Giovanna

I've only been in Chicago once (except at the airport a few times) and wasn't able to visit Marshall Field on that occasion. Some family friends brought me some wonderful toys from there when I was a small child, and I had always wished I'd get to visit the store someday. I received a few catalogs from there and enjoyed looking at the merchandise. I was disappointed to hear of its closing.

My mother loved Foley's in Houston which I guess was also gobbled up by Macy's. I remember the first time I visited New Orleans when I was 17, my mother and I shopped at Maison Blanche. I think it is now the Ritz Carlton hotel, across the street from the old Holmes Dept. Store which is now the Chateau Sonesta Hotel, where we stayed the last time we were there.

It truly is very sad. LoveItaly will remember Capwell's (later the Emporium). They went belly up and Macy's bought them out. It was interesting that after the takeover identical clothes at Macy's were then sometimes more expensive than at Nordstrom. I mentioned on a thread not long ago that all the US malls are identical. If you were dropped in the middle of any mall, the stores would all be the same and you'd have no idea what city you were in.

I too loved J. Magnin and I. Magnin a close second (a bit more expensive). I buy mostly now at J. Jill, Chico's, Coldwater Creek and Nordstrom. If they disappear I guess I'll start wearing flour sacks. LOL

I heard a comment on TV from a man in Chicago, something to the effect that "they're all crying about Macy's taking over Marshall Field, but instead of shopping there they shopped at Kohl's and Target!" There is some truth in that. Stores don't go broke if we shop there.

I despise WalMart and it looks like Macy's is somewhat following in their footsteps. What a shame.

buckeyegal

This whole thread makes me sad. I know what I am typing is mostly sentimental whining but as I read all those 'old' store names I was even more depressed. You used to identify cities partly by their big department stores. I live near a small city and we had a wonderful department store all my growing up years. Awhile back it began to go downhill and then was acquired by another store. Now that store is being bought by someone else. Another poster said - shopping is not fun anymore - I agree. I laugh at myself when I think how excited I was on my first trip to NYC and we went to Macys!!! Now we have a Macys at our mall. Also can't imagine Marshall Fields being Macys and I've only been to Chicago several times. One more thing - have to get Pittsburgh's Joseph Horne store mentioned.

SeaUrchin

We hear about the dumbing down of America and I believe there is now shopping down in Ameria. The department stores all carry the same merchandise, just different quality. In my area in Los Angeles there are so many levels of Macys stores. Some have such cheaply made clothes and some such as the one on Lake in Pasadena have nicer quality.

But it is hard to be an individual when you shop at these cookie cutters. I try to seek out boutiques which have more variety and some surprises! I still go back to the box stores for some things though because it is just easier to find everything in one big store, sigh.

I, too, miss I Magnin and Joseph Magnin and as a child we went to Desmonds which I liked.

SeaUrchin

Oh, I should confess, I did go to Macy's yesterday with my coupon in my hot little hand and going back to Nordstroms today, another sigh.

fishee

what coupons? this is what I get for subscribing to the NY Times...

Macy's will continue to have high-end selections at the State Street store and many Marshall Fields did not carry high quality clothing. No matter where we shop, it's almost all sweatshop labor, whether made in the USA or abroad.

SeaUrchin

I have a Macys charge card so I received so many coupons from them in my statement. There also is a secret sale for the anointed (with the cards) starting the 12th. Not much of a savings though just 20%.

Dan

Oh heck, I'll join the Macy's bashing here. Our two stores in New Orleans are now closed (one permananently, one temporarily) but the illustrious chain is opening stores in every other Louisiana city this week. Over the years, the service went down to the point that 2-3 clerks worked an entire floor and the stores were more cluttered than the average Wal Mart Supercenter. I now go to "upscale discount" places like Stein Mart now and I enjoy it a lot more. I'd even shop for clothes at Target before Macy's...

crefloors

Oh my gosh...I forgot about Meier & Frank. My brother and I would go shopping on Saturday with my grand parents in Portland and the highlight was lunch at Meier & Frank. LOL I always felt so grown up..LOL They finally opened a branch in Salem. Then their was Lippman Wolf, competitor to Meier and Frank.

I will not shop at Kohl's...horrible, Mervyns..I used to actually like Mervyns but like Macy's, their merchandise has gotten so cheap, I wouldn't set foot in Wal-Mart if you paid me...hmmmm...I'm running out of options here, I MAY have to go nekked and that would NOT be pretty, trust me!!!! LOL

LoveItaly

Hi Giovanna! Yes Capwell's. My mother would take me to the Capwell's in Oakland (way back when Oakland had lovely stores and the downtown was a vibrant and elegant area)every week. I was about four or five years old when I saw a Wallace sterling flatware pattern that I fell in love with. I purchased the sterling in my early 20's. It was such a beautiful store, I can remember where every department was.

I had never been to a Kohl's Crefloors until they opened up here. I have wandered through the store twice. What a dissapointment. Have never spent a dime there. And lets not even mention Walmart, ugh!! Our Target is a clean and pleasant store but I wandered through it yesterday and inspite of reading what great clothes they sell I didn't see anything I could use. I imagine it is great for teens though.

So it seems we can go nakkid or wear flour sacks, lol!

Oh, btw, what is Bloomingdale's like? We have one opening up in SF on September 28th at the location which was the Emporium. I would love to hear from those of you that are familar with Blomingdale's as I have never been to one.

Anonymous

"I'd even shop for clothes at Target before Macy's."

Hey, don't knock Target til you've tried it! Good value for the $$, and better design than average. Of course, around here we use the French pronunciation: Tar-ZHAY.

dsquared

crefloors, yes indeed I miss the classic department stores I remember from childhood. Meier & Frank, Lipmans, Frederick & Nelson. Now, thanks to Macy's, I get to miss The Bon (from when I lived in the Pac. NW) and Burdines (here in Florida).

I remember my mother taking me to Lipmans in downtown Portland when I was 9 or 10. Lovely restaurant with silver and china and linen and models showing the latest clothes - sigh. It was such a treat to go shopping then. Now it's aisles crammed full of clothes, no service, and you eat in the food court. Yuck.

Vittrad

dotsy - Last year I bought a sofa from Field's and the sight of that green truck trying to get through my alley to deliver it delighted me. I'm glad that I'll always have a 'green truck' memory of my own. Even if one of the delivery guys made a wise-crack about how small my apartment was.

I'll miss seeing the green trucks.

AnnMarie_C

Several years ago, I went shopping at Marshall Field's in Chicago for a dress and shoes--what an experience! I became so involved in the store that I was disoriented and forgot which street entrance I came in from--important to me because it was along the same street as the hotel. After watching me exit and return, glancing all about one of the security guards asked if she could help me. What a sweetheart! We chatted, she helped me find the right street exit then, as though we were best girlfriends, asked if she could see the dress and shoes I bought, lol.

Growing up, we did not have a lot of money. We shopped at places like Wal-Mart (in this case Almart) for clothes--it was all we could afford. As I got older I graduated to Goodwill. There are photos of me in monogramed shirts only the initials aren't mine. I am grateful for affordable clothing options because although my economic situation has improved I know things happen that are out of our control and sometimes you do what you have to do.

SeaUrchin

Loveitaly, I like Bloomingdales, I used to work near the one in Century Century in LA and would peruse their departments almost every lunch hour on my way to a restaurant. At least their clothes are a little different from the mass produced ones. Well, that was a few years ago, I hope they still have quality merchandise.

crefloors

LoveItaly: my first job was working at the Emporium in San Rafael...too funny. I hated it..didn't last long. I worked in Boys Wear (lucky me) at Christmas and these "old bats" would come in wanting to get clothes for the grandkids..and I'd ask what size and they'd look at me like I crawled out from under a rock and say something like "well, he's 10!!!!! So, what size does a 10 year old wear?" Oh lord..or it was "well he's a big boy for his age" and that was the clue to head for the "huskeys", but then they'd get mad because I was saying the kid was FAT!!! He was just "big for his age"!!!! Ah, the memories just keep flooding back!!!! LOL

LoveItaly

Hi crefloors, I almost forgot! You reminded me. When I was out of school I got a job at Capwell's in Oakland. I was told I would be working in the Jr. clothes dept. I had to attend a two or three day class (back when stores had clerks that were expected to give customer service). I instead was put in the toy dept! I lasted one week and quit. My experience was rather like yours. Some customer asking ME what would be the perfect birthday gift for a 7 year old boy for example. Well duh, that was beyond me, lol. I remember the store you worked at in San Rafael, I was there a few times. Good memories!!

And SeaUrchin, your comments regarding Bloomingdale's sounds encouraging!! I am looking forward to their opening. It is right across the street from the Powell St. BART station. I will have to give a "shopping report"!!

crefloors

Yes, a Bloomies report please. Just so nice to have something different from Macy's.

swalter518

dotsy,
Don't give Macy's too much credit for keeping the plaques and the clock-they had no choice. The City Council (doing something correct for once) designated the building as a landmark making it virtually impossible to change the permanent features on the building.

starrsville

I used to buy EVERYTHING at Rich's. Clothes, furniture, linens, housewares, vacuum cleaners, dishes, china, diamonds, books, holiday decorations, Christmas cards, wedding gifts, birthday gifts, EVERYTHING. Virtually everything in my house came from Rich's.

I will not spend a dime at Macy's. I did shop both Rich's and Macy's when both were in town, but once the Rich's name was off the building - zilch!

I buy a lot of my housewares from Target and Kohl's. I have found some nice separates at Kohl's that work well for me. For handbags/shoes/etc. I'll go to Nordstrom's. The rest = small shops and boutiques.

No more Macy's for me - ever again.

LoveItaly

I think that what a local store has depends on which area it is in. I checked the Target website. Our local Target did not have the outfits that the Target website shows. And I know that the Fairfield and Concord Macy's do not carry the upscale clothes that the SF Macy's carries. My Godson's wife was an ass't buyer for Macy's and she told me that the merchandise depends on the location and of course on the local demand. Since people don't seem to dress up that much where I live there are not great clothes. But than again perhaps people don't dress great because the local stores don't carry great clothes? The chicken and the egg question.