Chicagoist: If You're Boycotting Macy's It's Working!

guest

Mon, 06 Aug 2007 18:39:29 -0600

Ladies & Gentlemen, It is not the same store with a different name ! THE STORE IS SLOWLY BEING GUTTED OF ALL IT'S QUALITY DESIGNER BRANDS, SERVICE, QUALITY, CLEANLINESS TRADITIONS ! That's the Macy-fication plan for America ! That's why the multi-generation Marshall Field's shoppers have got to stand up and say NO to Macy's ! P.S. If you think it is the same store as Marshall Field's, just read the newspapers and see the latest stories about fruitfly infestations, firing of qualified staff, mis-leading stock holders...and the like ! It's a darn shame ! WAKE UP CHICAGO...and DEMAND A RETURN OF THE FULL PACKAGE MARSHALL FIELD'S !

guest

Mon, 06 Aug 2007 18:34:34 -0600

Dear Chicago Friends, As a born and raised suburban New Yorker, I can tell you that the Macy's of today IS NOT THE CLASSIC MACY'S WE GREW UP WITH...and I am only 33 ! Morbid is the way to describe the current environment at Macy's. Management won't lift a finger to care for the staff, so the staff won't lift a finger to care for the customer...THAT'S THE STORY OF MACY'S EAST,Terry Lundgren's home office,New York...AND THAT IS THE WHAT HAS COME TO CHICAGO ! Macy's 34th street has GREEN AWNINGS ! If they are fine for 34th then why aren't they fine for Chicago ? ANSWER: MACY'S COULD CARE LESS ABOUT CHICAGO BECAUSE IN THE MINDS OF THE MASTER PLANNERS AT MACY'S...MACY'S IS NEW YORK...AND EVERYONE WANTS TO BE A NEW YORKER ! YET, the real story is that MARSHALL FIELD'S was the FINEST STORE IN THE NATION THAT WAS LEFT...and now Terry Lundgren's Macy-fication of America plan is destroying it ! That is why the Macy's boycott LIVES ! The Federated/Macy's company board of directors have got to put a stop to this discount-department-store idealogy BEFORE IT RUINS EVEN THE MACY'S LEGACY STORES IN THE NEW YORK AREA LET ALONE CHICAGO ! We in New York have McDonald's, Starbuck's, Pizza, and a high end deli with a few tables for waitress/waiter service....and without this boycott, you'll be sitting under the tree at TGI Friday's On State (with a Mc Donald's in the 7 On State Food Court Area !) NOW IS THE TIME TO TELL MACY'S TO RETURN MARSHALL FIELD'S TO ITS RIGHTFUL PLACE WITH FIRST CLASS SERVICE,REAL DESIGNER BRANDS,CLEANLINESS AND FINE QUALITY ! Thank you !

Matt

Mon, 27 Nov 2006 18:48:13 -0600

It's the same store with a new name. Get over it.

m500

Wed, 08 Nov 2006 14:04:47 -0600

Let's boycott every store that changes it's name... Ribordys became Walgreens Galyans became Dicks Amoco became BP where will it end?

PDX Guy

Wed, 08 Nov 2006 01:24:02 -0600

I am participating in the boycott here in the Pacific Northwest. I literally live across the street from a Macy's (former Meier and Frank) and will not go there to buy anything. Anything I want there I can find cheaper elsewhere, and their "exclusive" brands are really awful. I was actually looking forward to Macy's taking over the May stores until I heard about the arrogant, crappy treatment of Chicago and the Marshall Field's legacy. So there are people across the US who are participating, in what numbers, no one can probably say, but it is not very good PR out there. As for those who say there are more important things to be concerned about, you are right, but since I have more than one brain cell, I can actually care about more than one thing at a time. Try and grasp that concept....

italbearr

Wed, 08 Nov 2006 00:58:07 -0600

You can't blame the customers. I Loved Marshall Field's and I feel we in Chicago and the midwest need to stand up and defend our Heritage. However--if there were things worth buying in those stores which used to be Marshall Field's --then regardless of how I feel -- the shoppers would be there - EVEN in Chicago--Fortunately for my opinion, macy's is a bunch of really poor merchandise at relly expensive prices. Federated Department stores wants your money and couldn't care less if people are haooy or pleased. there are many BETTER alternatives to give your hard earned money to- Carsons, Lord and Taylor, Penneys,Von Maur,Nordstrom, Kohl's,Target, Neimans, Saks, SOO many!--Thanks--go to FieldFansChicago for more if you are concerned

Monika

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 22:17:50 -0600

I didn't shop at Field's that often, but I won't be shopping at Macy's. The point is not that Field's hadn't been locally owned for some time, but that the name actually meant something here. Macy's means nothing. (Macy's everywhere is just as bad as a "Starbucks on every corner." Our chicago culture is disappering in favor of a national chain. Then FDS gave some bullsh** explanation about marketing costs to change the name. Carson's stores have all sorts of different names across the country, (Bergner's, Boston Store, etc.) and they advertise fine. To top it off, they snubbed Chicago with their first TV commercials here. The song "Dancing in the streets" originally had Chicago as the first city, but Macy's CHANGED THE SONG SO CHICAGO WASN'T IN IT. (see linked article) Macy's gave a big "screw you" to Chicago with that one, so we should all say "screw you, Macy's!"

UptownKid

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 21:41:12 -0600

That was just a casual mistake. No, I didn't know who they were then and didn't care either. All I cared about was watching the Muppet show and playing with friends in the neighborhood who thought the same thing, so no, I wasn't in the sandbox alone, dude. What were you anyway, a young polictical enthusiast? I think it may be vice-versa with the sandbox thing.

Mikey

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 18:19:33 -0600

rich - What exactly in the hell are you talking about anyway?! And what story are you commenting on? You sound like Spook after one too many bong hits...

rich

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 17:40:30 -0600

The failure of Field's, Carson, and other businesses trying to stay afloat in chicago just so we can overpay for stupid programs that has not help anyone.

NSH

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 16:49:53 -0600

Sheesh I was only in kindergarten, but I grew up in the 19th ward, if you didn't know your political figures, you played in the sandbox alone.

TheUptownKid

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 16:30:22 -0600

Thanks for the rectification, NSH. I was only in grade school at the time that all happened. Vrdolyak is the corrupted lawyer and former alderman- my bad!

NSH

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 16:09:31 -0600

Unless Eddy V was driving a snow plow in the 10th ward he had nothing to do with snow removal during the blizzard of 79. Michael Bilandic is the name you were searching for.

Bob Garrett

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 16:06:02 -0600

http://www.chicagoist.com/archives/2006/11/07/if_youre_boycotting_macys_its_working.php

Bob Garrett

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 15:59:53 -0600

I used to only purchase my clothing from Fields. I loved that store!!! Since the change over I will not step foot in that ever again. I am boycotting MACYS!! I now shop at Nordsrom. it cost 20% more and I cant really afford it but to stick it to MACYS its worth it. I have told all of my family members not to buy gifts from there and I MADE my mother cut up her free gift card to MACY"S CHICAGO PRIDE www.feildsfans.org!!!! "Macy's Way to FLOP"!!

Bob Garrett

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 15:56:32 -0600

Robert Garrett

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 15:53:50 -0600

UptownKid

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 15:49:28 -0600

Ha ha- I knew my post would ruffle some feathers; that was the point of it. If it did, I hope you are able to get out of your self-absorbed lifestyles and start helping out others THAT GENUINELY NEED IT. When all is said and done in life, what would you want to look back on, the BMW, over-indulged Costco trips and the over-priced shoebox condo you owned or the difference you made in people's lives? BTW, I'm born and raised a native and can remember the blizzard of '79 and the fiasco Vrydoliak faced when he couldn't get the damn snow cleared fast enough as well as the good times at Chicagofest, which has been reduced to a mere Chicago restaurant advertising campaign. So stick that in your fat-ass wallet and suck on it, cow baon.

UptownKid

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 15:47:13 -0600

Bill O'Brian

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 15:32:03 -0600

How did a discussion on shopping at Macy's turn into a rant against welfare and a slam at liberals and Democrats? It's like Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter just showed up.

mike

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 15:08:20 -0600

I say, damn the man! Instead of shopping at Macy's, I'm going to go shop at... Carson's! Instead of spending my money on mass-market goods manufactured in Southeast Asia and sold by a faceless corporation, I'm going to give my money to... oh, forget it. If you really care that much, go shop at only local merchants. If you don't know who is locally owned and who isn't, do some research. Nostalgia can't be bought or sold on the open market, so those of you who are so pissed about MF leaving have already missed your best chance at keeping it -- by shopping there in the first place. I can understand harboring some resentment or disappointment at seeing a local "icon" disappear. But boycotting? That just seems silly and arbitrary.

rich

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 14:44:08 -0600

I work hard and pay taxes. I do not have to adopt a welfare recipients, I want to spend my own money on ME. I have no pity on the ones that sit around watching cable, wasting money on lottery, getting fat on trans-fat soaked hamburgers and bitching why America does not give them a BMW. It is not my job to support these idiots that just don't know how to take care of themselves and their communities. Supporting them that have no motivation because you bleed hearts have giving all my money so they can live off a government check in a dingy cramp tiny hole in the wall. You are sucking there souls away by not giving them motivation. The best welfare program out there is a business. Businesses help people work their way out of poverty, but it seems that you democrats what to hurt business and their owners and make it hard for them to ever make money. High taxes, stupid laws, raising the minimum wage and mandated benefits drive up the cost of employing additional workers. What I see is you stand for punishing those who succeed and rewarding those who fail.

Mikey

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 14:10:09 -0600

To all of you who keep insisting that there's more pressing problems to worry about: At least we stand for something. What are you doing to address those other problems? Why are you wasting your time explaining to us how we're wasting our time?

NSH

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 13:53:02 -0600

Chicago already looks like Detroit, St Louis and Cleveland

RandomRepublican

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 13:49:58 -0600

Ever since the cook county voted for an increase to 9% use tax (that sales tax for you stupid Stroger Voters), raising the commercial real estate tax and enacting stupid city ordinances Chicago has been losing retail stores. Soon Chicago will look like another Detroit, St. Louis, Cleveland, etc.

rich

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 13:43:30 -0600

there are more pressing, important issues regarding change in Chicago that we can spend our energy protesting. One being the slumming of our neighborhoods, where almost all of our racial and cultural identity is being replaced by liquor stores and crack houses and the more "economically viable" are being displaced to make room for stupid, poor and knuckleheaded welfare-folk and their sorry, abominable "utopia" that includes a Currency Exchange on every corner. If they think their neighborhoods are prone-free to the safety that plague the near west and north sides, think again. May I remind them of the hideous cops that are keeping the streets safe on the very streets they walk down and the untold number of famlies as well as peaceful nights without gun fire. Bring back the middle class families, I say.

quack

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 13:15:57 -0600

I'm giving everyone Macy's gift certificates for Christmas, so all the Trixies from Hoffman Estates have to find another reason to flood Chicagoist with inane comments. Its a logo on a store, people. The only thing I was concerned about was the keeping the clocks, because I'd never find the damn place without 'em. Do they pay fair wages? Offer their employees health care? These are real issues, not whether the bags are green or red.

Dave T.

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 12:47:12 -0600

So would everyone rather MF went out of business and all the employees would be out of work or that Macy's buy it and change the color and name and keep a lot of people employed? Geeze.

Mike M

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 12:38:33 -0600

This boycott is for real. I will never shop at Macy's nor will any of my friends or family. The only way for the Marshall Field's name to one day return is to bring Macy's revenue down. Bringing names back HAS occurred before. It CAN be done. Please tell your family and friends to buy their goods at Nordstroms, Lord & Taylor, Carson's, Sears or anyplace BUT Macy's. Please help this effort!

Gail

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 12:35:20 -0600

Some insiders say that the decline in sales is steep--30% to 36%. I don't know if it's true, but if it is, Federated's Macy-fication strategy is a disaster in the Midwest. Macy's = New Coke.

jp

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 12:33:49 -0600

For all of you that say "who cares" you are heartless people who are probably not even from Chicago. Marshall Field's means many things to the hearts of Chicagoans young and old and you Macy lovers need to get over yourselves and understand that we are entitled to our disliking opinions of Macy's....so why don't you get over it! How can Macy's be better when this is the first time ever, that they will not allow photography inside the State Street store at Holiday time as they call it. It says it right on the front doors to State Street. "No Photography is allowed on these premises!" So screw all of you stupid Macy lovers, this is a VERY important issue, its about homogenization in our country. So go get over yourselves!

Mikey

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 11:13:11 -0600

I am boycotting Macy's, as is the rest of my family. Usually for my birthday, my sister gives me a Marshall Field's gift card--this year it was for Nordstrom's instead... Who cares if Field's was no longer locally owned? The name meant a lot to the legacy and history of this grand city...

Jim McKay

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 11:08:22 -0600

There's a lot of angles on the Macy's take over of Field's that I've considered. Before deciding I would get involved with this as a cause , I've thought and researched of at least twelve angles that are potentially critical of spending energy about Field's becoming Macy's. Each one has resulted in some findings that were occassionally surprising and made me realize this really does have an impact on Chicagoans even if they don't like Field's or Macy's. What I see here are some of the very concerns I had before: "Worry about the poor instead!", "What about the jobless?", or "There are more important things with all the wars, etc." A big reason business is down--I've had a couple of analysts and employees tell me around 30% although FDS has not verified this--is that there is no reason for tourists to make the trek to a Field's store in Chicago. Field's on State USED TO BE the #3 tourist attraction in the city. Now that there is a Macy's everywhere, it's really not important to make the stop since there are Macy's in 45 states--you can pick up most of the same stuff--even Frangos--in L.A., NYC, Atlanta, Denver, etc. There's a lot less reason to stop here, spend money and pay for jobs for porters, sales people, stock people, etc. Tourism is down and sales are down and that means less work for working class or poor Chicagoans. One may ask, "Doesn't a boycott mean you are also holding back on fellow Chicagoan's means of making a living?" A good question. My realization is that I would rather spend my money at other stores that would give me what I want and, more importantly, continue to give benefits that Field's used to give; I'd rather give my money to JCPenney, Sears, Nordstrom, Kohl's, Von Maur, etc so the the good employers can have my money to create jobs for these people who work for bad employers like Federated--a company that is willing to risk little people's jobs for the sake of shareholders. "With certain governments in today's world doing terrible things, can't you find a more important cause than shopping?" I believe that the same terrible attitude and motives of these bad governments are evident here in the "Macy-ization" (Macy's word for it, not mine) of Field's. It is the same spirit of hubris, arrogance and lack of concern of what people want. FDS/Macy's attitude is "This is what you should have, tough if you don't like it." It's an empbodiement of a corporate attitude. Even if Field's wasn't as great as it used to be, I'm not going to support a new corporate steward when they accelarate any decline without regard for customers, community and history and with the primary goal of attaining the buck. Moreover, I truly believe that, if this is indeed a minor cause, then it is also indeed the training ground for people to move on to taking action against bigger causes of immoral governmental autorities and bad big business. There are other angles on this too, but these are a few vantages. If you would like to help us leaflet on Saturdays, please contact me via email.

NSH

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 10:56:09 -0600

m500 you really hit the nail on the head, if we good upstanding white folk don't frequent businesses such as Macy's then the coloreds are going to move in and take it away from us! I'm packing up my bags as we speak and moving to Orland.

chop shop

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 10:47:38 -0600

I don't think Macy's renamed any Bloomingdales stores. That's not what the article meant.

Dan

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 10:43:25 -0600

It's the exact same store inside on State Street. I cannot even tell that there has been a change. The only things that look different to me are a few cosmetic things (I think they changed some lights in a few places), but otherwise it's the same. It's not the "owner" of Marshall Fields lived locally. It's a corporate department store. It has been for some time and it continues to be.

m500

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 10:32:40 -0600

Complain about Macys, complain about gentrification... DON'T WORRY FOLKS, you have nearly put them out of business and soon there will be a WALMART there, complete with beggers, 30 kids selling candy, dirty diapers rolled up on the floor in the kids clothing area, stolen cars, RVs parked outside, scum from every corner of the universe putting $3 T-shirts on lay-a-way... genius, that boycott!

NSH

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 10:31:09 -0600

VOTE!, you really need to get out more, Sorry for the thread hijack, I just hate reading mistruth.

kellyg

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 10:07:27 -0600

Get over it people!! Who really cares...wow, I wish we could trigger this much passion for more important things, like elections and stuff.

VOTE!

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 09:55:06 -0600

Of course there are more poor people in Chicago. The city is roughly three to ten times larger than any of the cities mentioned. Percentage wise however, I think you'll find greater income diversity here than elsewhere. NOW GO VOTE!!!! It's election day after all.

Jerry

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 09:36:58 -0600

If I may be so bold, M*CK F*CY'S.

NSH

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 09:21:26 -0600

cow doesn't realize how many poor people live in chicago as it is. I would gander Chicago's working poor population is higher than detroit, cleveland, and st louis combined. as you say you can put the lipstick on the cow...

Pattie

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 09:18:16 -0600

I didn't shop there when it was Field's and I'm not going to shop there now that it is Macy's. If that's boycotting, then I guess I am.

A cow by any other name

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 09:11:24 -0600

With the exception of State Street, Marshall Field's sales were in the tank anyway, so its no surprise to see this continue regardless of the name. You can put lipstick on a cow, but its still a cow nonetheless. Uptown kid: If you don't like seeing development in neighborhoods, I suggest you move to Detroit, St. Louis, Cleveland, etc... Lots of poor people there, and nary a new house to be found. Gentrification is the only reason Chicago hasn't declined to an empty hole like all other midwestern central cities, and is the only reason trendy idiots like yourself moved here in the first place.

Rob

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 09:08:43 -0600

I will never shop at a Macy's, end of story.

Bill V

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 09:01:52 -0600

I usually get to Fields a couple of times a year. Went to the Macy's in Old Orchard a few weeks ago and just didn't find much that I liked, so I didn't buy anything. If I'm at the mall again I'll probably stop in, but won't be making any special trips.

TheUptownKid

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 08:36:27 -0600

Whle sad to see a hometown institution go, there are more pressing, important issues regarding change in Chicago that we can spend our energy protesting. One being the gentrification of our neighborhoods, where almost all of our racial and cultural identity is being replaced by retail and real estate development slum and the less "economically viable" are being displaced to make room for materialistic, naive and knuckleheaded yuppie-folk and their sorry, idealistic "utopia" that includes a Starbucks on every corner. If they think their neighborhoods are prone-free to the crimes that plague the west and south sides, think again. May I remind them of the hideous rapists that are striking out on the very streets they walk down and the untold number of home invasions as well as stick-ups at night. Bring back the working class families, I say.

Mark

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 08:26:14 -0600

People can afford it?

Lody

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 08:07:11 -0600

If you want to get in on the boycott go to www.fieldsfanschicago.org!!!! I will be doing my shopping at Carson's, Von Maur, Younkers, Nordstroms and Neiman Marcus.

beerinator

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 07:10:34 -0600

I'll be doing my holiday shopping on the internet. So, yes, I guess I am boycotting Macy's.