Hecht's to Macy's Merger - What Can it do for Roanoke

[designerjunkie48]

I am sure everyone has heard by now about the Hecht's to Macy's merger. As of now, Federated owns all of May Company making all Hechts stores now Macy's. Macy credit cards can be accepted at any Hechts nationwide as well as Hechts or Macy's giftcards. Everything with the merger will be complete nationwide September 10 2006. There will be a re-grand opening of each May Company store....anyway....

How do you think a higher-end department store will help the growth of Roanoke in terms of retail. As a current Hecht's employee I know that many brands are leaving from the Hecht's name and many new ones are coming in. A M.A.C Cosmetics counter will be opening in Hecht's June 1st, and while the store will not go under any new renovations (partly because it was renovated not too long ago) the layout of the store will change significantly. I feel Macys - being billed as "America's Department Store" will draw in more crowds from other areas, and may make retailers put Roanoke on there map of places to open a store.

Any feeling on this??

[StevenRocks]

Glad to hear you guys are getting a M.A.C. counter. I noticed Bhramin handbags as well.

I think overall it will be good for Roanoke, even though I don't anticipate much changing at the Valley View store. I don't think it'll increase traffic by much, but maybe some people will be happier with what Macy's sells as opposed to Hecht's.

[weill]

Rumors are going around that Valley View Mall will install secrurity screening, similar to the ones you go at airports.

[StevenRocks]

That would be totally retarded, but I don't doubt they're considering it.

[weill]

True, but you know Roanoke is always thinking up a plan to scare people away. Hopefully CBL wont allow (company that owns VV)

BTW, construction pictures coming soon for VV, its already started!

[StevenRocks]

I know CBL. Of course I would

I'm looking forward to the photos. i've seen some barricades but not much else.

Back on topic: Hecht's is going to get some minor tweaking, but it's going to be a lot like how it is now as Macy's, from what I can tell so far.

[weill]

So this means no more Hechts, all Macys?

[StevenRocks]

So this means no more Hechts, all Macys?

Yes. As of September, The Hecht Co. wil no longer exist.

[designerjunkie48]

Some layout of the store will change. We are not yet sure as to what will leave and what will go, but they are telling us that new brands are coming. RL Polo is going back into women's and they are talking about mens and womens Lacoste. We shall say.

As for the layout, all they have said is that certain things will change. Since the store was just redone, Macy's was very impressed with the architecture and loved the layout. I will keep you all updated as soon as I get more info!

[weill]

Whats your relationship will Hechts/Macys?

[designerjunkie48]

I'm a make-up arist for Lancome...

[StevenRocks]

Some layout of the store will change. We are not yet sure as to what will leave and what will go, but they are telling us that new brands are coming. RL Polo is going back into women's and they are talking about mens and womens Lacoste. We shall say.

As for the layout, all they have said is that certain things will change. Since the store was just redone, Macy's was very impressed with the architecture and loved the layout. I will keep you all updated as soon as I get more info!

Lacoste would be a good addtion. The Friendly Center store has carried it for several years and it seems to do well. There's a space downstairs that used to be Hilfiger that would make a good Lacoste shop.

The store is in really good shape. When May finally decided to spend some money in Roanoke, they did it up, though they should have trashed those narrow escalators in the main store.

[designerjunkie48]

I agree about those darn escalators! All associates hate them! But such is life...

[weill]

Are you employed in the Roanoke Valley, designerjunkie?

[StevenRocks]

I agree about those darn escalators! All associates hate them! But such is life...

They're a design detail of Carter Hawley Hale, which owned Thalhimers when the Valley View store opened. Just about every Thalhimers store that opened or was expanded in the '80s has them.

Lynchburg avoided it because it's an older store (1980), and the Cary, NC store avoided them becaue it was opened after May took over. SouthPark (Charlotte) used to have them, but they were removed when Hecht's expanded that store a couple years ago.

[designerjunkie48]

Are you employed in the Roanoke Valley, designerjunkie?

Yes!

[14gameshows]

I believe a Macy's in Roanoke will help freshin' things up here in the valley. Although the after the initial buzz of Roanoke getting a MACY*S, I think it will wear off. Think about it, when Thalhimers was here back in the day (1985, for the Roanoke area). Thalhimers was the "upscale" store...then fast forward to the 1990s and HECHT'S took over and now a MACY*S take over. Whoptie do. However the merchandise at MACY'S from my understanding will change just a tad. I was told over the weekend that Tommy Hilfiger is coming back because Tommy has a contract with MACY*S. The CSR told me that HECHT'S lost Tommy a few years ago and he was actually happy about it but now with MACY*S coming in, that's one thing he doesn't like to see happen. As for me as a consumer, I loved HECHT'S due to their collection of SouthPole merchandise but that same CSR informed me that MACY*S do not carry SouthPole but they will carry SeanJohn clothing. I guess the switch isn't that bad but I've looked at Sean's prices and I might just take my money and go over to Belk. However for some odd reason, I find HECHT'S pricing on SouthPole to be better than JCPenney's prices.

Now what i would like to see is how the Lynchburg market will take to a MACY*S store at River Ridge Mall? Hey Designerjunkie48, do you know how the Lynchburg HECHT'S perform against the Roanoke store? What are your thoughts about this? I heard somewhere, it may be on this forum but it's said that HECHT'S does extremely well in the North Carolina area. Not just that store but all stores have an unusual than normal performance rate exceeding company expectations in the North Carolina region. Why is that?

[StevenRocks]

Macy's will not last in Lynchburg. That's my prediction. Hecht's isn't exactly blowing them away there, and they've really let that store go down a lot. I figure Boscov's will end up there, just like in Danville.

They'll do alright in Roanoke though. I actually miss the Tommy section. It got to be a running joke that every goofball in Roanoke had a Tommy Hilfiger shirt (including me) but it's actually pretty good stuff without the massive logos attached. the Men's store at hact's needs the tweaking that Macy's will definately do.

Hecht's does really well in the Raleigh and Greensboro areas; in Charlotte, it's pretty even with Dillard's but behind Belk.

[14gameshows]

question to anyone who knows...

HECHT's, the store design on the inside....is there any other Hecht's stores that are like that. I do know that the HUGE Hecht's store at Lynnhaven Mall looks the exact same on the inside as the one here in Roanoke, architectualy wise. That store in Virginia Beach is HUGE and long. I didn't even bother going up to the second floor. Now that would be a Macy's for you.

[StevenRocks]

HECHT's, the store design on the inside....is there any other Hecht's stores that are like that. I do know that the HUGE Hecht's store at Lynnhaven Mall looks the exact same on the inside as the one here in Roanoke, architectualy wise. That store in Virginia Beach is HUGE and long. I didn't even bother going up to the second floor. Now that would be a Macy's for you.

Most of the Hecht's built between 2000-2003 look like Hecht's Valley View inside. The Southpoint and Triangle Town Center stores in Raleigh-Durham are dead ringers for it.