The Department Store Of The 21st Century Isn’t Macy’s

A little over a decade ago, Macy’s celebrated its 150 years with a collection of clips from movies and television that showed just how indelible its brand is. Or, at least, was. The sesquicentennial celebration took place in 2008, early into the new century, and the montage was dominated by celebrities and icons of the previous one. But the implications of the new millennium — notably, shifting consumer priorities, attitudes and opportunities —were perhaps not top of mind. Rather, a few years earlier, in 2005, parent company Federated (later renamed Macy’s) was embarking on an expansion that brought its footprint to some 950 department stores, along with approximately 700 bridal and formalwear stores. That appears to have been a mistake. Read more at Retail Dive.