Macy's Neighborhood Store Watch

Predicting the demise of Sears & Kmart since 2017!
Super S
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Re: Macy's Neighborhood Store Watch

Post by Super S »

Macy's also did not understand the Idaho market very well. Idaho had many smaller stores, most of which have closed. For a while they had three stores in the Boise area: Boise Towne Square (former Bon, still open), Downtown Boise (former Bon, was the only department store that kept a location in Downtown Boise after Boise Towne Square opened. The location did become Macy's but eventually closed. And they had the Nampa freestanding store which has been closed for a few years.

Macy's is in a unique position in Idaho (compared to Washington and Oregon) as Dillard's operates in the same mall in Boise. It seems like Boise is a bit of a "test" for Dillard's for possible expansion further into Oregon or Washington.
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Re: Macy's Neighborhood Store Watch

Post by storewanderer »

Super S wrote: July 26th, 2021, 9:00 am

Macy's is in a unique position in Idaho (compared to Washington and Oregon) as Dillard's operates in the same mall in Boise. It seems like Boise is a bit of a "test" for Dillard's for possible expansion further into Oregon or Washington.
Dillard's has been running in Boise since 1998 so that is quite a while. Dillard's also closed Pocatello (was that an old ZCMI?) around 2010 as I recall and Macy's left Pocatello around the same time.

Macy's and Dillard's compete in many locations. Dillard's geography is a bit strange. Nothing in MN/ND/SD (yet) but present in MT, CO, WY. I do wonder how much the ongoing closures of Sears have helped Dillard's. Generally speaking I did not consider the two chains to cater to the same customer base, but when you are in a medium sized market with few choices...
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Re: Macy's Neighborhood Store Watch

Post by rwsandiego »

pseudo3d wrote: July 26th, 2021, 1:52 am...
So...if the idea was to rid Macy's of the "second-class" stores that made it hard to be "all things to all shoppers" (or whatever), why not spin off those stores as a new name and marketing? If they were still owned by Macy's Inc., then they could still share certain back office functions with Macy's and not run the risk of competing with themselves.
The same reason Macy's couldn't run Marshall Field's under its own name: corporate hubris.

It would make perfect sense to operate the second-tier stores under a different name. They certainly have plenty to choose from. However, Macy's is so enamored with Macy's that it won't do it.
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Re: Macy's Neighborhood Store Watch

Post by storewanderer »

rwsandiego wrote: July 26th, 2021, 9:02 pm

It would make perfect sense to operate the second-tier stores under a different name. They certainly have plenty to choose from. However, Macy's is so enamored with Macy's that it won't do it.
I would argue they already are doing this- it is called Macy's Backstage. It just so happens to be within the normal Macy's Store. And before that it was the "Last Act" department.
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Re: Macy's Neighborhood Store Watch

Post by rwsandiego »

storewanderer wrote: July 26th, 2021, 10:08 pm
rwsandiego wrote: July 26th, 2021, 9:02 pm

It would make perfect sense to operate the second-tier stores under a different name. They certainly have plenty to choose from. However, Macy's is so enamored with Macy's that it won't do it.
I would argue they already are doing this- it is called Macy's Backstage. It just so happens to be within the normal Macy's Store. And before that it was the "Last Act" department.
That would be another good idea, albeit a different concept. Macy's Backstage is clearance merchandise. This concept would focus on current merchandise but mainly Macy's lower-tier brands and lower-end branded merchandise.
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Re: Macy's Neighborhood Store Watch

Post by SamSpade »

storewanderer wrote: July 26th, 2021, 7:48 pm Dillard's also closed Pocatello (was that an old ZCMI?) around 2010 as I recall and Macy's left Pocatello around the same time.
Yes.
Herberger's took the lower floor and renovated extensively (eventually) as part of Bon-Ton gradually creeping into Idaho/Utah.

Idaho Falls' ZCMI > M&F > Dillards received a significant renovation but only on one of its two floors. It seemed at the time they were taking a break for the holiday shopping season, but sadly the renovators never returned. So it's 1986 on the first floor where the first impression is made. :?: :!: :?:
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Re: Macy's Neighborhood Store Watch

Post by SamSpade »

Off Topic
To speak of this attempt at many directions...
Macy's is also closing and retooling their "Market by Macy's" stores in the D-FW metroplex.
Macy’s will temporarily close its new small concept store in Southlake Town Square and reopen it with a different focus in the fall, the company said Friday.

Market by Macy’s opened in the high-income suburb and upscale shopping district just a few weeks before the pandemic shut it down — and before it had a chance to gain a following.

“Market by Macy’s Southlake will undergo renovations to create a brighter and more open shopping environment for our customers to showcase the best of Macy’s fashion as your personal style source,” spokesperson Lauren Phillips said in an email. “The store will temporarily close to the public beginning July 10 and will reopen in the fall.”

More recently, it has opened free-standing Backstage stores. Macy’s Backstage opened in The Village at Allen in late May, and Macy’s plans to open a Backstage in Frisco’s Center at Preston Ridge in September, according to planning documents filed with the state. Macy’s also owns the Blue Mercury beauty store that competes with Sephora and Ulta.
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Re: Macy's Neighborhood Store Watch

Post by architect »

SamSpade wrote: July 27th, 2021, 5:12 pm
Off Topic
To speak of this attempt at many directions...
Macy's is also closing and retooling their "Market by Macy's" stores in the D-FW metroplex.
Macy’s will temporarily close its new small concept store in Southlake Town Square and reopen it with a different focus in the fall, the company said Friday.

Market by Macy’s opened in the high-income suburb and upscale shopping district just a few weeks before the pandemic shut it down — and before it had a chance to gain a following.

“Market by Macy’s Southlake will undergo renovations to create a brighter and more open shopping environment for our customers to showcase the best of Macy’s fashion as your personal style source,” spokesperson Lauren Phillips said in an email. “The store will temporarily close to the public beginning July 10 and will reopen in the fall.”

More recently, it has opened free-standing Backstage stores. Macy’s Backstage opened in The Village at Allen in late May, and Macy’s plans to open a Backstage in Frisco’s Center at Preston Ridge in September, according to planning documents filed with the state. Macy’s also owns the Blue Mercury beauty store that competes with Sephora and Ulta.
Slight clarification: Only the Southlake store is closing, and it is only temporary to revamp the concept. The Southlake store was largely experiential, with an in-store cade and apothecary-themed beauty concept, both of which were not ideal in a post-COVID world. Additionally, the store's marketing was somewhat confusing as much of the merchandise was higher end than what would be found in conventional Macy's stores, and it was a small selection at that. Overall, the store was designed to be more boutique-like, but it was somewhat dark and difficult to navigate, with curtains and shelving dividing the sales floor into small "rooms" of sorts. Meanwhile, the newer Fort Worth store also features a more curated range of merchandise, but it otherwise much more similar to a typical Macy's, both in selection and overall shopping experience. The Southlake store is being converting to this revised concept.
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Re: Macy's Neighborhood Store Watch

Post by storewanderer »

rwsandiego wrote: July 27th, 2021, 12:18 am
That would be another good idea, albeit a different concept. Macy's Backstage is clearance merchandise. This concept would focus on current merchandise but mainly Macy's lower-tier brands and lower-end branded merchandise.
Isn't that what the "neighborhood stores" already are? They have pulled most/many brands out of those and focus on the lower priced private label items in those stores...
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Re: Macy's Neighborhood Store Watch

Post by storewanderer »

SamSpade wrote: July 27th, 2021, 11:34 am

Idaho Falls' ZCMI > M&F > Dillards received a significant renovation but only on one of its two floors. It seemed at the time they were taking a break for the holiday shopping season, but sadly the renovators never returned. So it's 1986 on the first floor where the first impression is made. :?: :!: :?:
That is sort of like the Reno Macy's.

Reno Men's Macy's: former Liberty House- has mostly original flooring on the first floor (it has gotten some new carpet in the past year or so but still full of super scratched up wood floors in the walkways) and original layout, generally speaking; second floor got some renovations but still not even close to complete.

Reno Women's Macy's: actually built by Macy's in 1978- First floor has been nicely remodeled in the past couple years. Second floor looks original to 1978, stained carpet and all.
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