's was right - "There's nothing like it back home" - not even if home was London. Anyhow, I am happy to share soul space with Harrod's.
So yes, it's a different world dealing with terrorists, war actions, carbon footprints, HIV, greedmongers, corporate thinking (or not)-- and media bombardment with anything crude and violent. And now- literally at our fingertips on a keyboard we have the world, from drivel to galaxy. It is a significantly fluffied, jaded, self-absorbed, entitled and cynical world. Who needs a Marshall Field's?
We do. Grace is all the more welcome these days.
Is shopping really a trivial pursuit in a troubled world? (When has the world not had great troubles?)
In short, human depravity notwithstanding, shopping has long made the world go round (Got stock?).
T. H. Breen in "The Marketplace of Revolution: How Consumer Politics Shaped American Independence," makes the observation that were it not for the unifying effects of shopping England (as it were), this 18th century population sprawled along the east coast would not have been possessed of a common bond and motivation to carry out what became the Revolutionary War. So there, shoppers.
It boggles the mind that Lundgren/Macy's has the --fill-in-the-blank-- to stick to a program of passive vandalism (negligence, at best) and gets away with describing it as a commercial success because the chart line is staggering to a level slightly higher than the bottom.
Date: Sunday, May 16, 2010 9:10 pm CT
Posted by: Withheld by request
Has anyone recommended or pursued financing to buy the State Street location back from Macys and reopen it as Marshall Fields? I see all your statistics, but if it reopens as Marshall Fileds, it's essentially still Macy's.
Believe me I remember when I was a kid and my mother would make reservations for us to eat at the walnut room and shop at MF and then go to I.Magnin then back to downstate where I grew up.
MF was the best. A true department store. Nothing like what Macy's is trying now. Or what the Federated stores were at one time.
Date: Sunday, May 16, 2010 7:32 pm CT
Posted by: Paul
Hey Eric, funny you mention the peeling paint @ Oak Brook, I noticed it today too! Seems strange going to Oak Brook for a couple things & not even going into Field's. Sad how they've let it run down!
Date: Sunday, May 16, 2010 2:34 pm CT
Posted by: Scott S.
Yesterday's Sun-Times had a brief blurb about Macy's Chicago districts being two of their five best. This was only in the printed paper as far as i could find. I looked all over for a link.
You can read the article in the paper (at the Library if you didn't get it.) You can send a letter to the editor at letters@suntimes.com
Date: Sunday, May 16, 2010¥ 12:26 pm CT
Posted by: Louis R.
Congratulations on a great survey!
Lou
Date: Sunday, May 16, 2010 10:11 am CT
Posted by: Emily R.
Thank you for continuing the Marshall Fields dream.
Date: Sunday, May 16, 2010 6:39 am CT
Posted by: William F.
Keep going!
Date: Sunday, May 16, 2010 2:21 am CT
Posted by: Brian K Reid
So funny about all the comment about Harrods! I was in London last year and shopped at Harrords... I purchased a bottle of Prada mens colonge that the saleswoman said will not be availabe stateside for another six months! She added it will availabe at only Saks and Neiman Marcus. After the purchase she looked around and whispered in my ear and said it's not going to be available at that rubbish you call a store named Macys! I just laugh and said I'm not proud of it either! Bring back Marshall Fields and Burdines-The Florida Store!!!!
Date: Sunday, May 16, 2010 12:48 am CT
Posted by: Eric B
Today my wife and I visited Oakbrook Center and tiptoed nervously into the Red Star Store. We hadn't been there since 2005, when of course it was still Marshall Field's. We have some great memories of this once-fine store, and frankly it was hard to fathom some of the negative reports about its deterioration posted in this blog in more recent years; we couldn't imagine it being THAT bad ...
Well, seeing is believing. YEOW!!!!!!!!!
OMG, this store is in deplorable condition. Paint high up on the exterior walls is peeling and flaking off. Inside, cracked and chipped floor tiles blobbed and streaked with crud are everywhere. Worn, filthy carpeting with -- yes! -- duct tape repairs in at least a couple spots visible from main aisles. Disheveled displays and merchandise piled up helter-skelter. Smudged, scratched walls and doors.
Oh, there were customers -- definitely not Field's-types, though. In fact, they more resembled the unfortunate souls caught on camera at www.peopleofwalmart.com.
The Marketplace downstairs was even more depressing, a ghost town and shadow of its former self. We took a quick look around and skedaddled ... empty-handed, of course. Come to think of it, Wal-Mart is actually a more pleasant place to shop.
Date: Saturday, May 15, 2010 5:34 pm CT
Posted by: David S.
I still want Marshall Field's.
There are some places that still keep the name Marshall Field's alive. There are the Marshall Field's appartments on the north side and, of course, Woodfield Mall and anything with Woodfield in it the name is named after Mr. Wood, the CEO of Sears and Marshall Field's.
Date: Saturday, May 15, 2010 3:32 pm CT
Posted by: gle
Bravo to those who participated in the Marshall Field's survey, and to our representative who attending the shareholders' meeting in Ohio on Friday! We are showing that Chicago has not forgotten its Marshall Field's and doesn't intend to.
Date: Saturday, May 15, 2010 9:16 am CT
Posted by: Gretchen
Retail CEOs by nature want to please their customers and will do most anything to maintain that customer base and make changes to keep them and gain more customers. Mr. Lundgren, on the other hand, for some strange reason, is defiantly opposed to doing anything that the customers obviously want. I do not understand it.
Field's was a reason for people to come to Chicago. Field's was a reason for Chicagoans to feel proud and shop at Field's. Why would anyone travel to go to macy*s in Chicago when they are all over, like Sears, Kohl's. JCPenney etc?) Besides, macy's merchandising is bland and cheap-quality with a higher price tag.
Gifts from Field's truly meant something worldwide. Field's IS Chicago, through and through!
Date: Saturday, May 15, 2010 7:41 am CT
Posted by: steve
In the light of the recent take over of Harrods for B#1.5 billion perhaps someone should contact Quatari investors about Fields. Macys could sell the store off to someone who may wish to restore and maximise the Marshall Fields brand to its former glory...
Harrods and Fields share a reputation for only providing good quality merchandise. Granted, in an age where even Dior and Burberry etc are largely made on Chinese production lines, how we define or find true quality is a bit of a grey area. But having stores with carefully edited and well considered merchandising, beautifully displayed and with attentive service and top quality services (restaurants, travel agents, washrooms etc.) remains a key USP of the department store model.
Harrods and Fields also share the benefit of being housed in architeturally distinctive buildings. Harrods has been Disneyfied a bit by Al Fayed but it keeps the millions of tourists happy. Fields has its Tiffany dome and beautiful Romanesque structure. The also share the (different shades i grant you) green livery and carrier bags...or did till Macy took over.
Harrods used to have the byline "there is only ONE Harrods". Ok so in the early years of the 20th century they had a store in Manchester, England ( which angry customers made them revert the name back to Kendal Milne & co - so you see your fight is NOT new) and one in Beunos Aires(?!). But for the last 90 or so years there has only been one Harrods and that is a major selling point in an age of global brands like Starbucks, Gap, mcDonalds etc. Every day we see thousands of brands and logos all around us. Some just wash over us. Having a distinctive brand which people have positive associations with is even more important in these uncertain times. Local, unique, individual, historic brands and businesses should be cherished not bulldozed in the name of cost cutting or progress. Fields is one of those brands that needs to be nurtured and cherished.
With new owners Harrods is going to expand in new ways - an exact replica of the London store in Shanghai is one possibility as are a scattering of stores around the middle east and far east along with a global luxury retail website. How this will affect the brands cachet remains to be seen. But with the right investment Fields COULD be America's Harrods - a globally recognised provider of quality and service.
The golden age of the department store(1920-1970) is well behind us and i doubt if we will see the likes of the towering JL Hudson in Detroit with its acres of fine restaurants and impossibly long list of sevices and merchandise. But people still need to shop somewhere and ideally enjoy the experience of handing over their hard earned money. We are in a recession but a store like Harrods which offers "destination shopping" can still turn over around B#750m a year in sales. Make Fields into a destination store again and watch those sales go up.
Any Quatari investors reading?!
I wish you all well with this campaign.
Steve
Date: Friday, May 14, 2010 11:34 pm CT
Posted by: Betty H.
KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.
Date: Friday, May 14, 2010 11:21 pm CT
Posted by: Paul
Still have NO desire to even look @ anything @ Macy's. Field's near me (Oak Brook & Woodfield) are pale shadows of what they used to be, bad merchandise, rude help. I remember Sunday buffet brunch @ Greener Fields in Oak Brook, used to be nice! Now, good luck, better off @ L & T or Nordstrom's . . . LOL
Date: Friday, May 14, 2010 11:00 pm CT
Posted by: S.Y.
The best "localization" strategy that would absolutely work, Mr. Lundgren, would be to return Marshall Field's and its entire merchandising of quality brands, ambiance, cleanliness, professional style of doing business and guest service to the way it was when you walked in and said "Everything would remain the same. We would not notice any changes at all."
Truth is...as we knew it would be...EVERYTHING has changed and gone downhill fast. Everybody knows it.
Date: Friday, May 14, 2010 7:57 pm CT
Posted by: C.B.
Marshall Fields will always be number one!!
Date: Friday, May 14, 2010 4:15 pm CT
Posted by: gle
Today's "Tribune" has an article on Lundgren's view of the state-of-the-store:
"Macy's CEO says localization strategy, private brands and exclusives helping spur sales" May 14, 2010 by Lisa Cornwell, Associated Press
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/sns-ap-us-macys-shareholders,0,2856445.story
There is a comment blog---please comment and be sure to reference our site and the survey!
Date: Friday, May 14, 2010 3:35 pm CT
Posted by: Jane
Never.
I have never and will never step foot in a Macy's store.
Former Fields Fan and shopper.
Date: Friday, May 14, 2010 2:22 pm CT
Posted by: G.H.
No one asked, probably because I live in the b urbs, but I HATE MACY'S!!!.
They send you all these coupons in the mail, yet when you go into the store to shop (I go to Oak Brook), they are not good on anything except the crap! I absolutely REFUSE to buy anything at Macy's.
Date: Friday, May 14, 2010 2:20 pm CT
Posted by: Bob C.
Well done!
It would be nice if the new owners of Harrod's would buy Field's State Street, they would know just how to operate it.
I was just at a dinner party on the East Coast this Tuesday where one of the guests was from the Midwest and was railing against Macy's taking over Field's, still won't shop even locally at their stores.
Date: Friday, May 14, 2010 2:18 pm CT
Posted by: R.R.
Big Fan, have not spent a penny at Macy's since the rebranding.
Date: Friday, May 14, 2010 2:03 pm CT
Posted by: P.K.
If Macy's was smart, they would establish a "Fields" section in each store.
Date: Friday, May 14, 2010 2:02 pm CT
Posted by: J.
I wish I could be at these meetings, but there's really no way. Thanks to those who take the time to go and deal with these idiots in person!!
Date: Friday, May 14, 2010 1:50 pm CT
Posted by: J.K.
Bravo on the survey.
Date: Friday, May 14, 2010 1:44 pm CT
Posted by: C.W.
Fantastic work!
I can't believe that Macy's can't see the huge PR benefit they would reap by returning the flagship store to the Field's name and quality. Sales would surely rise dramatically and all of Chicagoland would cheer.
I am proud to say that I have not shopped at a Macy's since the conversion except I will admit to sneaking in once to buy Frango mints. I felt guilty about it even as I enjoyed them.
Date: Friday, May 14, 2010 1:41 pm CT
Posted by: E.T.
On behalf of Chicago - Thank you, ALL, for your on-going efforts to restore Marshall Field's to Chicago!
Who knows? Stranger miracles have happened! Let's hope for the best!
Date: Friday, May 14, 2010 9:54 am CT
Posted by: Jeff S.
Well, well, well! It seems that another Marshall Field "thing" that is going away; Frango coffee! It is currently on sale at 70% off. Better stock up now! My sources at the Fox Valley Store tell me that what is out on the shelf is all that is left. When it is gone, it is gone!
Date: Thursday, May 13, 2010 11:36 am CT
Posted by: Richard in Houston
Macy's continues to deny customers what they really want. Marshall Fields. Why can't they just humble themselves and admit a mistake was made (like Coca Cola did with the New Coke debacle in 1986)? Of course, the same would ring true in other markets like Florida (Burdines), Georgia (Rich's), Ohio (Lazarus), California (I Magnin, Bullocks/Bullocks Wilshire, Robinsons, The Broadway)and Texas (Foley's). If they would bite the bullet and restore high quality to the merchandise and bring back the names and traditions they would see an increase in sales (and better pr for them). It amazes me how things have changed. I remember back in the 80s and 90s when I would read a men's fashion magazine there were literally pages of "available at" listing of fine department stores nationwide. Now its Dillards, Nordstrom, Von Maur and Lord & Taylor. That's about it. Macy's is so low they are not listed half the time anymore. They are getting desperate for sales. I took our Schnauzer to have her fixed and there were stacks of Macy's coupons on the receptionist desk. The lady told me someone from Macy's came in and dropped them off there and at a host of other business up and down the corridor where we live. Foley's former stores are not doing well no matter how much Macy's tries to gloss it over. Dillards and Nordstrom are kicking their butt here.
Date: Thursday, May 13, 2010 11:00 am CT
Posted by: Pete
Chicago edition of The Onion's AV Club laments the renaming of local institutions by heartless conglomerates. Macy's conversion of Marshall Field's is mentioned.
http://www.avclub.com/chicago/articles/our-town-their-billboard-8-great-moments-in-chicag,41009/
Date: Wednesday, May 12, 2010 9:52 pm CT
Posted by: Jim
Macy's First Quarter Conference Call made special note of smaller stores (often in smaller markets) which seen larger gains.
Macysinc.com often has these conference calls archived within a short period of time. Check under the investors section at MacysInc.com
Date: Wednesday, May 12, 2010 4:23 pm CT
Posted by: Mary M.
We miss Marshall Field's and have not shopped at any Macy's since they took it away.
Date: Wednesday, May 12, 2010 3:12 pm CT
Posted by: Lynn in Texas
Macy's ads, especially its web site, uses more and more models and poses that look more and more like Target's.
With our hometown airline Continental merging with United, I can easily see Macy's red mergging with Target red. Anything is possible in this day and age!
Date: Wednesday, May 12, 2010 11:07 am CT
Posted by: Jerry H.
Here's my wish:
Macy's brings back Marshall Fields. They realized that they were wrong and we were right all along. Sales will increase, quality customer service will return, and superior merchandise will once again appear on the shelves of the Marshall Fields stores. Macy's will still exist, but not in Chicago. Am I dreaming?
Date: Tuesday, May 11, 2010 2:59 pm CT
Posted by: Jim
Macy's will have a conference call to discuss earnings for the first quarter, 2010.
The call begins at 9:30 am Chicago time and can be accessed via the links at
Date: Tuesday, May 11, 2010 2:07 pm CT
Posted by: Pete
It's curious that Macy's released the VisitMacysUSA.com site the same week as the stockholders meeting and the same week that Field's loyalists have previously demonstrated that Chicago still wants Marshall Field's and not Macy's.
Keep up the good work! Macy's claims that they aren't interested in Field's but it shows they are smarting and worried -- the results of their hubris and disrespect!
Date: Tuesday, May 11, 2010 1:51 pm CT
Posted by: Louis Epstein
I am so glad that Lord & Taylor escaped the Great Homogenization!
Lundgren just didn't understand that department store brands with their own homes and cultures are something people do not like to lose...to go one-brand is to go down-market.People didn't see Marshall Field's or Robinson's,or Filene's,or Rich's,or Lazarus,or Famous-Barr,or Foley's as the alternative to J.C. Penney's.But that's all Macy's has become.
Date: Tuesday, May 11, 2010 12:32 pm CT
Posted by: gle
I am not as financially savvy as some who might read this blog, but in reading the Macy's shareholder proxy materials noticed something that others who are voting might want to take note of:
Last year there was a shareholder proposal (Proposal 4) regarding having the majority of votes actually cast rather than supermajority votes be what determines an outcome (proposal by Mr. William Steiner with Mr. John Chevedden as designee). B According to this year's proxy form, that proposal 4 did go through last year. This year's Proposal 3 (amendment and restatement of the company's certificate of incorporation) contains amendments resulting from that vote, with the supermajority vote requirement eliminated from several decision-making categories, including the removal of directors. B That appears to me as a victory for shareholders.
This year, the same shareholder Mr. William Steiner also has another proposal (Proposal 4) that asks for same thing to apply to director elections (which the board did not make part of its Proposal 3 above).
Both of these appear as something that would give shareholders more voice in the future and which those voting might want to study carefully.
Date: Monday, May 10, 2010 7:53 pm CT
Posted by: Susan NY
It would appear that Macy's has as its goal the slow strangling death for our dear store. Why would they throw that all away to allow someone else to restore it to health? They will dismiss the store's demise as a Sign of the Times, nothing could have been done to save it. Shrug.
For them to have that failure to their credit apparently would not be thought much of an embarrassment; in fact, that would be success: destroying a once-thriving competitor, rival, 'colleague' - whatever.
There is such a thing as shooting oneself in the foot- can't help but put it that way; there is also the time-honored cutting off one's nose to spite one's face. Mr. TL is losing his nose, inch by inch by inch but since it grows back fast, it's OK.
Date: Monday, May 10, 2010 4:25 pm CT
Posted by: Joseph Scott
Regarding the sticker that is put on each purchase you make at Macy's. It basically takes the place of a gift receipt, it contains all of the information on the day the item was purchased, i.e. date, time, store and purchase price.
I don't think they print gift receipts like they did on the Field's system. Those receipts contained the exact same information as the stickers that Macy's now uses.
Date: Monday, May 10, 2010 12:17 pm CT
Posted by: J.J.C.
It appears that Macy's is attempting to propagate the visitors center concept that was the hallmark of Marshall Field's.
The new http://www.VisitMacysUSA.com seems to be an expansion of visitMacysChicago.com site. There are now pages for New York, San Francisco and Philadelphia.
While they have no problem mentioning O'Connor, Moffat, & Co. (San Francisco, http://www.visitmacyssanfrancisco.com/history.cfm) and Wannamaker's (Philly, http://www.visitmacysphiladelphia.com/history.cfm), they seem to have this psychological complex against mentioning Marshall Field's at http://www.visitmacyschicago.com/history.cfm, even though they describe it as a legendary flagship, I could only find Marshall Field's mentioned twice...once was to (back-handledly) say that Mr. Field didn't want the Burnham fountain which eventually was realized as part of the major store renovation concluded in the 1990s.
It looks as if they have even used a digital photoediting program to tone down the green patina of the Field's clock to a greyish color. How childish of Macy's!
SHAME ON MACY'S! They continue to disrespect their most beautiful store and the citizens of Chicago.
Date: Monday, May 10, 2010 11:16 am CT
Posted by: Jeff S.
Am glad that Harrod's was not sold to Macy*s!!
Will someone out there please buy and bring back
MARSHALL FIELD & COMPANY.
Date: Monday, May 10, 2010 8:01am CT
Posted by: Linda
Mohammed Al Fayed has announced through a spokesperson that after 25 years, he is retiring from retail to focus more time on his children and grandchildren. As such, he has sold Harrods Knightbridge to the Quatar Investment Authority.
Marshall Field's on State Street is like Chicago's Harrods. I wish that something similar would happen for our store.
Date: Sunday, May 9, 2010 12:03 pm CT
Posted by: Pete
Someone brought up how Walgreen's recognizes the value in keeping Duane Reade's brand name and its distinctive NYC Drugstore culture in tact.
FedEx is experiencing the opposite because they did away with the Kinko's brand, replacing it with "FedEx Office."
Kinko's services are apparently down--and now FedEx is hanging banners in all of their Fed Ex Office windows that say "Kinko's Inside."
I wonder how long before permanent "FedEx Kinko's" signs are restored(?).
Macy's needs to learn the same lesson......but at least Fed Ex didn't do away with what made Kinko's great or bing it down market like Macy's did with Field's.
Date: Sunday, May 9, 2010 CT
Posted by: FieldsFansChicago.org
Happy Mother's Day
to All Mothers
&
Those Who Nurture.
Date: Saturday, May 8, 2010 7:34 pm CT
Posted by: Linda
This is in regards to George Miller's inquiry from April.
I don't think that Macy's is getting rid of furniture entirely at State Street, but Macy's has downsized interior design dramatically. It is now a shadow of its former Field's self.
I worked at State Street but left when it became Macy's. When I left, Marshall Field's had over 30 people in interior design. When I spoke to a former colleague a few weeks ago, I was told that only three or four interior design staff left.
There really is a difference between Marshall Field's and Macy's. I miss the great store that once was and hope that some similar incarnation is restored.
Date: Saturday, May 8, 2010 6:23 pm CT
Posted by: S.R.
I don't shop at Macy's but a friend recently purchased a box of Frangos. Apparently they now attach a special Macy's bar code sticker to most all merchandise. The sticker must be attached for an item to be returned.
Has anyone else heard of this?
Maybe there is another explantion, but this is a far cry from the return procedure at Field's, let alone the days of decades ago where one could return any merchandise that Field's sold, no questions asked. Certainly times have changed, but this sounds really rigid. Is this a new procedure at other stores?
Thank you.
Date: Saturday, May 8, 2010 3:26 pm CT
Posted by: Craig
TL dissolved Field's essentially for two reasons:
1. To extend the Macy's brand nationally entailed incoporating the Chicago, Minneapolis and Detroit markets;
2. Field's and Bloomingdale's roughly served the same customer base, hence no need for two brands targeting the same audience (especially since Bloomigdale's is a national chain, and Field's was a regional chain).
Was that a smart move? Probably not, considering the mediocre performace of Macy's in the above-mentioned metro areas and the continued backlash, especially in Chicago.
Probably the correct move would have been to keep the Field's moniker, and strengthen its market postion between Bloomingdale's and Nieman-Marcus (where Field's had settled by the mid-2000s thanks to the upgrades made by Target Corp. and former Field's CEO Linda Ahlers). Sort of like a Nordstrom of full-line department stores. Ironically, Gene Kahn, CEO of Field's new parent May Department Stores, planned to use Field's as a template to upgrade May's portfolio of regional department stores.
Date: Saturday, May 8, 2010 2:34 pm CT
Posted by: Pete
I'm pretty sure that the French Room was a room for designer hats--but what a room it must have been!
Date: Saturday, May 8, 2010 8:16 am CT
Posted by: Susan NY
Welcome back everyone!
The recent blog silence reminded me of how important it is to have such a resource to share concerns about the effect the loss of Field's has on- dare I say it - the planet and Western culture. On the face of it, it would seem a small thing- life moves on. But as has been said-- for want of a shoe the horse was lost... for want of MF a culture is lost? Feels like it to me....
Date: Friday, May 7, 2010 3:05 pm CT
Posted by: Michael L
I came to Chicago twice in 2005 from New York to see Field's before the plunder. I had lunch in the Walnut Room on 9/4, last day it was Field's and was with you at the first protest. It's great to see this site still going strong...reading the article about the Ambasator Hotel proves WE HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE! While my heart belongs to New York, Chicago is a very special place and I will be there opening day when Field's makes it's comeback.
I have some pictures of the store and tree from 9/4/05 I'd be happy to email anyone that would like.
Keep the faith!
Date: Friday, May 7, 2010 1:24 pm CT
Posted by: Jim McKay
What's new...What's up with this blog?
There's been some technical issues with the server over the past couple of weeks meaning that posts could not be submitted to our blog. On top of this, some personal concerns have prevented the blog from being fixed--until today.
Things with the blog should be back now in full swing. Please help with our cause to restore Marshall Field's by submitting your posts.
Also: we expect some interesting news late next week--although, sadly, as far as I know, it won't be that Macy's finally has agreed to give customers what they want--Marshall Field's!
Here's to the once and furture Marshall Field's!
Many thanks and best regards,
Jim McKay
Standard disclaimer: This is a non-profit, non-commercial, non-sponsored site developed with the sole intention of focusing on what Marshall Field’s has meant to Chicagoans or anyone who lo ve this great Chicago institution. The views and opinions expressed on these pages are solely those of the authors listed and do not necessaarily represent thos e who operate this site. This site is NOT affiliated in any way with Marshall Field's, the May Company, Federated Department Stores, Macy's, Inc., or keepitfields.org. ©2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 All Rights Reserved.
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