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Jan 3, 2007 8:20 pm US/Central
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New Management For Macy's On State Street
Federated Selects Lord & Taylor Exec For Former Field's Flagship
by Dorothy Tucker
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
Macy's on State Street is getting new management, after the first Christmas since the controversial name change from
Marshall Field's.
The retailer hired a former executive from
Lord and Taylor to take over the former Field's flagship store.
Analysts say the move comes after a disappointing Christmas shopping season. But Macy's parent company,
Federated, says the move has nothing to do with sales.
Macy's is taking on a serious challenge from shoppers who complain that it's just not Marshall Field's.
CBS 2's Dorothy Tucker reports on the changes in store in an effort to stir up some spending.
The traditional Christmas windows outside the old Marshall Field's, the new Macy's, still draw an admiring crowd.
But the admiration isn't quite the same inside the store. Retail experts say Macy's suffered sluggish sales this Christmas when long time Marshall Field's shoppers stayed away.
Old time shoppers say they are still upset about the name change.
"I associate Marshall Field's with the town of Chicago and it's really a slap in the face that they would call it Macy's because that's a New York operation," said shopper Andrea Johnson.
"I'm not as inclined to go into Macy's as I was Marshall Field's because Marshall Field's was here. I can go to Macy's anywhere," Johnson said.
So where did Macy's shoppers go?
Retail experts say they have taken their business to specialty stores, or other department stores like Nordstorm's or Bloomingdale's.
Macy's wants those customers back, and they have brought in a new manager to help the old manager develop strategies to lure old shoppers back into the store.
Linda Piepho, former executive with Lord and Taylor, will now run the day-to-day operations while Ralph Hughes becomes Macy's new vice president of corporate communications.
"What we have to do is make sure the customers realize that it's the same store they've shopped...same service people," Hughes said.
Just how they will convince shoppers that only the name has changed is unclear. The team didn't give details, but retail experts acknowledge that their task is difficult.
"It's very hard when it's an emotional issue. It's irrational in many cases. She's going to have to listen to all the constituents, to the staff, to her management, to existing customers," said retail consultant Keven Wilder.
And experts say they are going to have to be patient and hope that some day those wounded customers will forgive Macy's for ending a tradition.
The name change from Marshall Field's to Macy's took effect last September at all 61 Field's stores. The move drew excitement, but also protests.
(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)