urbanSTL

I still think that if they remodeled the store CORRECTLY, open windows, high ceilings, etc, people would shop at this location. I certainly don't go to Macy's at the Galleria to shop. I'm sorry, but what guy under 30 goes to a department store to get clothes? Maybe I'm not the norm...If they made it a unique shopping experience, maybe that would attract more people.

JCity wrote:I still think that if they remodeled the store CORRECTLY, open windows, high ceilings, etc, people would shop at this location. I certainly don't go to Macy's at the Galleria to shop. I'm sorry, but what guy under 30 goes to a department store to get clothes? Maybe I'm not the norm...If they made it a unique shopping experience, maybe that would attract more people.

I don't think guys-under-30 are the target demographic, to be honest. And they never were. Go to Hollister if you want young people's clothes. Department stores are, primarily, designed for women who shop for their whole family. Downtown Macy's needs to be different because it's demographic is more business and more male.. but look at any department store advertising and it's clear that it is still primarily targeting the housewife who does all the shopping for hubby and kids.

I assumed that men under 30 were the demographic shopping at Macy's.



What men do shop at traditional department stores anymore?



I have shopped speciality, locally-owned men's stores, and discount since high school and the internet for the past 6 years.

Go to Hollister if you want young people's clothes.

People under 30 can have jobs, too.

Xing wrote:Macys should be to MX, as Marshal Fields was to State Street.

They should compliment each other, not compete.

I visited the Laurel condo sales center on the housing tour and the sales lady told me that Macy's is definitely part of the MX and that store managements has been involved in MX plans. She referred to Macy's as an "anchor" of the district. She also said the US Bank bldg., the convention center (has vacant retail space on 7th street), 555 Washington, and the building Jacobs Engineering is in are also all "on board", whatever that means.



I think Macy's could very quickly update their merchandise, open more entrances when the MX really gets going.

AvantStL wrote:

Xing wrote:Macys should be to MX, as Marshal Fields was to State Street.

They should compliment each other, not compete.

I visited the Laurel condo sales center on the housing tour and the sales lady told me that Macy's is definitely part of the MX and that store managements has been involved in MX plans. She referred to Macy's as an "anchor" of the district. She also said the US Bank bldg., the convention center (has vacant retail space on 7th street), 555 Washington, and the building Jacobs Engineering is in are also all "on board", whatever that means.



I think Macy's could very quickly update their merchandise, open more entrances when the MX really gets going.

Maybe it means that the building owners will commit to adding retail space.



Jacobs is in One Financial Plaza - they have a reception area and some office space on the first floor in addition to offices on floors 2-4. It would be nice to see them move their first floor space to some of the upper floors so that the western portion of the first floor could be used for retail. The building has a couple of entrances facing Sixth Street that Jacobs does not currently use - they'd make it easy to convert the space for retail.

^I believe the west side of that building, facing the St. Louis Centre entrance, was always designed for retail, but I cannot recall that space ever being occupied.

AvantStL wrote:

Xing wrote:Macys should be to MX, as Marshal Fields was to State Street.

They should compliment each other, not compete.

I visited the Laurel condo sales center on the housing tour and the sales lady told me that Macy's is definitely part of the MX and that store managements has been involved in MX plans. She referred to Macy's as an "anchor" of the district. She also said the US Bank bldg., the convention center (has vacant retail space on 7th street), 555 Washington, and the building Jacobs Engineering is in are also all "on board", whatever that means.



I think Macy's could very quickly update their merchandise, open more entrances when the MX really gets going.

If that's true, I worry a lot about the MX. Retail renovations are very costly, and I really cannot financially understand why Macy's would put more money into the Railway Exchange without making it a true destination store. To do that, it would really require closing at least 3 of the existing Macy's stores in the area, and giving the consumer a reason to drive the downtown store...



Now could they modify the merchandise mix and improve fixtures so that the store is on par with the Galleria and West County stores? I would think this is a possibility, but the idea of it being anywhere close to what State Street, Downtown Wannamakers, or Herald Square is is way past unreasonable.



The problem will be the way these styles are allocated. If an increase in high-end sales are not there last year for a store, they will most likely not be planned for the next year. If their not planned for, the merchandise will not be allocated to those stores. Even if high-end merch goes into a DT store, if people wait to purchase it until markdowns hit and coupons are available, and its the VERY BEST BIGGEST SALE EVER (until next week), buyers will see this store as a drain on the gross margin and move lower-end merch here. That's one of the reasons we got to where we are.

I don't think they are trying to make it like State Street. Just better than it is now.

The 6th street side of Financial Plaza did house some retailers when it first opened. However I believe the extended closing of Washington Ave for Metro station construction was their death blow. Along with the neighboring Woolworths and a retailer who's name escapes me (they were a downtown institution that catered to the blue hair set) it started out as a pretty interesting street.

The back part of the men's department - where the Cards stuff and the workout clothes used to be - is now sealed off, and it looks like remodeling is underway.

JMedwick wrote:Out of curiosity, does the Men's shoe department carry Bostonian or Cole Haan? I am looking to buy some shoes and have been putting off the purchase.

They do have Bostonian, and they had Cole Haan up until recently, but no longer.

My wife and I went into Macy's Saturday afternoon around 4:00 or so to browse. On the way out of the store, my wife asked a salesperson if she knew whether Macy's was going to have Breakfast with Santa as they did last year. The salesperson was unsure, but took our phone number and said she'd have someone call us back with details. Less than three hours later, I was pleasantly surprised when someone called back from Macy's around 6:30 to give us all of the available dates, along with information about the holiday kickoff event planned for Nov. 21. Apparently Macy's is taking that event a step further this year, offering food and entertainment as the tree in Kiener Plaza is lit and their store window displays are first unveiled. I'm glad to see they're still going to have holiday events this year, but I was even more impressed to get that follow-up call on a Saturday evening after the store had closed.

very cool. This store could still be SO much more imo. Open up those windows so you can actually SEE into the store. How cool would that be!? you can still have the displays, but there would be no wall behind them. Don't stores in Chicago have this? That's how it used to be. When did they start enclosing the windows to emulate suburban malls anyway? am I the only dork that cares about this? probably...

I think they've had a rash of broken windows/stolen displays (including furniture at one point I think). If this changes then they should do more with their windows, but until then I can't blame them.

Mabeeeee non break film over the glass would be better than

the paper over the window or nothing in the window look .. (i'm

surprised their insurance company doesn't require it ..)

Mark Wegmann wrote:(i'm surprised their insurance company doesn't require it ..)

Yeah, I'm not quite sure why Macy's hasn't looked into shatterproof glass and/or better security. Seems like a no-brainer to me. (Maybe they have, though, because they're still decorating quite a few of the windows and I haven't heard of any incidents lately.)



Right now, the open display windows are covered with black shades bearing the Macy's logo, and there are temporary signs posted on some of them to announce the unveiling of "The Magic at Macy's", as they call their holiday displays. Obviously, I don't expect anything even close to Herald Square or State Street by any means, but the decorated trees they had last year did look nice and attracted people to the windows for a change. Famous-Barr stopped decorating all the windows when they jettisoned Santaland about 17 or 18 years ago. All people had to look at was the train display, which is cool for the little ones, but at least Macy's is making more of an effort than their predecessor has in years.

Don't know if anyone noticed... but Macy's Downtown St. Louis store has extended their hours:



MACY'S DOWNTOWN ST. LOUIS



Monday, November 12: 10:00AM - 6:00PM

Tuesday, November 13: 10:00AM - 6:00PM

Wednesday, November 14: 10:00AM - 6:00PM

Thursday, November 15: 10:00AM - 6:00PM

Friday, November 16: 8:00AM - 7:00PM

Saturday, November 17: 8:00AM - 7:00PM

Sunday, November 18: 12:00PM - 5:00PM



CHRISTMAS AT DOWNTOWN ST. LOUIS MACY'S:



ON NOVEMBER 23, 2007



MACY'S WILL BE OPENING/UNVEILING THEIR DOWNTOWN CHIRISTMAS/HOLIDAY WINTERS

HOURS TBA



They are also sponsoring the Holiday Lighting of the Tree in Keiner Plaza this year.



CHRISTMAS WITH SANTA



Santa is in the store every Saturday and Sunday this year beginning on November 23 (friday) and then every Saturday and Sunday.



In addition, Every Saturday at 1:00 p.m. beginning the 24th on Nov.

Macy's special Christmas Holiday Performance "Nutcracker at Macy's" will take place on the 2nd Floor through Christmas Eve.



BREAKFAST WITH SANTA IS BACK

Beginning at 10:00 a.m. (by reservation - sells out every year - so get in early) on the 6TH FLOOR Dates: November 21,23,24 and then every Sunday in December - 1,8,9,16, & 22

What were the old hours? I hope it's not just for the holiday season!

^ The downtown store hours are usually 10am-6pm Monday through Saturday, and noon-5pm on Sunday. I'm sure the extended hours are just for the holiday season, but I'm not complaining. Maybe Macy's would consider extending the hours regularly if there is a good response to extended hours during the holiday season, or in a much more likely scenario, once Mercantile Exchange brings in more foot traffic on a regular basis when it's completely built out in a few years.



Based on the information given when Mercantile Exchange was announced, Macy's appears to be in it for the long haul downtown, so I hope we'll see extended hours and a greater variety of merchandise eventually.

If you need furniture, they've got some great deals right now up on the 7th floor. I bought a new TV stand there yesterday for CHEAP.

I always thought it was strange that they closed at 6 on a weekday. I mean isn't that the point of putting a department store downtown? So that after work, people can shop and grab a few things on the way home? I mean, without having to think about the fact that they are closing in 20 minutes?

^ Extending weekday hours until 7 p.m. is the least Macy's could do. Like you said, even those getting off at 5:00 don't have much time to do serious shopping there. And IIRC, the downtown Cincinnati, Columbus, and Pittsburgh stores stay open until at least 7:00 on weekdays.



BTW, we reserved our tickets for Breakfast with Santa! It ain't Santaland, but at least I can take my tot to the same downtown department store I visited as a young lad during the holiday season. At $8.50 a pop, along with a decent breakfast, it beats the hell out of the overpriced Mall Santas.