Federated Department Stores has decided to broaden the use of the venerable Macys nameplate throughout the companys multitude of department store brands. Initially slated for Atlanta and the merger of the Richs and Macys group there, the largest department store chain in the U.S. will now extend the co-branding to Bon Marche, Burdines, Lazarus and Goldsmiths stores.
Commencing August 1st, the stores will be labeled as The Bon-Macys, , Lazarus- Macy’s Goldsmith’s-Macy’s, while Burdines-Macy’s will debut February 2004, taking control of the seven current Macys stores in Florida. The action will not affect the Bloomingdales label.
Federated said the Rich’s-Macys stores have outperformed the rest of FDs nameplates since their name change. They expect the Macys label to give the stores an image make-over.
Bon Marche President and CEO Peter Sachse will oversee the changes after being named to the new post of chief marketing officer for Federated. Macy’s East EVP Eric Salus will succeed Sachse as Bon Marche president.
In a separate matter, an African-American woman filed suit against Macys in Manhattan federal court on Tuesday, alleging Macys “unfairly targeted her and other minorities for shoplifting based on race”.
The $100 million antitrust lawsuit seeks class-action status on behalf of African-American and other nonwhite shoppers who believe they were discriminated against by Macy’s and its parent company, Federated Department Stores, Inc.
Macys said it “does not profile, target, or discriminate against any minority group or individual.”
>>> Well probably see this whole thing go to Macys, Inc. in the not-too-distant future. The company will also need to focus on product assortment and service if it hopes to turn around their stagnating department store business
>>> Good timing on the part of the lawyers. Federated will have to make that suit go away fast
