Are They Gonna Become Macy's Mints Now, Too?

By Chuck Sudo in Food on Sep 21, 2005 2:13PM

Lost in all the hand-wringing and "loss of innocence" hyperbole over Macy's decision to rename Marshall Field's after itself are all the caveats (read:wary lip service) that Federated Deparment Stores CEO Terry Lundgren tossed out yesterday to soften the blow. It's a litany of promises: the possibility for job growth; keeping the Field's buying team intact in Minneapolis (Minneapolis?!? Allow Chicagoist to be the first to bitch about that.); expansion of the State Street store's Marshall Field Museum; and no changes to Glamorama, charitable giving, the Christmas window, and the flower show. One item not gone unnoticed by us is the promise to "explore" the possibility of bringing Frango Mint production back to Chicago from Pennsylvania.

If you'll recall, then-Field's CEO Dan Skoda closed the flagship store's 13th-floor candy kitchen and fired 157 employees with no notice in early 1999: a cost-cutting but tool-like maneuver by any definition. How many of these "THOSE CORPORATE BASTARDS ARE KILLING MY CHILDHOOD MEMORIES" doomsayers would change their stance if the 13th floor were brought back to life with the sweet smell of chocolate mint production?

Reading the papers this morning Chicagoist gets the impression that Lundgren understands the probable repurcussions behind his company's decision. Chicagoist and also understands that renaming Field's under the Macy's brand makes it easier for Federated to negotiate better advertising rates from newspaper groups throughout the country, among other corporate benefits. With His Elective Majesty already resigned to the knowledge that tax revenues are going to stream into city coffers regardless of what the department store is named, he's already crowing the mantra "change is inevitable." And it is. Wrigley Field has lights, Chicago Stadium was consigned to the ghosts ten years ago, and the Bears generally inept brand of football has a bank as a presenting sponsor.

However, for those of us who insist on not stepping foot into a State Street Macy's we offer you this recipe for making Frango mints at home.