The Last of the Great Department Stores

Well, it's official, Lord & Taylor has been sold to some private equity group. For anyone who hasn't shopped at the flagship on Fifth Avenue or at one of the regional stores, Lord & Taylor's is one of the original department stores back when there used to be a ladies mile downtown where woman shopped. The original B. Altman's was downthere too. The company insists that they will keep the flagship store open but reduce the size of the store, which would be a huge mistake. They also say that there is a possibility that the flagship store might be closed.

This makes me really sad. Lord & Taylor was my mother's favorite store. She used to save up all her mother's day, birthday and Christmas money from my dad and my brother and sister and then go shopping at Lord & Taylor when they were having a sale. I mean Sarah Jessica Parker had her launch of her new perfume at Lord & Taylor. It's a New York institution. Not that makes a difference, since we've since the demise of Bonwit Teller, B. Altman, Gimbel's and A&S in my lifetime. Not to mention Korvettes and Alexanders.

Now I just heard that the Marshall Field's store in Chicago is going to be turned into a Macy's since Federated Department Stores bought the company last year. Now, I have no problem if they want to turn all the regional Marshall Field store's into Macy's, but why mess with the flagship store. It's a Chicago institution. When people think of Chicago they think of the Cubs, the White Sox and Marshall Field's.

Thank god, because the store has landmark status, they have to keep the original facade including the clocks, and the Marshall Field name on the outside. I shudder to think of what they plan to do the Tiffany ceiling and the wonderful restaurants. Considering how crappy the Macy's restaurants are here in New York, I feel sorry for the good people of Chicago. Let's face, people don't go to Macy's to eat they way they do at Sak's or Lord & Taylor.

I may sound like an old fuddy-duddy and I realize in today's changing financial climate, some things have to change, but there has to be a way to perserve the past and move forward.

That's just my humble opinion, particularly with such an icon like Marshall Field's.

I'll get off my soap box now.

Thanks for reading!

EKM