It's Official: Charlotte to have Macy's

[jb4563]

The Hecht's name will disappear by Fall 2006.

http://www.fds.com/ir/maymerger/template/p...?item_id=736315

Edit: And, the Triad and Triangle too..maybe should have posted in the NC forum

[DigitalSky]

I thought It'd be sooner, thanks for posting that though

also this is interesting

A decision regarding the Marshall Field's name has not yet been made, pending further study. The Lord & Taylor name will not be converted to the Macy's brand.

I figured that if Federated is converting the mid-tier department stores (Hecht's, Filene's, Foley's, etc) into Macy's stores, then they would convert Lord & Taylor and Marshall Field's into Bloomingdales...maybe not.

[jb4563]

The press release also says a few mid-tier stores could become Bloomingdale's.

We could get a Bloomingdale's..maybe at SouthPark? (my speculation)

I heard at one point they were considering using the Marshall Field's name as a high end nameplate...a la Neiman Marcus.

[csedwards72]

L&T is staying put. Hopefully Federated can improve the chain and perhaps expand it again, perhaps back to NC.

Any thoughts on the SouthPark Hecht's becoming a Bloomingdale's down the road? I'd like that!

[DigitalSky]

The press release also says a few mid-tier stores could become Bloomingdale's.

We could get a Bloomingdale's..maybe at SouthPark? (my speculation)

I heard at one point they were considering using the Marshall Field's name as a high end nameplate...a la Neiman Marcus.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I speculated about Bloomingdales in this thread http://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=9425 but i think that press release said that they'd consider Bloomingdales mainly in malls that have both a Macy's store and a May Company store

Here's the original thread on Macy's coming to Charlotte, btw

http://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=9135

[f0xym0p]

Does this mean that the Hecht's are actually going to change any, or just the name will change to Macy's?

[csedwards72]

Thanks for the Bloomingdale's info. I think Federated should consider putting a Bloomingdale's in Charlotte if it wants to make a lot of money. I don't shop at Bloomingdale's much, but I think it'd be a good move for Federated. There are only so many department stores in a certain price range that a city could support, and if Federated wants to completely shut out Saks, then having a Bloomingdale's, Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom in one town might do the trick.

For the Hecht's/Macy's switchover- I'd expect that the merchandise would change somewhat since Macy's has different private-label brands (and supposedly more upscale merchandise) than May stores do.

[jb4563]

Does this mean that the Hecht's are actually going to change any, or just the name will change to Macy's?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It will convert to a full Macy's store (ie merchandise, etc). Though I am sure you will see Federated take the best things from each brand and incorporate them into Macy's

[ilektronik]

so this means Northlake is getting a Macy's

[charlotte_bon_vivant]

I thought It'd be sooner, thanks for posting that though

When they announced the merger, they said then the name changes wouldn't happen until 2006.

[charlotte_bon_vivant]

It will convert to a full Macy's store (ie merchandise, etc).  Though I am sure you will see Federated take the best things from each brand and incorporate them into Macy's

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No, they won't. They'll be converting fully to Macy's vendors. Some of them are similar, but Macy's merchandise is more "upscale" and a bit edgier than Hecht's. One concern for NC is Belk's since they share some vendors with Federated. There was an article last year about how Federated would position itself against Belk. Federated, being a much larger company has better access to vendors and will possibly get more exclusive merchandise over Belk. Should be interesting...

[DigitalSky]

When they announced the merger, they said then the name changes wouldn't happen until 2006.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

i thought it'd be early 2006 i meant

[Lady Celeste]

Girly, what is Belk like there in Charlotte? I always thought of them like an "Uptons" or "Mervyns." The first one I had ever seen in a mall was in Athens.

[Miesian Corners]

Girly, what is Belk like there in Charlotte? I always thought of them like an "Uptons" or "Mervyns." The first one I had ever seen in a mall was in Athens.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Belk has three classes of stores: A, B & C. Belk SouthPark, Crabtree, and Friendly Center are Class A stores. They feature higher-end merchandise (Prada, Gucci, Burberry, Armani, Versace, Bruno Magli, Ferragamo, Ted Baker, ect. and probably every different make-up/skin care counter ever dreamed up (Kiehl's is the newest there).

The Class C stores are found in small towns in the Carolinas, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Tennessee, and Kentucky. I think there are still a few stores in Virginia that fall into that category as well. They're found mostly in strip centers.

[charlotte_bon_vivant]

Girly, what is Belk like there in Charlotte? I always thought of them like an "Uptons" or "Mervyns." The first one I had ever seen in a mall was in Athens.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

At least in Charlotte, Belk isn't at all like the ones in GA. It's a cross between Macy's and Parisian. They carry a lot of mid-end and bridge lines, but they also carry a lot of higher-end merchandise. They're actually very nice stores.

They have good sales, too. There's a 2-for-1 shoe sale right now. Last year before I moved to Charlotte, a bunch of us from Makeupalley.com bought ALL the Nars makeup from Belk at SouthPark. It was 50% off.

[Lady Celeste]

Thanks Miesian and Girly for the information on Belks....oddly enough the one in Athens was kind of nice. I used to go there to get accent accessories for my dorm my freshman year of college. I bought a beautifully framed picture of a gentleman hunt scene. I still have that picture. When I got back to the metro, I located one and was like "WTH?"

Back to the topics at hand........

I'm curious....Charlotte is a big metro....how in the world do you all not have Macy's yet? Is Belk a North Carolina based company? Is their clout that strong that they have been able to keep Macy's out for so long. Charlotte is a well to do city....from my estimation....I just find it interesting that they are now converting stores into Macy's. Also, Neiman Marcus came before Macy's. Macy's has an ability to go high end where need be.

Girly you will remember but where Macy's is in the same location as say a Nieman Marcus or Nordstrom, they tend to be high end yet just a notch below the aforementioned stores...ie the Macy's at Perimeter and Lenox Malls....but in locations where they compete with Parisian's or Dillards, they tend to be ho hum....ie Town Center or Arbor Place Malls.

I would have thought that the execs at Federated would have seen Charlotte ripe for the picking when it's national prominence increased. I mean I had started really hearing about Charlotte alot back in the mid 1990's when I was working at General Electric's GE Capital division. GE Capital did...and I think they still do....financing for Lowes. Several GE bigwigs moved to the greater Charlotte area from Atlanta and Stamford, CT.

Somehow Charlotte flew under the radar and I just can't see how.......

[StevenRocks]

Federated attempted to enter the Charlotte market with Rich's around 1990 with a store at what became Carolina Place, but it filed for bankruptcy around the same time and the store was cancelled.

I suspect one of the main reasons Federated has never been in Charlotte (other than Richway discount stores in the '70s and '80s) is because Belk and Ivey's blocked them to protect their market share. There was no chance of them getting into SouthPark, for example, because it was a Belk & Ivey's owned property until the late '90s.

I think the Hecht's at SouthPark will convert to a typical upmarket Macy's (a la Perimeter Mall, rather than like Lenox Square)

[appatone]

Is Belk a North Carolina based company? Is their clout that strong that they have been able to keep Macy's out for so long.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The anwser for the most part is yes and yes. Belk is a Charlotte company and held this city's departmant store retail in a death grip for a long time. The Belk family is also an old money prominant land owning family in Charlotte going way back to before the department stores came around. When the Belks own the land (or know who does, or are married to who does, etc.) it's easy to keep competition away.

Did Belk own Carolina Place for a while also?

[csedwards72]

Having grown up in the Carolinas, I must say that the SouthPark Belk is MUCH nicer than lots of other Belk stores are and were. It used to be known as a mid-market to low-end chain that was a step up from JC Penney but not as nice as Ivey's; since the Carolinas were generally middle-income (or lower) until recently, Belk stores thus thrived. The dated, mid-market Belk's at Lewis Plaza and McAlister Square in Greenville, SC that closed 5-10 years ago don't bring back great memories.

Belk is extremely inconsistent; some of its stores are nice, large and modern, but others (mainly the freestanding ones, only a few of which are left) aren't. Then there's the convenience store-size one in uptown Charlotte, which is modern but not large.

One great thing about Belk is its owners: the families that run Belk are local families that are big supporters of their communities and various institutions around the US.

[charlotte_bon_vivant]

Lady_Celeste, you went to UGA? My older brother did, too. I think you're around my age (32), so he was probably there before you.

This was all a long time ago, so I'm not coletely sure of the details. Federated bought Davidson's and changed all those stores to Macy's. I think all the Macy's except for the Perimeter mall store were once Davidson's. They competed with Rich's for a long time before Rich's finally sold the chain to Federated. After a few name changes, they all converted to Macy's. Federated did the same thing everywhere from Washington State to Florida. They came in and bought up the local chains. Now, all those stores are Macy's. What they want is to position Macy's as a national brand. Like a more upscale version of Wal-Mart or Target or Sears. A nationally recognized brand. Buying May Co. solidifies that plan. That's also why there won't be a Bloomingdales in Charlotte anytime soon. My guess is Federated is going to make a move for Belk the way they did Rich's. They can eventually switch some of those stores to Macy's and a few Bloomigdales stores. In the last 5-10 years, Federated has become very predatory. I don't think they've moved into a single market lately without an acquisition.

Hope that helps answer your question.

[Lady Celeste]

Thanks again Girly........

Yes we are the same age.

You made some great points about Federated.....and yes I remember Davidson's also.

As far as Bloomingdale's is concern, I'm conflicted. I used to purchase alot of items from their catalog before they opened the two stores here in Atlanta at Lenox and Perimeter. When they first opened I was there alot....especially at the one at Perimeter. Then as time went on, I found myself gravitating back to Nordstrom when I was at Perimeter or when I'm at Lenox I find myself gravitating towards Neiman Marcus or just going across the street to Saks at Phipps Plaza.

I don't know what it is because I used to find the best tweed or boucle' suits from Bloomies, now it appears to me that at the Perimeter store they are just a tad bit too.......how can I say this.....youthfully trendy to me. In a very dense retail market, perhaps that is a marketing plow to differentiate themselves from Nordstrom, Nieman and Saks. Maybe it's me and maybe it's just because I'm not going into Bloomies with an open mind. Plus I like hearing the old man playing the piano while you shop at Nordstrom. He's right by the St John's and Versace section. Plus Nordstrom's shoe section on the lower level is the best and there are always men there waiting to help you.

Maybe it's just me.....I'm glad to have Bloomies but I found that I shopped them more when I shopped their catalog than I do them in person.

Girly you seem to have a grasp on the retail market, what are your thoughts on Bloomies?

[StevenRocks]

Did Belk own Carolina Place for a while also?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Carolina Place was a joint project between Belk and developer Ben Carter. It sits on what was supposed to have been the original location of SouthPark. Belk and Ivey's bought the land together in the aerly '60s, but Ivey's sold their part back to Belk after SouthPark was built closer to town in the early '70s. Belk sold off most of the land through there and started planning a mal in the mid '80s.

Having grown up in the Carolinas, I must say that the SouthPark Belk is MUCH nicer than lots of other Belk stores are and were...

Belk is extremely inconsistent; some of its stores are nice, large and modern, but others (mainly the freestanding ones, only a few of which are left) aren't.  Then there's the convenience store-size one in uptown Charlotte, which is modern but not large.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I agree with that. There's about 20-25 truly nice Belk stores and the rest are really crappy.

[parkave231]

Federated attempted to enter the Charlotte market with Rich's around 1990 with a store at what became Carolina Place, but it filed for bankruptcy around the same time and the store was cancelled.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I knew I remembered reading somewhere a loooooong time ago about Rich's making a move on Charlotte, but I never did find out what happened, save for the fact that they aren't here. When I first moved here, I thought that perhaps the Hecht's at CP had maybe been Rich's at one point......I guess I was halfway correct, in a sense!

This was all a long time ago, so I'm not coletely sure of the details. Federated bought Davidson's and changed all those stores to Macy's. I think all the Macy's except for the Perimeter mall store were once Davidson's. They competed with Rich's for a long time before Rich's finally sold the chain to Federated. After a few name changes, they all converted to Macy's....... My guess is Federated is going to make a move for Belk the way they did Rich's. They can eventually switch some of those stores to Macy's and a few Bloomigdales stores. In the last 5-10 years, Federated has become very predatory. I don't think they've moved into a single market lately without an acquisition.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Almost...Macy's bought Davison's back in 1928 or so...or was it 1925? Either way, it was quite a while ago. In the mid 1980s, bags and boxes from Davison's started to say "Davison's, a division of the R.H. Macy Co. since 1928," or something to that effect. I'm 98% sure that the first store to open under the Macy's name in Atlanta was the Town Center store -- all of the previous ones had been Davison's. I remember when that store opened in what was previously a kudzu pit. My parents were so glad that we wouldn't have to drive to Cumberland to go shopping! Honestly, I'm rather surprised that Macy's stayed so long in Atlanta after the Federated merger. At the time, I would have guessed that Rich's would have stayed and Macy's would have quickly boarded up shop, but they somehow kept both of them up until last year. I would have much rather had the Rich's name survive, but I don't have any particular beef with Macy's, save for the fact that they closed the downtown Atlanta store

And I sure as heck hope that Fed doesn't make a move on Belk, but mark my words: In 5 years we'll have the same 4 stores at every mall: Macy's, Sears, Penney's, and Dillard's.

Matt

[StevenRocks]

I knew I remembered reading somewhere a loooooong time ago about Rich's making a move on Charlotte, but I never did find out what happened, save for the fact that they aren't here.  When I first moved here, I thought that perhaps the Hecht's at CP had maybe been Rich's at one point......I guess I was halfway correct, in a sense!

And I sure as heck hope that Fed doesn't make a move on Belk, but mark my words:  In 5 years we'll have the same 4 stores at every mall:  Macy's, Sears, Penney's, and Dillard's.

Matt

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Rich's and Miller & Rhoads were supposed to be at Carolina Place in its late '80s planning incrnation, but both of them bowed out. Thalhimers reportedly wasn't interested at first, but when they got bought out and converted by May Company, Hecht's opend in one of the lost anchors' places in 1993, two years after the rest of the mall opened.

[NorthStar]

Why the hype over Macy's?