Macy's Coming to Charlotte? among other places

[DigitalSky]

Update: Here is Leigh Dyer's column from the Charlotte observer:

http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/business/11018494.htm

Charlotte Business Journal:

Federated to buy May's for $11B

Federated Department Stores Inc. has agreed to acquire May Department Stores Co. for about $11 billion.

Federated plans to convert most of May's regional department stores, which include Hecht's stores, to Macy's starting in 2006.

Locally, Hecht's has stores at SouthPark mall and Carolina Place mall. Hecht's also will anchor Northlake Mall when it is opens in September in north Charlotte.

http://charlotte.bizjournals.com/charlotte...tml?jst=b_ln_hl

Complete Story There.

So do you think Hecht's will be converted to Macy's??

[SmellyCat]

They may as just well make the Hecht's in Northlake a Macy's then when it opens. Seems kind of silly plus a waste of money to have to convert it a few months after the grand opening

[uptownliving]

Do you think Macy's will have a parade at SouthPark?

[StevenRocks]

So do you think Hecht's will be converted to Macy's??

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Faster than you can say "way to shop!"

[monsoon]

Ho hum.. Same cheap chinese made stuff sold at over the top prices. Still nice to be kept updated on the ever changing Mall market.

[Twin Cities]

I don't think Macy's is anything special as its clothing line seems to be a step below Marshall Field's and Bloomingdales. And then there's the obvious ones such as Nordstrom and Saks that are definitely a step above.

[SmellyCat]

There is an article in the WSJ today about how Federated's acquisition of May is obviously making a big bet on the future of mall department stores.

I am proud to say I've never been inside a Hecht's. I am by no means their target shopper, but, outside of my mother, most people I know hate going to department stores. They'd much rather shop in the in-line stores, go to a discount category-killer store like Target or Wal-Mart, or even buy stuff online. And if I'm looking for higher end stuff, which is rare, I'll go to a luxury store like Nordstrom.

I don't know how the classic department stores will continue to survive long term if this environment continues.

[Tayfromcarolina]

I hope they don't convert Hechts into Macy's, Hechts is one of the few department store that carry a good selection of Urban wear and clothes. Styles By Sean Jean, and Echo. If the stores switch to Macy's these clothes may not carry over, which would put a damper on the teen, and twenty something demographics.

[StevenRocks]

I am proud to say I've never been inside a Hecht's.  I am by no means their target shopper, but, outside of my mother, most people I know hate going to department stores.  They'd much rather shop in the in-line stores, go to a discount category-killer store like Target or Wal-Mart, or even buy stuff online.  And if I'm looking for higher end stuff, which is rare, I'll go to a luxury store like Nordstrom.

I don't know how the classic department stores will continue to survive long term if this environment continues.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I personally don't think Hecht's is that bad. Maybe before they get branded out of existance, you should stop by. The SouthPark store is really nice, and the prices are better than Nordstrom on some similar stuff. Even with it being somewhat bland, it's still more stimulating than a visit to a sterile website or Sprawl-Mart.

Most people I know hate going to department stores too, but that's because none of those retailers so far has realized that the older ways are better. At one point, departent stores stood for something. They actually had a wide variety of merchandise and distinctive features like restaurants, auditoriums, and fashion shows. That's what makes Nordstrom and Target so special; they're still adhering to a more complete, distinctive merchandise mix with amenities. What's being labeled the classic department stores are nothing more than large apparel stores with token home items thrown in.

My sincere hope is thast Macy's will transfer some of the energy from its flagship stores to the new and existing stores they're opening, otherwise they're toast IMO.

[orulz]

Most people I know hate going to department stores too, but that's because none of those retailers so far has realized that the older ways are better.  At one point, departent stores stood for something.  They actually had a wide variety of merchandise and distinctive features like restaurants, auditoriums, and fashion shows.  That's what makes Nordstrom and Target so special; they're still adhering to a more complete, distinctive merchandise mix with amenities.  What's being labeled the classic department stores are nothing more than large apparel stores with token home items thrown in.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I've never spent much time in big city department stores in the US, but I went to a whole bunch in Japan - and they were truly a sight to behold. There were some discount / generic retailers (Costco and Daiei to name a few) but the department stores were really where it was at. Even in lowly Hiroshima, there were a whole bunch of 8+ story monoliths that were fairly similar to what you describe. Sometimes one of their departments would actually be run by an outside company; for example, the music department at Parco was run by HMV, and the book department at Sogo was run by Kinokuniya. They had food courts, groceries, sporting goods, electronics, movie theaters - everything. What differentiates this from a mall is that, with the exception of the food court, there was no distinct "mall" like passageway between the stores, no neutral ground. A lot of the uses were separated by floors, but in many cases it was difficult to tell when one "department" ended and the next started.

Being in Japan, and mostly being higher end stuff, all the prices were a lot higher than here. In many cases, it was high enough to induce cardiac arrest. But even so, it was a clean and entertaining environment to be in.

[monsoon]

Sogo in Yokohama is great.

[StevenRocks]

I've never spent much time in big city department stores in the US, but I went to a whole bunch in Japan - and they were truly a sight to behold....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

See, if the Japanese can do it (and the English: Harrod's and Selfridges & Co. in London are awesome), and America is the home of the department store, we ought to be able to pull some of that off here.

In fact, the big Macy's in New York and Marshall Field's flagship in Chicago have some of that flavor. Even Belk SouthPark is exceptional. The problem is getting the big chains to transfer that spark to the SouthParks and bunblefunque, NDs of the world !

[nyxmike]

I hope they don't convert Hechts into Macy's, Hechts is one of the few department store that carry a good selection of Urban wear and clothes.

[monsoon]

See, if the Japanese can do it (and the English: Harrod's and Selfridges & Co. in London are awesome), and America is the home of the department store, we ought to be able to pull some of that off here.

In fact, the big Macy's in New York and Marshall Field's flagship in Chicago have some of that flavor.  Even Belk SouthPark is exceptional.  The problem is getting the big chains to transfer that spark to the SouthParks and bunblefunque, NDs of the world ! 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Very true about Harrods and Selfridges. However don't expect the same thing from stores located in a suburban mall such as Southpark. For one thing Southpark is difficult to get to and malls just don't have the character of a store located in a city location.

[StevenRocks]

Very true about Harrods and Selfridges.  However don't expect the same thing from stores located in a suburban mall such as Southpark.  For one thing Southpark is difficult to get to and malls just don't have the character of a store located in a city location.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The way it's going though, there won't be such a thing as a department store if they don't create some form of that energy. Selfridges was able to create a unique environment at their Manchester store at the Bullring, which is more sophistictaed design-wise than SouthPark, but is still a mall.

Speaking more locally, Belk has done an exceptional job in creating a world-class type store at SouthPark. I have friends who come from more sophisticated locales that I've taken there that say it is a great store for a city the size of Charlotte. Nordstrom has some of that flavor, too. I just don't get anything close at Hecht's, so Macy's will have to work some serious changes into the store's mix if it wants to do well locally.

As an outsider to the Charlotte area, I can locate SouthPark a lot easier than anything uptown. The roads aren't clear uptown and it's a hard environment to navigate without familiarity and a pedestrian orientation.

[DigitalSky]

As an outsider to the Charlotte area, I can locate SouthPark a lot easier than anything uptown.  The roads aren't clear uptown and it's a hard environment to navigate without familiarity and a pedestrian orientation.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think what monsoon meant was that SouthPark [and Eastland] aren't located on an interstate or very close to an interchange... whereas most other regional malls, Carolina Place, Concord Mills, etc. are and Northlake will be...

So maybe it's easier for you to find but it might not be as easy for someone who's just in town looking for the mall and they hop onto the interstate

[StevenRocks]

I think what monsoon meant was that SouthPark [and Eastland] aren't located on an interstate or very close to an interchange... whereas most other regional malls, Carolina Place, Concord Mills, etc. are and Northlake will be...

So maybe it's easier for you to find but it might not be as easy for someone who's just in town looking for the mall and they hop onto the interstate

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I guess you're right.

The first time I went to SouthPark (in '92) I had a heck of a time trying to find it based on directions. The next time I got a map and it went much smoother

[alslex1]

As I mentioned on another thread, Macy's has already "rebranded" the Federated Dept. Stores here in Lexington, KY as well as others around the state/region.(We've witnessed what you all will in about a year, from what I hear.) The changes Macy's has made here are a lot better than what the stores used to be before when they were Lazarus. Higher end brands are carried and the store appearance inside and out has changed for the better! Bloomingdales is owned by Macy's, it is the higher end more hip/ trendy/expensive side of Macy's. Apparently in cities like Charlotte where there are overlapping May Company stores, some might be converted to Bloomingdales. This is what Macy's did in Atlanta where Rich's stores overlapped. I'm not saying that these can in anyway touch Nordstrom for their service or cool clothes, but it will probably be nicer than Hecht's.

[alslex1]

I hope they don't convert Hechts into Macy's, Hechts is one of the few department store that carry a good selection of Urban wear and clothes.  Styles By Sean Jean, and Echo.  If the stores switch to Macy's these clothes may not carry over, which would put a damper on the teen, and twenty something demographics.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Macy's has these brands too.

[StevenRocks]

Apparently in cities like Charlotte where there are overlapping May Company stores, some might be converted to Bloomingdales.  This is what Macy's did in Atlanta where Rich's stores overlapped.  I'm not saying that these can in anyway touch Nordstrom for their service or cool clothes, but it will probably be nicer than Hecht's. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

we've got our fingers crossed

[Rufus]

charlotte should stick with one macy's store, maybe at southpark, and then a bloomingdale's at one other mall of their choice. that way charlotte could have at least some variety like what atlanta did. i sure wish, even though there is no hechts in downtown, that maybe bloomingdale's or macy's would settle there. it would remind me of a big city feel that yoiu would get in places like seattle, san francisco, or even NY.

[AmericanUrbanDesigner]

Very cool...

[DigitalSky]

In Sunday's MoneyWise section in the Observer they're going to have an article about Hecht's -> Macy's transition.

[nyxmike]

Does anyone know when it is going to "officially" happen? Before year-end?

[StevenRocks]

"Officially" in September. Stay tuned.