RIP Filenes, Marshall Fields, et al

[disneymama73]

Down with Macy's!!!

I wonder what sort of blasphemy they have planned for the Walnut Room. What horrible fate awaits?

I can't even think about it.

 

[goofy4tink]

Wow, no more Filene's!? I grew up in the Worcester area, and every year, we used to schedule a back-to-school trip to Boston Filene's. Whatever is going to happen to Filene's Basement? I remember watching on the news when they had the huge sale for Bridal gowns. People would line up for hours! It just won't be the same without Filene's Basement.

Not to worry...that isn't going anywhere. My dh tells me Filene's Basement is owned by an entirely different company. What would we do without the bride's race every year??

 

[AmazingGrace]

Foley's in San Antoniohas been eaten up by Macy's too.

 

[Linda/MA]

Yikes!!! You just took me for a walk down memory lane!!! Anyone else out there remember the perfume fountain at Jordan Marsh at Shoppers World?? My mom stopped going to Macys...said she thought they were carrying a line of goods that was one step up from Bradlees!!! She was a huge Filene's fan...I'm almost glad she's not with us anymore...this surely would have killed her!!! In fact, the first time I went into Filene's in the Natick Mall, after she died, I started tearing up!!! What a dope. Just the smell in there took me back. Missing the Enchanted Village as well....and those muffins!!!!!

Your mom sounds like my MIL. Did she refer to it as Filenes (with the short i sound), not Feyelenes? My MIL still pronounces it that way.

 

[carl59]

Years ago we lose A&S to Macy's, we had malls around here with 2 Macy's in them.

FYI
Macy's is own by Federated Department Stores, who also own the following:
Bloomingdale's
Famous-Barr
Filene's
Foley's
Hecht's
Kaufman's
L.S. Ayres
Marshall Field's
Meier & Frank
Robinson-May
Strawbridge's
The Jones Stores

 

[debsays]

Oh my gosh Linda. Remember the Jordan Marsh blueberry muffins? Mmmmm. The windows at the holiday season, and the top floor of Jordan's Holiday Village. Soooo miss it. I can always remember when we went to Boston for the day we ALWAYS came home with Jordan muffins and a bouquet of flowers from the vendor on the street.

 

[Linda/MA]

Oh my gosh Linda. Remember the Jordan Marsh blueberry muffins? Mmmmm. The windows at the holiday season, and the top floor of Jordan's Holiday Village. Soooo miss it. I can always remember when we went to Boston for the day we ALWAYS came home with Jordan muffins and a bouquet of flowers from the vendor on the street.

I have what is supposed to be the recipe. They come out pretty good. Of course, it's not quite the same. Let me know if you want it.

 

[shamrock30]

There was an article a few days ago about the uncertain future of Lord and Taylor. It said that a decision would be made by the end of the year. Doesn't sound good.

Our closest mall has lost both Filene's and Lord and Taylor, and since we already had a Macy's, it's a big blow. We're getting a Nordstrom, but not until 2010!

 

[Serena]

Years ago we lose A&S to Macy's, we had malls around here with 2 Macy's in them.

FYI
Macy's is own by Federated Department Stores, who also own the following:
Bloomingdale's
Famous-Barr
Filene's
Foley's
Hecht's
Kaufman's
L.S. Ayres
Marshall Field's
Meier & Frank
Robinson-May
Strawbridge's
The Jones Stores

Thanks Carl. Yep, all those stores were May Company stores and now Federated owns all of it, and is turning them into Macy's or closing them.

Galahad, yeah, I'm still working, but I don't know for how long.


The Grand Re-opening is happening tomorrow morning. I know in my area they are giving out 500 gift cards in each store. All of the gift cards are worth $10, except one. It's worth $1,000. The first 500 people in each store gets a gift card.
If you all are interested.

 

[Poohnatic]

They best keep their darned hands off my beloved Lord and Taylors.

You're in luck, according to the May Company website. That's the only east coast chain that they owned that will not go under the Macy*s name change.

I'm a Gimbel's girl from waaaaaaaaay back, and L&T was 'outside the mall' shopping.

Sad to see all the great department store names being swallowed up by Macy*s. It started with Abraham and Straus (another chain I'd worked for)and they shuttered almost all of those locations. The rest were converted.

Suzanne

 

[Nancy]

Here we just lost Kaufmann's...eh. I feel worse about the fact that I can't remember what the store was called before The May Co. bought it.

Our Kaufmanns was a Sibleys before the may company took it over.

I am happy about Macy's... they just hired my daughter to work in the jewlery department and she had been looking for work for months!

If I can get out of bed early enough I'll be there for the grand re-opening. They just uncovered the Macy's signs on the outside of the building today, and it looks nicer inside than when it was Kaufmanns. kaufmanns always had so much stuff crammed on the sales floor this looks nice and airy.

 

[lovingthemouse]

We just went shopping tonight at our local Filene's for the last time. Tomorrow it is Macy's, but since we have not received our Macy's card yet, it will still be Filene's to us for a while longer.

Since I have never really shopped at Macy's, I looked in the women's dept tonight - seems their offerings are fewer and more expensive. Has anyone else noticed this? The associates now wear black, as our salesperson told us, and more sublte changes are to come. Guess, we'll just wait and see.

Thanks for the Filene's memories - our original store was Steiger's- a family run store bought by Filene's 10 or so yrs ago. Now that was a great store- totally customer oriented!!! Caroline

 

[Goofydiane]

I'm losing Marshall Fields, however I haven't really shopped them in 2 years since I lost my 20% discount when they were sold.

So....is it just me, or is anyone else sick of seeing a Macy's commercial on TV during every commercial break!

 

[mickey4ver]

Thanks for the Filene's memories - our original store was Steiger's- a family run store bought by Filene's 10 or so yrs ago. Now that was a great store- totally customer oriented!!! Caroline

MY...I hadn't thought about a Steiger's in years!! I do remember going there with my mother and grandmother. Wow, that is a blast from the past. Do any of you New Englander's that are a little older remember W. T. Grant or Grant's stores? which were like Woolworth's.........ahh...the 5 & Dime stores, I used to love looking through all the little glass cubbies on the displays for neat stuff.........

Wasn't there also a dept. store...G. Fox...or Foxes? I seem to remember that one too........and Sage-Allens? wow, just doing a little searching is bringing back lots of memories

Wow, Macy's IS trying to own the retail world aren't they

 

[golfgal]

I just read in the Minneapolis paper that Macy's is keeping some of the long standing Marshall Field's (well Dayton's) traditions including Frango. In Minneapolis Dayton's has had this spectacular Christmas display for eons. It is almost like a Disney attraction with animated figures, etc. They are going to continue that so I would suspect if other stores have something traditional they will continue with those as well. It makes good business sense because you would make a LOT of people mad if you got rid of them.

 

[Simba's Mom]

MY...I hadn't thought about a Steiger's in years!! I do remember going there with my mother and grandmother. Wow, that is a blast from the past. Do any of you New Englander's that are a little older remember W. T. Grant or Grant's stores? which were like Woolworth's.........ahh...the 5 & Dime stores, I used to love looking through all the little glass cubbies on the displays for neat stuff.........

Wasn't there also a dept. store...G. Fox...or Foxes? I seem to remember that one too........and Sage-Allens? wow, just doing a little searching is bringing back lots of memories

Wow, Macy's IS trying to own the retail world aren't they

Besides Woolworths (actually beside Woolworth's in Worcester), wasn't there a 5 and 10 called Newbury's or something like that? I do, of course, remember Woolworths and Grants. I guess that does make me (ahem) "just a little" older.

 

[Chuck S]

Besides Woolworths (actually beside Woolworth's in Worcester), wasn't there a 5 and 10 called Newbury's or something like that? I do, of course, remember Woolworths and Grants. I guess that does make me (ahem) "just a little" older.

Yes, J. J. Newberry & Co. They were purchased by McCrory's, who also owned T.G.&Y. The last stores closed in 1997 when McCrory liquidated in bankruptcy.

 

[Blondie]

I'm a Gimbel's girl from waaaaaaaaay back, and L&T was 'outside the mall' shopping.

I worked at Gimbels for a few months when I first got out of high school!

I miss Hess, John Wanamaker, & Strawbridge and Clothier!

 

[JunieJay]

You're in luck, according to the May Company website. That's the only east coast chain that they owned that will not go under the Macy*s name change.

Thank goodness. I can't imagine they would do away with Lord and Taylor, its always busy in there when I am there. Which is entirely too frequently.

 

[JunieJay]

Since I have never really shopped at Macy's, I looked in the women's dept tonight - seems their offerings are fewer and more expensive. Has anyone else noticed this? The associates now wear black, as our salesperson told us, and more sublte changes are to come. Guess, we'll just wait and see.

Yup. I mentioned this upthread. This is the way it is around here too, the Macy stores are very stark in comparison to Hechts. You could go in Hechts on any given day and take hours just going through the clearance racks. I never see anything on sale at Macy's, if its on sale, it means its the price of what Hechts would have charged for it full price.