Macy's may come to Oklahoma City

[mranderson]

Federated department stores announced it is retireing the name of one of their department stores and will use the Macy's name by the end of this year.

The chain is Rich's. I am not sure where it is located. This could mean the Federated stores in Oklahoma City will be renamed Macy's sometime in the future. That will automatically upscale them.

One can hope. This may also be the reason Macy's has not considered Oklahoma City.

[Patrick]

Unfortunately, I contacted Federated earlier today, and they toldme that their Foley's chain would remain in tact.

[brianinok]

(from OKC Business)

Federated Shareholder vote likely means Macy's stores coming to Oklahoma in 2006
Posted: Wednesday, July 13, 2005

Shareholders of Federated Department Stores, Inc., which includes the Macy's and Bloomingdale's department store brands, today approved the company's proposed merger with The May Department Stores Company, which includes the Foley's department store brand.

About 81 percent of shares outstanding, representing more than 99 percent of votes cast at Federated's annual meeting of shareholders, voted to authorize the issuance of Federated common stock pursuant to an agreement and plan of merger between the two companies.

Earlier this year, Federated's chief executive, Terry J. Lundgren said, no division consolidations or store name changes would occur, post-merger, before 2006. However, he said it is likely that most of May's regional department stores, like the Foley's stores operating in Oklahoma, ultimately will be converted to Macy's.

"We have had considerable success in re-branding our own regional stores as Macy's, so obviously we anticipate continuing this strategy to some extent with our new stores," he said.

Contingent on completion of the antitrust review of the transaction by regulators, Federated officials indicated today that they continue to believe the merger with May will close in the third quarter of its 2005 fiscal year.

Federated, with more than 450 stores in 34 states, has corporate offices in Cincinnati and New York and has annual sales of more than $15.6 billion.

However, once the merger is complete, Federated will operate more than 950 department stores, along with approximately 700 bridal and formalwear stores. In addition, 15 new states, mostly in the nation's heartland in states like Oklahoma, will be layered onto Federated's existing 34-state operating base, with relatively little overlap between the companies' locations.

This will give Federated, Lundgren today said, a truly national retail footprint for the first time in the company's history and result in it having stores in 64 of the nation's top 65 markets.

"As we have stated before, the combined company will be an exciting organization - a fashion retailer with about $30 billion in sales and truly national scope and presence. The road ahead for Federated is very exciting and presents us with an opportunity to transform our industry in a way that will benefit customers from coast to coast."

__________________________________________________ _____________

I hope that they actually convert the stores to Macy's rather than just change the name. Foley's is okay, but Macy's is on another level completely.

[Rev. Bob]

Read closely: "However, he said it is likely that most of May's regional department stores, like the Foley's stores operating in Oklahoma, ultimately will be converted to Macy's.

I bet MOST doesn't include Crossroads. I can't see a Macy's at Crossroads.

[brianinok]

If Federated had another brand besides Macy's and Bloomingdale's (a step below them), I would think a conversion to that brand at Crossroads would happen. But since they don't, it is very possible (even likely?) that Crossroads will lose that anchor. However, if that location is profitable for Foley's, and if they own the building (and not Crossroads), I wouldn't be surprised to see it stay.

[mranderson]

If Federated had another brand besides Macy's and Bloomingdale's (a step below them), I would think a conversion to that brand at Crossroads would happen. But since they don't, it is very possible (even likely?) that Crossroads will lose that anchor. However, if that location is profitable for Foley's, and if they own the building (and not Crossroads), I wouldn't be surprised to see it stay.

Federated DOES own the building. All anchors except Steve & Barry's own their buildings. Federated could lease it to someone, or sell it to the mall.

My guess is no Macy's in Crossroads. Class and gangbangers do not mix, and Federated will see that.

[travich]

Wow.

[Decious]

Federated DOES own the building. All anchors except Steve & Barry's own their buildings. Federated could lease it to someone, or sell it to the mall.

My guess is no Macy's in Crossroads. Class and gangbangers do not mix, and Federated will see that.

I haven't seen any gangbangers at Crossroads, nor have I heard of any recent gang related shootings there. So, who exactly are you referring to when you say gangbanger?

[mranderson]

I haven't seen any gangbangers at Crossroads, nor have I heard of any recent gang related shootings there. So, who exactly are you referring to when you say gangbanger?

Odd. Everytime I go into that Mall, I see gang bangers. What do YOU think a gang banger is? (the only way I can respond)

[Decious]

Odd. Everytime I go into that Mall, I see gang bangers. What do YOU think a gang banger is? (the only way I can respond)

An individual who participates in gang related activity such as gang banging. I'm pretty sure I know what you mean.

[mranderson]

An individual who participates in gang related activity such as gang banging. I'm pretty sure I know what you mean.

Exactly. THOSE are the types I see every time I walk into that mall.

[Decious]

Exactly. THOSE are the types I see every time I walk into that mall.

No you don't. You see people that you think fit the description of what you think a "gangbanger" looks like.

[Pete]

Macy's is definitely a cut (or two) above Foley's, so that's good news for OKC.

Maybe we'll get a Bloomie's, too.

[rxis]

It wasn't too long ago when I used to hang out at the mall and I don't think most of the kids there are affliated with gangs. I didn't even know that word was still used..hehe

Just a lot of American kids being American kids like a lot of us used to behave at that age.

[venture]

Well it could be worse...it could be overran like Penn Square and Quail Springs by a bunch of them homosexuals with their expensive tastes and disposable incomes. LOL

Eh kids are kids. Crossroads just attracts a lower income level than the other malls do. Crossroads was never horrible, just a higher percentage of young adults hang out there. No different than Sooner with the college kids...or how about any mall, with those darn loiterers that just walk around in circles!

[fromdust]

Shareholders of Federated Department Stores, Inc., which includes the Macy's and Bloomingdale's department store brands, today approved the company's proposed merger with The May Department Stores Company, which includes the Foley's department store brand.

About 81 percent of shares outstanding, representing more than 99 percent of votes cast at Federated's annual meeting of shareholders, voted to authorize the issuance of Federated common stock pursuant to an agreement and plan of merger between the two companies.

Earlier this year, Federated's chief executive, Terry J. Lundgren said, no division consolidations or store name changes would occur, post-merger, before 2006. However, he said it is likely that most of May's regional department stores, like the Foley's stores operating in Oklahoma, ultimately will be converted to Macy's.

"We have had considerable success in re-branding our own regional stores as Macy's, so obviously we anticipate continuing this strategy to some extent with our new stores," he said.

Contingent on completion of the antitrust review of the transaction by regulators, Federated officials indicated today that they continue to believe the merger with May will close in the third quarter of its 2005 fiscal year.

Federated, with more than 450 stores in 34 states, has corporate offices in Cincinnati and New York and has annual sales of more than $15.6 billion.

However, once the merger is complete, Federated will operate more than 950 department stores, along with approximately 700 bridal and formalwear stores. In addition, 15 new states, mostly in the nation's heartland in states like Oklahoma, will be layered onto Federated's existing 34-state operating base, with relatively little overlap between the companies' locations.

This will give Federated, Lundgren today said, a truly national retail footprint for the first time in the company's history and result in it having stores in 64 of the nation's top 65 markets.

"As we have stated before, the combined company will be an exciting organization - a fashion retailer with about $30 billion in sales and truly national scope and presence. The road ahead for Federated is very exciting and presents us with an opportunity to transform our industry in a way that will benefit customers from coast to coast."

from okcbusiness.com

[brianinok]

Federated: 330 May Stores to Become Macy's Thu Jul 28,10:06 AM ET



CINCINNATI - Federated Department Stores Inc. said Thursday that some 330 stores being acquired in its pending takeover of May Department Stores Co. will be converted to Macy's stores.

Among the nameplates that will be gone as of fall 2006 are Famous-Barr, Filene's, Hecht's and Kaufmann's, company spokesman Jim Sluzewski said.

Cincinnati-based Federated also announced plans to sell 68 stores, 27 of them currently Federated stores, in 2006. The conversions will bring the total number of Macy's stores nationwide to 730, the company said.

"Macy's emerged as a premier national retailer in March 2005, when we changed Federated's regional department store nameplates," Terry J. Lundgren, Federated's chairman, president and chief executive officer said in a statement. "We will continue that process in 2006 by converting many of May Company's regional store nameplates to Macy's."

The company said it is still studying the Marshall Field's name, which represents 60 stores. Federated also said it would maintain the Lord & Taylor name, currently on 58 stores.

Federated repeated an earlier pledge not to eliminate any jobs before next March 1. All May stores will operate under their existing nameplates through this year's holiday shopping season.

Shareholders of Federated and St. Louis-based May approved the $11 billion takeover this month. Federated expects the merger to close in the third quarter, following completion of regulatory review.

Shares of Federated rose 40 cents to $76.17 in early trading on the New York Stock Exchange, near the high end of its 52-week range between $42.80 and $77.25.

__________________________________________________ _______________

It doesn't say anything about closing some stores. But I would be surprised if they didn't.

[brianinok]

I just found this, and it doesn't mention any Oklahoma Stores as being closed.

__________________________________________________ ___________


Federated to divest 41 May stores; none in area
Thursday July 28, 1:01 pm ET


Federated Department Stores Inc. said Thursday it plans to convert about 330 May Department Stores locations into Macy's stores in 2006, and divest at least 41 May Co. stores in 12 states.
None of the May stores slated for closing or sale are in Missouri or Illinois.

ADVERTISEMENT


The conversion, a part of the pending merger between New York and Cincinnati-based Federated (NYSE: FD - News) and St. Louis-based May Department Stores Co. (NYSE: MAY - News) will make 730 the total number of Macy's stores.

Terry Lundgren, Federated's chairman, president and chief executive said the change came as a result of high customer demand for the type of shopping they find in the Macy's stores.

In fall of 2006, Famous-Barr locations in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky and Missouri and The Jones Store locations in Kansas and Missouri will be renamed to Macy's. All the May Co. stores will keep their nameplates at least through this year's holiday shopping season, Federated said.

The Lord & Taylor name will remain, Federated said, and a decision about the Marshall Field's name has not yet been made.

St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay said he and Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt were working with Federated to keep the downtown Famous-Barr store open and restructure it as a Macy's. He said his goal is to keep many of the May Co.'s front office and creative jobs in St. Louis as possible.

Federated said 68 locations in 66 malls will be divested starting 2006 to eliminate duplication, including 41 May stores and 27 Federated stores. The closings include one Famous-Barr store, in Evansville, Ind.; seven Filene's stores; one Hecht's store; five Kaufmann's stores; one L.S. Ayres store; eight Strawbridge's stores; 16 Robinsons-May stores; and 27 Macy's stores.

Published July 28, 2005 by the St. Louis Business Journal

[okieopus]

I love how certain people love to group individuals who may dress differently or have less money in big groups. So far people have made broad generalizations about "gangbangers" "bums" "liberals"...

Grouping people together like this is not only rude and tacky its just plain ignorant.

[KatyaR]

This might be of interest:

"The number of Macy's stores nationwide will rise to some 730 while retail shopping names such as Foley's, Filene's, Hecht's and Kaufmann's will disappear next year under plans outlined today by Federated Department Stores Inc. for its pending takeover of May Department Stores Co.

Besides converting some 330 May stores to Macy's, Federated plans to sell off 68 stores where the two companies have duplicate locations, 27 of them currently operated as Macy's, including three stores in Dallas, Houston and San Antonio. The changes announced Thursday will eliminate all May nameplates except Lord & Taylor and Marshall Field's."

I can't post the url, but it's on the Statesman's website in the business section.

Looks like we might get a Macy's after all.

[Patrick]

Looks like we'll be getting three of them, Crossroads, Penn Square and Quail Springs.

[BDP]

Looks like we'll be getting three of them, Crossroads, Penn Square and Quail Springs.

Or one of them, with the other two being sold, right? Or I guess 2 of them, with one of them being sold.

I'm thinking we get at least 1 though.

[brianinok]

"Federated said 68 locations in 66 malls will be divested starting 2006 to eliminate duplication, including 41 May stores and 27 Federated stores. The closings include one Famous-Barr store, in Evansville, Ind.; seven Filene's stores; one Hecht's store; five Kaufmann's stores; one L.S. Ayres store; eight Strawbridge's stores; 16 Robinsons-May stores; and 27 Macy's stores."

It does not say anything about divesting any Foley's stores. So that tells me that all 3 Oklahoma City Foley's stores will be converted to Macy's. It appears that they have already identified all store they will be divesting-- none in Oklahoma. So, Oklahoma City should have 3 Macy's and Tulsa should get 2.

[BDP]

Ahh, yes, but see, to fully understand it, as you do, brian, I would have had to have read both articles.

[Jay]

This was from Newsok.com



Federated to drop nameplates, sell stores
By DAN SEWELL
AP Business Writer

CINCINNATI (AP) -- Macy's will replace locally familiar names including Filene's in New England and Famous-Barr in the Midwest in some 330 stores across the nation under post-merger plans announced Thursday by Federated Department Stores Inc.

Federated also plans to sell 68 stores, including 27 current Macy's, next year because they overlap in markets with the company Federated is buying, May Department Stores Co. The stores employ 13,500 people, but Federated spokesman Jim Sluzewski said he expected "very few, if any" layoffs and that most workers would be offered other jobs.

Federated has pledged not to cut any jobs before March 1.

Ten May nameplates will be eliminated in fall 2006, Federated said as the Cincinnati-based company laid out what it has in store after its takeover of rival May becomes final. Federated says May's Lord & Taylor name, now on 58 stores, will stay, and that it's studying the Marshall Field's name. A Chicago landmark, there are 60 Marshall Field's stores.

"We respect that May Company's regional store names are deeply rooted in their communities, we appreciate the heritage and traditions associated with those names, and we expect to continue to play an important role in the communities where our customers live and work," Terry Lundgren, Federated's chairman, president and chief executive, said in a statement. "At the same time, we also have learned from our own experience converting Federated's regional nameplates. Our customers tell us ... that's what inside a store - the merchandise, the service, the people, the shopping environment - is what matters most."

The changes mean Macy's will have a total of 730 stores across the U.S. in nearly every major market. Federated's decisions followed research into customer attitudes.

Federated in March dropped such long-established names as Burdines in Florida, Rich's in Atlanta and Lazarus in Ohio in favor of Macy's. Robert Passikoff, president of Brand Keys Inc., a New York-based customer research marketing firm, said the conversion to Macy's "makes a lot of sense not only from the economic and communication point of view, but facing up to the realities of the marketplace."

He said there's always risk in changing well-known names, but that the regional names no longer have as much impact as they did decades ago while the Macy's name has a national identity with its stores and the annual Thanksgiving Day parade.

"Macy's has a lot of currency and a lot of resonating values," Passikoff said.

The current Federated and May stores have a combined $30 billion in annual sales. Federated said the 68 stores being sold account for $2 billion in annual sales.

All May stores will operate under their existing nameplates through the holidays. Federated said the plans may be adjusted, and that a small number of stores may be converted to Bloomingdale's.

The May regional department stores involved in the conversion are Famous-Barr, Filene's, Foley's, Hecht's, The Jones Store, Kaufmann's, L.S. Ayres, Meier & Frank, Robinsons-May and Strawbridge's. Filene's Basement stores aren't owned by May and are unaffected. The Famous-Barr name dates to 1911 in St. Louis, May's corporate headquarters.

In Pittsburgh, where the Kaufmann's name dates to 1871, some shoppers weren't happy at the news.

"I do not like Macy's," said Laura L. Lapcevic, 39, who works near the 11-floor downtown store and shops there at least once a week. She worries Macy's prices will be higher. "Kaufmann's has good bargains."

Nick Jordanoff, 70, who bought shorts and a pair of Docker's pants at Kaufmann's, considers the store a piece of Pittsburgh history.

"Corporate conglomerates," he said. "You know they are taking over the world."

Shareholders of both companies approved the takeover this month. Federated expects the deal to close in the third quarter, following completion of regulatory review.

Shares of Federated rose 47 cents to close at $76.24 on the New York Stock Exchange Thursday, where May shares rose 18 cents to $41.08.