Chicagoist: Macy's Cuts 100 Chicagoland Jobs

sparky

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 21:25:50 -0600

BP pollutes the Great Lakes with mercury, an element known to cause significant problems in birds, fish and animals, including humans. Macy's does not pollute the Great Lakes with mercury, an element known to cause significant problems in birds, fish and animals, including humans. The comparison of Wrigley to Fields is valid. In fact you can compare Wrigley the man to Fields the man, as well as the corporations. I personally do not care to engage in a discussion about this, because I don't really care. The comparison of BP to Macys is not valid.

JasonM

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 17:51:58 -0600

Both the decision to not shop BP and Macy's are made out of the disagreement of BUSINESS DECISIONS made by corporations. First, Marshall Field's directly effected the tax revenue of this city. Let's not forget that State Street alone had sales of $250 Million. That store alone contributed greatly the the tax vaults. Sales are way down, Macy's contributes way less because people don't shop there (see Crains Chicago Business story). Second, Marshall Field's contributed to Chicago by creating a unique destination for tourist. People from all over the Midwest, Canada, and even internationally came to shop at "the Ultimate Department Store" right here in Chicago. Being the #3 tourist destination in the city, Marshall Field's was a big draw to come to Chicago for a weekend, stay at a hotel, go shopping, eat at restaurants, etc. If you don't believe that a retail establishment can bring people into a city, you don't know your history and you're not a good observer. Look at American Girl Place... it brings hundreds of parents/kids to Chicago. If there was an American Girl in Cleveland, Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Des Moines, etc. do you think people would come to Chicago to shop at the American Girl Place near Water Tower? Of course not. It would not be unique - same with Macy's. Third, Marshall Field's contributed to the charitable and social aspects of this city. Through its charitable programs it gave back to the arts, museums, and the like. It created "Glamorama" which helped position Chicago as a fashion-forward city. Look at the other world-class cities. London's - Harrod's, New York - Bergdorf Goodman, Berlin - KaDeWe, Tokyo - Wako, Chicago - Macy's? Just doesn't make sense. These were all the contributions of Field's before the conversion. Of course there were dozens upon dozens of monumental buildings (Merchandise Mart, Field Museum, etc.) and institutions (UofC, etc.) that were created by Marshall Field's the man. Wrigley Field is a historic landmark and I would compare it to Marshall Field's but I would go further and say the contribution of Marshall Field's (the man) and Marshall Field's (the store) are more significant. Nonetheless Wrigley is vital to the social, economic, and civic success of this city. The comparison is valid.

matilda

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 13:13:42 -0600

Are you fucking kidding, Jason? A semi-secret effort to dump pollution into a lake is the same thing as retail nostalgia? My god, you people are dumber than I thought. FYI, no one ever said you MF people were boycotting so people would lose their jobs. Rather, the job loss is likely an indirect result of your protests (I emphasize "indirect," as I doubt that the protests are the main reason for the job losses).

sparky

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 13:03:54 -0600

Uh, Jason, you realize you just compared the closing of a retail store that sells clothes (and apparently fuzzy feel-good memories) to the pollution of our drinking water and our ecosystem, which affects not only the lives (not just the shopping habits) of Chicagoans (through bioaccumulation of mercury), but lives in Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan and surrounding states, as well as birds, fish and mammals? Yes, both are business decisions, but this is not even a close comparison. A better comparison would be a business decision to sell Wrigley Field and move the Cubs to the burbs. Comments welcome. I would love to hear how you can justify comaparing Marshall Fields to the pollution of our ecosystem with mercury.

JasonM

Tue, 15 Jan 2008 22:21:33 -0600

"But I cannot understand how people who claim to love Chicago so much would work to put Chicagoans out of legal, honest employment, all to satisfy desires that seem overwhelming nostalgic, and therefore selfish." Many here have stated the Field's supporters are putting Chicagoans out of work. I find this statement quite offensive. I challenge you to think of another issue that came up in Chicago. Remember BP and its attempt to dump mercury into Lake Michigan? Remember how there would be a full-out boycott had they publicly continued to say they would? (they supposedly will not but last I heard they wouldn't sign any document stating that) I doubt ANYONE would be saying "Support BP in Chicago (BP has both gas stations and corporate jobs here), otherwise you're a heartless citizen trying to hurt other Chicagoans." Would you be saying that? Absolutely not... you'd stand right along side the BP protesters. Why? Because the BUSINESS DECISION to pollute Lake Michigan you believed would hurt the economic and social success of this city. The same with Field's. I'm not boycotting to have people lose their jobs. I'm boycotting because the BUSINESS DECISION to remove Marshall Field's has hurt the tax revenue, tourist appeal, and civic pride of my (any your) city! Comments welcomed.

sparky

Tue, 15 Jan 2008 11:29:47 -0600

The economy is sliding. Spending is down .4% People will save their money and pay down their credit cards and other debt, and save instead of spending on retail goods. So, given this, will people really spend their money at Marshall Fields if it returns? Given the decline in retail spending, why would an investor want to bring back Fields? Because in the end, isn't it all about money? To say it's not about the money in this economy would be foolish.

Spook

Tue, 15 Jan 2008 10:59:24 -0600

Dear Fieldzbollah members: All department stores are hurting, not just Macey's. read the papers- no this does not include the Red Eye. It’s not the protests, it’s the faltering Economy. However, Macy's in Chicago is the only store were The Fieldzbollah is engaged in an intifada against their local store, which is asinine and wacked out especially during this economy. Further to say as Jason M did "Perhaps other retailers around town are hiring. Clearly, demonstrates the level of maturity of members of Fieldzbollah. To dismiss the possibility of Chicagoans being unemployed with families and mortgages as "Perhaps other retailers around town are hiring." is nothing but a late them eat cake slash and burn mentality. Further, you are dead wrong on the money issue. Yes money does disappear literally and figuratively, the Fed. Reserve burns and restricts circulation of it and when the economy slides into recession or depression, people don't have it to spend or just won’t. Fieldzbollah certainly will not bring back a chain store that chose (of its own will) to leave Chicago based on the market. But perhaps the unique Fieldzbollah organization will be a foot note in a public school history text book. Which will read something like "As corporate greed pushed the hapless nation deeper into economic crisis, an organization represented the worst of the deeply misguided, ignorant and doomed citizens. It was named Fieldzbollah and instead of protesting political decisions destroying the country they organized on behalf of an iconic store that once was"

spookhatespuppies

Mon, 14 Jan 2008 21:45:11 -0600

Not that I'm a huge fan of Macy's or anything, but whenever a hyperactive "Bring Back Field's" supporter starts talking, my mind imagines an angry guy with an AK-47 wearing a ski mask ranting in front of a green Field's flag that reads "There is no God but Allah and Field's is his store". Congrats, guys, you're becoming Hezbollah.

spookhatespuppies

Mon, 14 Jan 2008 21:45:00 -0600

Dwharcourt

Mon, 14 Jan 2008 21:38:21 -0600

To anyone trying to accuse Marshall Fields fans for the loss of anyone's job, there is one thing to remember-it is the CUSTOMER who decides what they want to buy, not the merchant. We have been very clear in that we want Marshall Fields. We have been even clearer in that we WILL NOT spend our money at Macy's. (Considering the horribly dissapointing holiday sales, us Fields Fans must have really spent a lot for our boycott to cause such horrible results!) To those who accuse us of causing people to lose their jobs I ask you, do YOU deliberatly spend your money on things you don't want or need? If you do, I have I am confident that I can find plenty of garbage to sell to you! All of my family members, friends-even my employer-knows not to even think about giving me anything from Macy's-including Macy's giftcards. I don't want it and have no use for it. The only thing I will buy at this point is Macy's stock because it is so cheap and by being a Macy's stockholder I have the RIGHT to attend the annual Macy's stockholder meeting to fight for the return of Marshall Fields. Chicago Shops at Marshall Fields-not Macy's!

bopo

Mon, 14 Jan 2008 16:18:49 -0600

Sparky: I'm in the same boat. Maybe we could combine forces and buy a shirt.

matilda

Mon, 14 Jan 2008 14:44:41 -0600

JasonM: I have no problem that Macy's failed because that is capitalism, and though I think the MF fetish people inflate the power of their protests, I have no problem with people protesting. But I cannot understand how people who claim to love Chicago so much would work to put Chicagoans out of legal, honest employment, all to satisfy desires that seem overwhelming nostalgic, and therefore selfish. I would love for one of the MF fetish people to step up and explain their ideas to a recently laid off Macy's worker. I wonder if any of the MF fetish people have enough courage.

JasonM

Mon, 14 Jan 2008 14:34:25 -0600

Matilda, We obviously didn't want to effect the people who work there but unfortunately there is no other way. My hope is that people who saw the drastic decrease in sales at Macy's first hand started to consider other options and started looking months ago. Perhaps other retailers around town are hiring. Money just doesn't disappear but it goes toward shopping at other places. I wish all the employees the best, however I cannot shop somewhere just because I have pity on Macy's catastrophic mistake to eliminate Field's. The city has suffered in tax revenue loss, tourism appeal, and civic pride. Macy's has failed. Plain and simple.

sparky

Mon, 14 Jan 2008 13:24:33 -0600

Matilda: Good question. It looks like the boycott is working! People are losing their jobs! Yay! Macy's will close and more Chicagoans will lose thir jobs! Marshall Fields will rise again! My guess? They would probably say "tough shit, that they should have never worked at Macy's to begin with, because they should have supported the glorious tradition known as Marshall Fields and boycotted Macy's. Too bad, so sad."

matilda

Mon, 14 Jan 2008 13:14:58 -0600

Please, do not forget something, all you anti-Macy's people: You have caused a decent number of Chicago residents to lose their jobs, or remain anxious about losing their jobs in an economy that is verging on recession, if we are not in one already. I am not saying that should be your prime concern, but it is something you must think about as your quest to keep grasping at a certain aspect of Chicago history continues. What, I wonder, would you M.Fields fetish people say to a Macy's person who has just lost his or her job (that is, a worker who lives in Chicago)?

sparky

Mon, 14 Jan 2008 13:09:02 -0600

So, I have a question for the Anti-Macy's supporters. This happened to me, so I am curious: You receive a $50 gift card to Macy's from your boss for Christmas. Your boss does not realize that you hate Macy's and you have been out there protesting Macy's with your green signs and really pretty buttons and supercool catchphrases. What do you do with your $50 gift card?

happygrl

Sun, 13 Jan 2008 19:59:23 -0600

Doesn't the Lake Foreset store that's closing (closed already?) count as an Illinois store? What happened to those employees? Closing that store was a tragedy.

Ward Up

Sun, 13 Jan 2008 19:24:03 -0600

Here's my suggestion for Terry Lundgren's speech at the upcoming Macy's shareholders' meeting: "Greetings, shareholders. Let me get right to the point. I took a few hundred million dollars of your money and poured it down the drain."