Macy’s, Inc. to Close 11 Stores

The Earth Times ^ | January 8, 2009 | Macy's, Inc.

[trisham]

This site has petite clothing from size 0:

http://www.jjill.com/jjillonline/prodnav/petites_default.aspx?BID=S2009008102513DCC4B6C5825240C9AF300C&h=P&sk=P

[martin_fierro]

- Natrona Heights Plaza, Natrona Heights, PA (73,000 square feet; 124 employees; opened in 1956)

Sad. To my knowledge that place has been a Horne's, then a Lazarus, then Macy's -- if not other things.

The Heights should just sever its ties with Allegheny County and merge with lower-tax Butler, Westmoreland or Armstrong counties.

[xsmommy]

how far is natrona heights from that biggish, newish mall, whose name i cannot call to mind?

[Clinging Bitterly]

I think a lot of the closures are in areas where they had multiple stores since the purchase of the May chain.

Eugene had two in the same mall, so the “extra” store closure happened a long time ago.

I always thought the service was good and the people friendly in the original store (which began as a different brand in the Federated chain, Bon Marche), but I haven’t been there since they moved into the digs of the May store (Meier & Frank). I never liked Meier & Frank.

[martin_fierro]

how far is natrona heights from that biggish, newish mall, whose name i cannot call to mind?

You mean Picksburgh Mills, 'n'at?

They're not too far apart. Maybe 10 miles. PM is a lot easier to access than Heights Mall.

I hear PM is tanking, too.

[kitkat]

***I’ve been to several Macy’s in my area. All look like upscale flea markets. They also have no customer service. I simply stopped even trying to shop there.***

I went to Macy’s (new in my area) just once. Surly clerk chewing gum smack, smack, smack. The merchandise was definitely flea market quality. But the prices were upper-middle class. Won’t go back again.

[xsmommy]

that is so sad. so who ISN”T tanking in the Picksburgh district? people just not shopping, period? is Monroeville Mall still doing ok?

[albie]

Macy’s would do well to learn something about PR from “Nordstroms”. Nasty, surly, complaining staff takes the fun out of shopping at Macy’s.

[Oshkalaboomboom]

I think Macys stinks. Their customer service is terrible. They spend tons of money on newspaper advertisements offering what looks like great incentives, at least until you try using the coupons. Then you find out there are so many exclusions they are practically useless. They also must think their customers are idiots because they are always advertising special “one day only” sales, with a preview day that has the exact same hours, the exact same prices and the exact same things on sale. Do they really think the customers are too stupid to figure out that it’s really a 2-day sale? If the ones in my area go away I won’t miss them at all and they would only have themselves to blame because they didn’t used to be this bad.

[RouxStir]

Back in the heyday of Sears & Roebuck and Montgomery Wards, huge segments of the US population shopped by catalog. We trusted these companies to provide exactly what they described, we sent them our money and waited weeks to get the items, hoping that our choices weren't out of stock.

And I have to say that I still relish the days of browsing through the huge catalogs, especially the Sears Christmas Wishbook. Shopping online is really just an updated version of this catalog shopping. This is why I buy almost everything except commodity items online. We have become accustomed to shopping in person, putting our hands on the merchandise and trying on the clothing. The pendulum has swung back. It's unfortunate that these people will lose their jobs. But the stores are not meeting the needs of the customers while remaining finacially viable. This is just like the advent of the automobile age: buggy makers and blacksmith shops made way for something new. I would imagine that there was much whining from the owners and employees of outdated businesses....much like the whining from the United Auto Workers union, today, because they find themselves backed into a corner of their own construction. If enough people want something, someone will sell or manufacture the item. ...just like they told the inventor of the vibrator...build it and they will come.

[riverdawg]

“I simply stopped even trying to shop there [Macy's].

Ditto for me. The service at Macy's is nonexistent, and the clothing “sales” are almost always focused on the house brands. The only local department store I shop is Belk, which is much cleaner, more modern, better lit, and more extensively stocked with higher-quality merchandise than the Macy's here.

[CodeToad]

One of the primary stores I shop at is Nordstroms. AT least it is clean, the service helpful if not downright a support group for co-dependents, and the products are a higher quality than most other stores. Macy’s is a fifth rate joke.

[My hearts in London - Everett]

Where are these Macy’s stores that employ these type people? I’ve worked as a vendor at 4 Macy’s here in Washington state and have only met very nice employees! Lazy somewhat, but nice!

[albie]

Richmond area.

[Ebenezer]

Nasty, surly, complaining staff takes the fun out of shopping at Macy’s.

They must have learned their customer-service skills at Walmart.

[latina4dubya]

I’ve been to several Macy’s in my area. All look like upscale flea markets. They also have no customer service. I simply stopped even trying to shop there.

i agree... i used to love to shop at Macy's... my favorite time to shop there was during their Fall sales in September...

now it's a big mess with piles of clothes and boxes of shoes sitting around... employees dressed like they're at a night club... belly buttons showing, thongs peeking out from waist bands...

[riverdawg]

I have shopped at Nordstrom’s also, although the nearest one is 35 miles away. I own a couple of sweaters from there. Most of their men's clothing is too expensive for my tastes, however. I'm not going to pay $75 for a sports shirt at Nordstrom’s when I can buy a perfectly fine Nautica or Columbia shirt on sale at Belk for $25-30.

[Oshkalaboomboom]

Nordstrom’s isn’t a competitor to Macys, Nordstrom’s is more competition to Bloomingdales. If you are looking for prices and quality similar to Macys then Belk is a much closer match. However, Belk is only a regional chain most people have never heard of. We have one 5 minutes from our house, along with a SteinMart.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

I wear petites, too. I do find some nice things at Macy’s. I don’t have to dress up often, so three ‘fancy’ outfits have lasted me for years on end. :)

I’m 5’1. My best friend is 6’, with huge ‘gunboats’ for feet, LOL! (She’ll tell you that, too.) We both can usually find what we need at Macy’s on our semi-annual shopping sprees.

[Paved Paradise]

You are fortunate. Interestingly enough, my best friend for years who, unfortunately moved away is also 6 ft. tall in her bare feet. I am 5 ft. Funny.