May Department Stores
Encyclopedia
The May Department Stores Company was a national department store
chain in the United States
, founded in 1877 by David May. The company ceased to exist in 2005 when it was merged with Federated Department Stores, Inc (now known as Macy's, Inc.). Prior to the merger it was headquartered in Downtown St. Louis
, Missouri
. The business has never had any connection with the May's department stores in and around New York City which were owned and operated by J.W. Mays
.
as well as May's bridalwear business.
The Federated/May merger was completed on August 30, 2005 after an assurance agreement was reached with the State Attorneys General of New York, California
, Massachusetts
, Maryland
and Pennsylvania
. Federated announced plans to close 76 store locations over the ensuing year, having pledged in its anti-trust settlement to sell most of them in the above mentioned states as viable businesses, with preference being given to a group of thirteen competitors.
By September 2006, all of the May regional nameplates, except for the Lord & Taylor chain, ceased to exist as Federated consolidated its operations under the Macy's
mastheads including the stores most famous names Marshall Field's
, Filene's
, and Kaufmann's
. All locations that were not sold off were rebranded as Macy's, except for one Hecht's
location in Friendship Heights
. That was rebuilt,and rebranded as Bloomingdale's
. In advance of the retail consolidation, May's credit call center in Lorain, Ohio
, ceased operations on July 1, 2006. Lord & Taylor
, the lone department store division not to be largely converted to the Macy's nameplate, was sold to a group of investors at NRDC Equity Partners, LLC for $1.2 billion in October 2006. David's Bridal and After Hours Formalwear were also soon sold thereafter.
Department store
A department store is a retail establishment which satisfies a wide range of the consumer's personal and residential durable goods product needs; and at the same time offering the consumer a choice of multiple merchandise lines, at variable price points, in all product categories...
chain in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, founded in 1877 by David May. The company ceased to exist in 2005 when it was merged with Federated Department Stores, Inc (now known as Macy's, Inc.). Prior to the merger it was headquartered in Downtown St. Louis
Downtown St. Louis
Downtown St. Louis is the central business district of St. Louis, Missouri, the hub of tourism and entertainment, and the anchor of the St. Louis metropolitan area. The downtown is bounded by Cole Street to the north, the river front to the east, Chouteau Avenue to the south, and Jefferson Avenue...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
. The business has never had any connection with the May's department stores in and around New York City which were owned and operated by J.W. Mays
J.W. Mays
J.W. Mays, Inc. is a real estate firm based in Brooklyn, New York, United States. From 1927 until 1988 the company ran a chain of discount department stores in the area surrounding New York City referred to as simply Mays, with stores located in three of New York City's five boroughs and Long...
.
Founding and early years
- 1877: Founded in Leadville during the Colorado silver rushSilver rushA Silver rush is the silver-mining equivalent of a gold rush.Notable silver rushes have taken place in Mexico, Argentina, the United States , and Canada...
. - 1889: Headquarters moved to Denver.
- 1905: Headquarters moved to St. Louis.
- 1910: Officially incorporatedIncorporation (business)Incorporation is the forming of a new corporation . The corporation may be a business, a non-profit organisation, sports club, or a government of a new city or town...
as The May Department Stores Company.
Early expansions
- 1911: The Famous Clothing StoreThe Famous Clothing StoreThe Famous Clothing Store St. Louis, Missouri was a division of The May Company. It was established in 1892. In 1905 Famous became May's hometown division when they relocated to St. Louis, Missouri. May's purchse of The William Barr Dry Goods Company; lead the company to merge the Dry Goods...
(owned by May) and The William Barr Dry Goods Company merged to create Famous-BarrFamous-BarrThe Famous-Barr Co. , St. Louis, Missouri, was a division of Macy's, Inc. . It was formerly the hometown division of The May Department Stores Company, which was acquired by Federated on August 30, 2005. On February 1, 2006, it was subsumed into the newly created Macy's Midwest division.The...
. - 1923: May acquires A. Hamburger & Sons Company in Los Angeles and renames it as May Company CaliforniaMay Company CaliforniaMay Company California was a chain of department stores operating in the Southern California and Nevada, previously with headquarters in North Hollywood, California. It was a subsidiary of May Department Stores and merged with May's other Southern California subsidiary, J. W...
. - 1946: May acquires the Kaufmann'sKaufmann'sKaufmann's was a department store that originated in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was owned in the early 20th century by Edgar J. Kaufmann, patron of 'Fallingwater' and the Kaufmann's Desert House. In the post-war years the store became a regional chain in the eastern United States, and was last...
chain based in Pittsburgh, retaining it as a separate division. - 1947: May acquires Strouss-Hirshberg Co. based in Youngstown, OH, retaining it as a separate division and changing the name to Strouss.
- 1956: May acquires The Daniels & Fisher Company of Denver, merging it with May stores in the area to create a new May D&FMay-Daniels & FisherMay-Daniels & Fisher was a Denver, Colorado department store created in 1957 when the original May Company operations in Colorado, founded in 1877 in Leadville , were merged with the newly acquired The Daniels & Fisher Co...
division. - 1958: May acquires the Cohen Bros. Department Store in Jacksonville, FloridaJacksonville, FloridaJacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
, turning it into the May Cohens chain. - 1959: May acquires The Hecht CompanyHecht'sHecht's, also known as Hecht Brothers, Hecht Bros. and the Hecht Company, was a large chain of department stores located mainly in the mid-Atlantic and southern region of the United States....
of Baltimore, adding it as a new division. - 1966: May acquires the Meier & FrankMeier & FrankMeier & Frank was a chain of department stores founded in Portland, Oregon, and later bought out by the May Department Stores Company. Meier & Frank operated in the Pacific Northwest from 1857 to 2006.-History:Summary...
chain based in Portland, Oregon, adding it as a new division. - David's grandson Morton May became the chairman in 1951 and headed the company for 16 years. Morton May was active in St. Louis civic affairs and was a patron of the St. Louis Art Museum.
- Venture Stores was founded in 1968 when Target co-founder John F. Geisse went to work for May Department Stores.[2] Under an antitrust settlement reached with the Department of Justice, May was unable to acquire any more retail chains at the time, and the department store company needed a way to compete against the emerging discount store chains.
- 1970s: May sold the 70-store Consumers DistributingConsumers DistributingConsumers Distributing was a catalogue store in Canada and the United States that operated from 1957 to 1996...
chain of catalog merchants to the Canadian Consumers Distributing company. It closed its stores in 1996.
Late expansions
- 1986: May acquires the Associated Dry GoodsAssociated Dry GoodsAssociated Dry Goods was a chain of department stores that merged with May Department Stores in 1986. It was founded in 1916 as an association of independent stores called American Dry Goods, based in New York City.-History:...
holding company and its chains (including Loehmann'sLoehmann'sLoehmann's is a chain of off-price department stores in the United States.Loehmann's is best known for its "Back Room," where women interested in fashion can find designer clothes at prices lower than in department or specialty stores...
, Lord & TaylorLord & TaylorLord & Taylor, colloquially known as L&T, or LT, based in New York City, is the oldest upscale, specialty-retail department store chain in the United States. Concentrated in the eastern U.S., the retailer operated independently for nearly a century prior to joining American Dry Goods...
, and CaldorCaldorCaldor was a chain of American discount department stores headquartered in Norwalk, Connecticut, operating throughout the northeastern United States. At one time, the company was a subsidiary of May Department Stores; Caldor was among the country's largest discount retailers.Despite being a popular...
), the largest-ever retail acquisition in history at that time. - 1988: May acquires Foley'sFoley'sFoley’s was a chain of department stores owned by May Department Stores and headquartered in Downtown Houston, Texas. As of August 30, 2005, the division was dissolved and operation of the stores was assumed by Federated's Macy's West and Macy's South divisions. Foley's operated stores in Texas,...
in Houston and Filene'sFilene'sFilene's was a Boston-based department store owned by Federated Department Stores , and May Department Stores . It operated throughout New England and in New York.-Early years:...
in Boston from Federated Department StoresFederated Department StoresMacy's, Inc. is a department store holding company and owner of Macy's and Bloomingdale's department stores. Macy's Inc.'s stores specialize mostly in retail clothing, jewelery, watches, dinnerware, and furniture....
. - 1993: May Company CaliforniaMay Company CaliforniaMay Company California was a chain of department stores operating in the Southern California and Nevada, previously with headquarters in North Hollywood, California. It was a subsidiary of May Department Stores and merged with May's other Southern California subsidiary, J. W...
and JW Robinsons merged to form Robinsons-MayRobinsons-MayRobinsons-May was a chain of department stores operating in Southern California, Arizona and Las Vegas, Nevada, previously with headquarters in North Hollywood, California...
. - 1996: May acquires the Strawbridge'sStrawbridge'sStrawbridge's was a department store in the northeastern United States with stores in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. In its day a gracious urban emporium, the downtown Philadelphia flagship store added branch stores starting in the 1930s and together they enjoyed annual sales of over a...
chain based in Philadelphia. - 1998: May acquires The Jones StoreThe Jones StoreThe Jones Store Company was an American chain of department stores located in the Kansas City area formerly operated by Mercantile Stores Company and the St. Louis, Missouri-based May Co.-History:...
chain based in Kansas City, Missouri. - 1999: May acquires Zions Cooperative Mercantile Institution based in Salt Lake City, folding it into the Meier & Frank subsidiary.
- 2004: May Department Stores takes over the Marshall Field'sMarshall Field'sMarshall Field & Company was a department store in Chicago, Illinois that grew to become a major chain before being acquired by Macy's Inc...
chain from Target CorporationTarget CorporationTarget Corporation, doing business as Target, is an American retailing company headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the second-largest discount retailer in the United States, behind Walmart. The company is ranked at number 33 on the Fortune 500 and is a component of the Standard & Poor's...
.
Final years
- 2005: May is purchased by Federated Department Stores for $11 billion in stock, with all former May divisions being folded into Federated's various Macy's branches.
- 2006: Over 400 former May stores, with their wide variety of long-standing brand names, are consolidated and renamed as Macy's. In addition, Federated sells off three former May chains (David's BridalDavid's BridalDavid's Bridal is a clothier in the United States that specializes in wedding dresses, prom gowns, and other formal wear. It is the largest American bridal-store chain.David's Bridal currently operates more than 300 stores in 45 states, Canada and Puerto Rico...
, Lord & TaylorLord & TaylorLord & Taylor, colloquially known as L&T, or LT, based in New York City, is the oldest upscale, specialty-retail department store chain in the United States. Concentrated in the eastern U.S., the retailer operated independently for nearly a century prior to joining American Dry Goods...
and Priscilla of Boston).
Merger of Federated and May
On February 28, 2005, Federated Department Stores, Inc. announced that they would acquire the May company in a deal that would create the nation's second largest department store chain with over 1,000 stores and $30 billion in annual sales. To help finance the May Company deal, Federated agreed to sell its combined proprietary credit card business to CitigroupCitigroup
Citigroup Inc. or Citi is an American multinational financial services corporation headquartered in Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States. Citigroup was formed from one of the world's largest mergers in history by combining the banking giant Citicorp and financial conglomerate...
as well as May's bridalwear business.
The Federated/May merger was completed on August 30, 2005 after an assurance agreement was reached with the State Attorneys General of New York, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
and Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. Federated announced plans to close 76 store locations over the ensuing year, having pledged in its anti-trust settlement to sell most of them in the above mentioned states as viable businesses, with preference being given to a group of thirteen competitors.
By September 2006, all of the May regional nameplates, except for the Lord & Taylor chain, ceased to exist as Federated consolidated its operations under the Macy's
Macy's
Macy's is a U.S. chain of mid-to-high range department stores. In addition to its flagship Herald Square location in New York City, the company operates over 800 stores in the United States...
mastheads including the stores most famous names Marshall Field's
Marshall Field's
Marshall Field & Company was a department store in Chicago, Illinois that grew to become a major chain before being acquired by Macy's Inc...
, Filene's
Filene's
Filene's was a Boston-based department store owned by Federated Department Stores , and May Department Stores . It operated throughout New England and in New York.-Early years:...
, and Kaufmann's
Kaufmann's
Kaufmann's was a department store that originated in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was owned in the early 20th century by Edgar J. Kaufmann, patron of 'Fallingwater' and the Kaufmann's Desert House. In the post-war years the store became a regional chain in the eastern United States, and was last...
. All locations that were not sold off were rebranded as Macy's, except for one Hecht's
Hecht's
Hecht's, also known as Hecht Brothers, Hecht Bros. and the Hecht Company, was a large chain of department stores located mainly in the mid-Atlantic and southern region of the United States....
location in Friendship Heights
Friendship Heights
Friendship Heights is a residential neighborhood in northwest Washington, D.C. and southern Montgomery County, Maryland. Though its borders are not clearly defined, Friendship Heights consists roughly of the neighborhoods and commercial areas around Wisconsin Avenue north of Fessenden Street NW and...
. That was rebuilt,and rebranded as Bloomingdale's
Bloomingdale's
Bloomingdale's is an American department store owned by Macy's, Inc. .Bloomingdale's started in 1861 when brothers Joseph and Lyman G. Bloomingdale started selling hoop-skirts in their Ladies Notions' Shop on Manhattan's Lower East Side...
. In advance of the retail consolidation, May's credit call center in Lorain, Ohio
Lorain, Ohio
Lorain is a city in Lorain County, Ohio, United States. The municipality is located in northeastern Ohio on Lake Erie, at the mouth of the Black River, about 30 miles west of Cleveland....
, ceased operations on July 1, 2006. Lord & Taylor
Lord & Taylor
Lord & Taylor, colloquially known as L&T, or LT, based in New York City, is the oldest upscale, specialty-retail department store chain in the United States. Concentrated in the eastern U.S., the retailer operated independently for nearly a century prior to joining American Dry Goods...
, the lone department store division not to be largely converted to the Macy's nameplate, was sold to a group of investors at NRDC Equity Partners, LLC for $1.2 billion in October 2006. David's Bridal and After Hours Formalwear were also soon sold thereafter.
Historical department stores incorporated into May Company
| Common name | Full name | Home location | Founded | Closed | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Castner Knott Castner Knott Castner Knott Company was a Nashville, Tennessee-based regional department store chain. The chain was in business for a century from 1898 to 1998, in its later years as a division of Mercantile Stores Company.... |
Castner-Knott Co. | Nashville | 1898 | 1998 | Division of Mercantile Stores Mercantile Stores Mercantile Stores Company Inc. until 1998, was a traditional department store retailer operating 102 fashion apparel stores and 16 home fashion stores in 17 states. The stores were operated under 13 different nameplates and varied in size, with the average store approximating . Store names... Co., Inc. when that company was acquired by Dillard's Dillard's Dillard's, Inc. is a department store chain in the United States, with 330 stores in 29 states. Headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas, Dillard's locations are concentrated in Texas and Florida; with a major presence in other states including Arizona, Iowa, Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas, Missouri,... , Inc. in 1998. Its mall-based Nashville stores, the bulk of the chain, were sold to Saks Incorporated Saks Incorporated Saks Incorporated , founded in Birmingham, Alabama in 1998, is headquartered in New York City, New York, and is a Fortune 1000 operator of high-end department stores in the United States under the nameplate Saks Fifth Avenue. Saks evolved from Proffitt's Inc. after Proffitt's changed its name in... and operated as part of its regional Proffitt's Proffitt's Proffitt's was a department store chain based in Alcoa, Tennessee. On March 8, 2006, the Proffitt's and McRae's stores were converted into Belk stores. Belk acquired the two chains in July 2005 from Saks Incorporated.-Beginnings:... chain, but were sold in turn to May in 2001 and incorporated into Hecht's Hecht's Hecht's, also known as Hecht Brothers, Hecht Bros. and the Hecht Company, was a large chain of department stores located mainly in the mid-Atlantic and southern region of the United States.... . So while May never technically owned Castner-Knott, it inherited its most visible real estate. |
| Denver Dry Goods The Denver Dry Goods Company The Denver Dry Goods Company, also known as "The Denver", was established in Denver, Colorado in 1879 by Michael. J. McNamara and L.H. Flanders as M.J. McNamara & Company and later The McNamara Dry Goods Company. The beginnings of the company can be traced back to 1876 when they had both worked as... |
The Denver Dry Goods Co. | Denver | 1879 | 1987 | Acquired as part of Associated Dry Goods Associated Dry Goods Associated Dry Goods was a chain of department stores that merged with May Department Stores in 1986. It was founded in 1916 as an association of independent stores called American Dry Goods, based in New York City.-History:... Corp. in 1986, (which had acquired it in 1966), was largely shutdown and sold-off and the remaining units absorbed by May-Daniels & Fisher in 1987. |
| Donaldson's Donaldson's Donaldson's, also known as The L. S. Donaldson Company, Minneapolis, Minnesota is a defunct department store company.-History:The L. S. Donaldson Co., Minneapolis, Minnesota, was founded in 1883 by Scottish Immigrants. Built in 1884, the building was known as "The Glass Block" because of its... |
The Donaldson Co. | Minneapolis | 1883 | 1987 | Acquired by Allied Stores Corp. in 1928. In 1985 it acquired its struggling rival, The Powers Dry Goods Co., from Associated Dry Goods Corp., which gave it same breathing room against dominant rival Dayton's. In 1987, after Campeau Corp.'s buy-out of Allied Stores Corp., Donaldson's was purchased by Carson Pirie Scott & Co. of Chicago which renamed its stores with its own imprimatur. Carson's in its turn was acquired by P.A. Bergner & Co. of Milwaukee (and formerly of Peoria, Illinois Peoria, Illinois Peoria is the largest city on the Illinois River and the county seat of Peoria County, Illinois, in the United States. It is named after the Peoria tribe. As of the 2010 census, the city was the seventh-most populated in Illinois, with a population of 115,007, and is the third-most populated... ) in 1989, which in turn filed for bankruptcy in 1991. In 1995 Carson's sold the rump of the chain to Dayton's parent Dayton Hudson (now Target Corporation Target Corporation Target Corporation, doing business as Target, is an American retailing company headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the second-largest discount retailer in the United States, behind Walmart. The company is ranked at number 33 on the Fortune 500 and is a component of the Standard & Poor's... ), which re-opened them under its moderate Mervyn's chain, mostly in a move to prevent serious competition in its Twin Cities stronghold. In 2004 when Dayton's successor Marshall Field's Marshall Field's Marshall Field & Company was a department store in Chicago, Illinois that grew to become a major chain before being acquired by Macy's Inc... was acquired by May, it also agreed to buy the former Donaldson's locations, which Mervyn's promptly shuttered, and be responsible for disposing of the real-estate. |
| Famous-Barr Famous-Barr The Famous-Barr Co. , St. Louis, Missouri, was a division of Macy's, Inc. . It was formerly the hometown division of The May Department Stores Company, which was acquired by Federated on August 30, 2005. On February 1, 2006, it was subsumed into the newly created Macy's Midwest division.The... |
The Famous-Barr Co. | St. Louis | 1911 | 2006 | Created in 1911 from the David May's acquisition of The William Barr Dry Goods Co., St. Louis and his previously owned Famous Clothing Store acquired in 1892. Name retired upon conversion of all locations to Macy's brand. |
| Filene's Filene's Filene's was a Boston-based department store owned by Federated Department Stores , and May Department Stores . It operated throughout New England and in New York.-Early years:... |
William Filene's Sons Co. | Boston | 1881 | 2006 | One of the founding members of the Federated Department Stores Federated Department Stores Macy's, Inc. is a department store holding company and owner of Macy's and Bloomingdale's department stores. Macy's Inc.'s stores specialize mostly in retail clothing, jewelery, watches, dinnerware, and furniture.... organization in 1929. May acquired in the wake of Campeau Corp.’s 1988 acquisition of Federated. A major growth vehicle for May in the 1990s, absorbing the G. Fox & Co. G. Fox & Co. G. Fox & Co. was a large department store that originated in Hartford, Connecticut. The store was also the largest privately held department store in the nation when it was sold in 1965 to the May Department Stores Company. In 1992 May Department stores phased out the G. Fox & Co. name converting... chain based in Hartford in 1992, 2 Hess's Hess's Hess's was a department store chain based in Allentown, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania in the United States.- History :The department store known as Hess Brothers was founded on February 19, 1897, by Charles and Max Hess. Max Hess came to Allentown in 1896 on a business trip and envisioned a... stores in New York State in 1994, several Steiger's stores in Massachusetts Massachusetts The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010... in 1994, and took several former Sage-Allen Sage-Allen Sage-Allen was a mid-market department store chain based in Hartford, Connecticut. The store was a fixture in southern New England and anchored a number of smaller local and regional shopping centers in Connecticut, Massachusetts and, later, New Hampshire, until it ceased operation in 1994.-... locations after that chain's demise in 1993, as well as opening almost 20 new and replacement stores. In 2002 it assumed operational control of Kaufmann's Kaufmann's Kaufmann's was a department store that originated in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was owned in the early 20th century by Edgar J. Kaufmann, patron of 'Fallingwater' and the Kaufmann's Desert House. In the post-war years the store became a regional chain in the eastern United States, and was last... . |
| Foley's Foley's Foley’s was a chain of department stores owned by May Department Stores and headquartered in Downtown Houston, Texas. As of August 30, 2005, the division was dissolved and operation of the stores was assumed by Federated's Macy's West and Macy's South divisions. Foley's operated stores in Texas,... |
Foley Brothers | Houston | 1900 | 2006 | Joined the Federated Department Stores Federated Department Stores Macy's, Inc. is a department store holding company and owner of Macy's and Bloomingdale's department stores. Macy's Inc.'s stores specialize mostly in retail clothing, jewelery, watches, dinnerware, and furniture.... organization in 1947. Absorbed the Dallas-based Sanger-Harris Sanger-Harris Sanger-Harris was a department store chain from 1961 to 1987. It was formed by Federated Department Stores in 1961 from two Dallas, Texas chains, Sanger Brothers and A. Harris and Co., that dated from the 19th century... chain in January 1987. It was acquired by May in the wake of Federated's 1988 acquisition by Campeau Corp. of Canada. In 1993 Foley's Foley's Foley’s was a chain of department stores owned by May Department Stores and headquartered in Downtown Houston, Texas. As of August 30, 2005, the division was dissolved and operation of the stores was assumed by Federated's Macy's West and Macy's South divisions. Foley's operated stores in Texas,... subsumed the May D&F chain based in Denver. |
| G. Fox G. Fox & Co. G. Fox & Co. was a large department store that originated in Hartford, Connecticut. The store was also the largest privately held department store in the nation when it was sold in 1965 to the May Department Stores Company. In 1992 May Department stores phased out the G. Fox & Co. name converting... |
G. Fox & Co. | Hartford | 1847 | 1992 | Acquired by May in 1965 from the founder's granddaughter, Beatrice Fox Auerbach. It was merged into the Filene's Filene's Filene's was a Boston-based department store owned by Federated Department Stores , and May Department Stores . It operated throughout New England and in New York.-Early years:... organization in 1992. |
| Gimbels | Gimbel Brothers | Milwaukee | 1887 | 1986 | Never acquired by May as an entire chain, but when its then-owner, British-American Tobacco, shut down the historic chain in 1986, May purchased several desirable mall-based Pittsburgh area locations for its Kaufmann's Kaufmann's Kaufmann's was a department store that originated in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was owned in the early 20th century by Edgar J. Kaufmann, patron of 'Fallingwater' and the Kaufmann's Desert House. In the post-war years the store became a regional chain in the eastern United States, and was last... division and Marshall Field's Marshall Field's Marshall Field & Company was a department store in Chicago, Illinois that grew to become a major chain before being acquired by Macy's Inc... chose several Wisconsin Gimbels, most of which it subsequently closed. |
| Goldwater's Goldwater's Goldwater's Department Store was a department store chain based in Phoenix, Arizona. It was founded in Gila City, Arizona, in 1860 and moved to Phoenix in 1872. The store was founded by Michael Goldwater, the grandfather of U.S. Senator and 1964 presidential candidate Barry Goldwater.Goldwater's... |
Goldwater's Department Store | Phoenix | 1860 | 1989 | Acquired by Associated Dry Goods Corp. in 1963, coming to May as part of the A.D.G. acquisition in 1986. May dissolved the division in 1989, with May D&F, May Company California and J. W. Robinson's absorbing various stores and the Tucson-area stores being sold to Dillard Department Stores. |
| Hahne's Hahne and Company Hahne & Company commonly known as Hahne's, was a department store chain based in Newark, New Jersey. The chain had stores located throughout the central and northern areas of New Jersey.- History :... |
Hahne & Co. | Newark | 1858 | 1989 | Acquired as part of the Associated Dry Goods Corp. acquisition in 1986, having been part of the 1916 conglomeration of American Dry Goods (later renamed Associated). After relocating its flagship from downtown Newark in 1988 to the former Gimbels at Westfield Garden State Plaza Westfield Garden State Plaza Westfield Garden State Plaza is an upscale shopping mall in Paramus, Bergen County, New Jersey, United States, owned and managed by the Westfield Group and located at the intersection of Route 4 and Route 17 near the Garden State Parkway... , its 9 stores were closed by May in 1989, with most of them absorbed by Lord & Taylor Lord & Taylor Lord & Taylor, colloquially known as L&T, or LT, based in New York City, is the oldest upscale, specialty-retail department store chain in the United States. Concentrated in the eastern U.S., the retailer operated independently for nearly a century prior to joining American Dry Goods... , with the large Westfield Garden State Plaza Westfield Garden State Plaza Westfield Garden State Plaza is an upscale shopping mall in Paramus, Bergen County, New Jersey, United States, owned and managed by the Westfield Group and located at the intersection of Route 4 and Route 17 near the Garden State Parkway... store bought by Nordstrom's. |
| Hecht's Hecht's Hecht's, also known as Hecht Brothers, Hecht Bros. and the Hecht Company, was a large chain of department stores located mainly in the mid-Atlantic and southern region of the United States.... |
Hecht Co. | Washington | 1857 | 2006 | Purchased by May in 1959, at which time it moved its Baltimore location into the May Company Baltimore location (formerly Bernheim-Leader until May acquired that store in 1929). In 1990 it acquired several locations in southern Virginia from the defunct Miller & Rhoads Miller & Rhoads Miller & Rhoads was a Virginia-based department store chain. Throughout its 105 year life-span, the store played an active role in the Richmond community, along with its friendly cross-street rival Thalhimers.- Origins :... chain. And in 1992 it absorbed the Thalhimer's Thalhimer's Thalhimers was a department store in the Southern United States. Based in Richmond, Virginia, the venerable chain at its peak operated dozens of stores in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and one store in Memphis, Tennessee.... stores in Virginia and North Carolina. In 1994 it acquired 2 Hess's locations in Pennsylvania, and in 1995 acquired the Wanamaker's Wanamaker's Wanamaker's department store was the first department store in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and one of the first department stores in the United States. At its zenith in the early 20th century, there were two major Wanamaker department stores, one in Philadelphia and one in New York City at Broadway... in the Philadelphia area (Pennsylvania, New Jersey & Delaware). In 1996 it absorbed the 13 former Strawbridge & Clothier stores in Philadelphia, and operated those and the previously acquired Wanamaker locations under the Strawbridge's name. |
| Hengerer's Hengerer's The William Hengerer Company, known informally as Hengerer's was a Buffalo, New York-based department store chain, with stores exclusively located in the Western New York region.-History:... |
The William Hengerer Co. | Buffalo | 1874 | 1981 | Division of Associated Dry Goods Corp. from its inception in 1916. Company was merged into Sibley, Lindsay & Curr Co. of Rochester in 1981. |
| Hess's Hess's Hess's was a department store chain based in Allentown, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania in the United States.- History :The department store known as Hess Brothers was founded on February 19, 1897, by Charles and Max Hess. Max Hess came to Allentown in 1896 on a business trip and envisioned a... |
Hess Brothers | Allentown | 1897 | 1994 | Never acquired by May, but the remains of this secondary-market chain were divided between May and the Grumbacher Family's Bon-Ton chain in 1994, with Kaufmann's Kaufmann's Kaufmann's was a department store that originated in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was owned in the early 20th century by Edgar J. Kaufmann, patron of 'Fallingwater' and the Kaufmann's Desert House. In the post-war years the store became a regional chain in the eastern United States, and was last... , Filene's Filene's Filene's was a Boston-based department store owned by Federated Department Stores , and May Department Stores . It operated throughout New England and in New York.-Early years:... and Hecht's Hecht's Hecht's, also known as Hecht Brothers, Hecht Bros. and the Hecht Company, was a large chain of department stores located mainly in the mid-Atlantic and southern region of the United States.... splitting stores New York and Pennsylvania stores and May agreeing with Hess's former owner, mall-developer Crown America, to open several secondary locations in Pennsylvania. |
| Horne's Horne's The Joseph Horne Company, often referred to simply as Joseph Horne's or Horne's, was an iconic, regional department store chain based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The store was one of the oldest in the country being founded on February 22, 1849 but due to its regional presence in the country, it... |
Joseph Horne Co. | Pittsburgh | 1849 | 1994 | Division of Associated Dry Goods, and historically the high-end department store of Pittsburgh. Was acquired by Associated Dry Goods in 1972 - and eventually acquired by May when ADG was purchased in October 1986. Due to anti-trust concerns and legal action by the City of Pittsburgh, it was promptly sold in December 1986 to an investor group. After several years of private ownership, it was announced the Dillards would be buying the chain to combine it with the Dillard Dillard's Dillard's, Inc. is a department store chain in the United States, with 330 stores in 29 states. Headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas, Dillard's locations are concentrated in Texas and Florida; with a major presence in other states including Arizona, Iowa, Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas, Missouri,... /DeBartolo DeBartolo DeBartolo is a surname, and may refer to the following people:*Dick DeBartolo, writer for Mad Magazine*Edward J. DeBartolo, Sr., developer of shopping centers... co-owned Higbee's Higbee's Higbee's was a department store founded 1860 in Cleveland, Ohio. In 1992, Higbee's stores were re-branded as part of Dillard's.-History:Higbee's was founded by Edwin Converse Higbee and John G. Hower on September 10, 1860 as Higbee & Hower Dry Goods. The first day of business saw $100 in sales. ... stores based in Cleveland. The deal collapsed and was not completed. Eventually the Joseph Horne Co. was sold off in parts, with Dillard's acquiring its three Ohio stores in 1992 and Federated Department Stores Federated Department Stores Macy's, Inc. is a department store holding company and owner of Macy's and Bloomingdale's department stores. Macy's Inc.'s stores specialize mostly in retail clothing, jewelery, watches, dinnerware, and furniture.... 's Lazarus division acquiring its remaining nine Pennsylvania stores in 1995. Federated eventually merged all of its divisions (including the former Joseph Horne/Lazarus Lazarus (department store) F&R Lazarus & Company — commonly known as Lazarus — was a regional department store retail chain operating primarily in the U.S. Midwest, and based in Columbus, Ohio... locations) into Macy's Macy's Macy's is a U.S. chain of mid-to-high range department stores. In addition to its flagship Herald Square location in New York City, the company operates over 800 stores in the United States... . |
| The Jones Store The Jones Store The Jones Store Company was an American chain of department stores located in the Kansas City area formerly operated by Mercantile Stores Company and the St. Louis, Missouri-based May Co.-History:... |
The Jones Store Co. | Kansas City | 1887 | 2006 | Former division of Mercantile Stores Co., Inc. before that company's acquisition by Dillard's, Inc. May purchased its locations and name in 1998 and operated them under its Famous-Barr Famous-Barr The Famous-Barr Co. , St. Louis, Missouri, was a division of Macy's, Inc. . It was formerly the hometown division of The May Department Stores Company, which was acquired by Federated on August 30, 2005. On February 1, 2006, it was subsumed into the newly created Macy's Midwest division.The... division. |
| Kaufmann's Kaufmann's Kaufmann's was a department store that originated in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was owned in the early 20th century by Edgar J. Kaufmann, patron of 'Fallingwater' and the Kaufmann's Desert House. In the post-war years the store became a regional chain in the eastern United States, and was last... |
Kaufmann Brothers | Pittsburgh | 1871 | 2006 | Acquired by May in 1946. In 1986 it acquired several mall-based locations from the defunct Gimbels to replace nearby freestanding locations, as well as absorbing May-owned Strouss Strouss Strouss was a department store serving the U.S. states of Ohio and Pennsylvania. Originally known as Strouss-Hirshberg Co., it was long the leading department store in the greater Youngstown, Ohio and the Mahoning/Shenango Valleys... stores, based in Youngstown, Ohio Youngstown, Ohio Youngstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Mahoning County; it also extends into Trumbull County. The municipality is situated on the Mahoning River, approximately southeast of Cleveland and northwest of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania... . Ironically Gimbels Brothers history in Pittsburgh had originated with the purchase of the Kaufmann & Baer store in 1926, founded by a rival faction of the Kaufmann family. In 1992 it absorbed the Sibley's chain in upstate New York, in 1993 it absorbed the May Company Ohio franchise based in Cleveland, and in 1994 it acquired 6 former Hess's Hess's Hess's was a department store chain based in Allentown, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania in the United States.- History :The department store known as Hess Brothers was founded on February 19, 1897, by Charles and Max Hess. Max Hess came to Allentown in 1896 on a business trip and envisioned a... locations in central Pennsylvania and upstate New York. In 2003 Kaufmann's acquired the 2 Marshall Field's Marshall Field's Marshall Field & Company was a department store in Chicago, Illinois that grew to become a major chain before being acquired by Macy's Inc... locations in Columbus, Ohio. |
| Levy's Levy's (department store) Levy's, also known as Levy Brothers, was a department store based in Tucson, Arizona, United States. It was founded in 1950 by Jewish brothers Jacob and Ben Levy, who acquired the former Myers & Bloom department store in downtown Tucson.... |
Levy Brothers | Tucson | 1950 | 1987 | Acquired by Federated Department Stores Federated Department Stores Macy's, Inc. is a department store holding company and owner of Macy's and Bloomingdale's department stores. Macy's Inc.'s stores specialize mostly in retail clothing, jewelery, watches, dinnerware, and furniture.... , it was merged with Sanger-Harris Sanger-Harris Sanger-Harris was a department store chain from 1961 to 1987. It was formed by Federated Department Stores in 1961 from two Dallas, Texas chains, Sanger Brothers and A. Harris and Co., that dated from the 19th century... Co. of Dallas in 1985, which itself was merged into Foley's Foley's Foley’s was a chain of department stores owned by May Department Stores and headquartered in Downtown Houston, Texas. As of August 30, 2005, the division was dissolved and operation of the stores was assumed by Federated's Macy's West and Macy's South divisions. Foley's operated stores in Texas,... in 1987. Its former stores became part of Robinsons-May Robinsons-May Robinsons-May was a chain of department stores operating in Southern California, Arizona and Las Vegas, Nevada, previously with headquarters in North Hollywood, California... in 1996. |
| Lord & Taylor Lord & Taylor Lord & Taylor, colloquially known as L&T, or LT, based in New York City, is the oldest upscale, specialty-retail department store chain in the United States. Concentrated in the eastern U.S., the retailer operated independently for nearly a century prior to joining American Dry Goods... |
Lord & Taylor | New York New York City New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and... |
1826 | Active | Was a founding member of the Associated Dry Goods Associated Dry Goods Associated Dry Goods was a chain of department stores that merged with May Department Stores in 1986. It was founded in 1916 as an association of independent stores called American Dry Goods, based in New York City.-History:... Corp. organization (then American Dry Goods) in 1916 and became part of May with its 1986 acquisition of ADG. Was a long-time fashion leader, but as it attempted to expand nationwide it lost that reputation to upstart Nordstrom Nordstrom Nordstrom, Inc. is an upscale department store chain in the United States, founded by John W. Nordstrom and Carl F. Wallin. Initially a shoe retailer, the company today also sells clothing, accessories, handbags, jewelry, cosmetics, fragrances, and in some locations, home furnishings... and long-time rival Saks Fifth Avenue Saks Fifth Avenue Saks Fifth Avenue is a luxury American specialty store owned and operated by Saks Fifth Avenue Enterprises , a subsidiary of Saks Incorporated. It competes in the high-end specialty store market in the Upper East Side of Manhattan, i.e. 'the 3 B's' Bergdorf, Barneys, Bloomingdale's and Lord & Taylor... . In the 1970s aggressively expanded into Texas, Illinois and Michigan and in the early 1980s south Florida saw 11 stores opened in quick succession. Shuttered a group of under-performing stores in the oil-shocked Texas and southern Florida markets in 1989-1990 after its acquisition by May. After continuing tepid results and repeated tinkering with its merchandising, May gave up its national ambitions for the division and announced the shuttering of 32 stores in 2003, many of them only a few years old, retreating to core Northeast markets along with locations in Chicago, Detroit, and St. Louis. Also occupies the former John Wanamaker John Wanamaker John Wanamaker was a United States merchant, religious leader, civic and political figure, considered by some to be the father of modern advertising and a "pioneer in marketing." Wanamaker was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.-Biography:He was born on July 11, 1838.He opened his first store in... landmark store in Center City Philadelphia. In January 2006, Federated Department Stores announced that the Lord & Taylor division for was sale. Federated announced its plans to divest May Company's Lord & Taylor division by the end of 2006 after concluding that chain did not fit with their strategic focus for building the Macy's Macy's Macy's is a U.S. chain of mid-to-high range department stores. In addition to its flagship Herald Square location in New York City, the company operates over 800 stores in the United States... and Bloomingdale's Bloomingdale's Bloomingdale's is an American department store owned by Macy's, Inc. .Bloomingdale's started in 1861 when brothers Joseph and Lyman G. Bloomingdale started selling hoop-skirts in their Ladies Notions' Shop on Manhattan's Lower East Side... national brands. On June 22, 2006, Macy's announced that NDRC Equity Partners, LLC would purchase Lord & Taylor Lord & Taylor Lord & Taylor, colloquially known as L&T, or LT, based in New York City, is the oldest upscale, specialty-retail department store chain in the United States. Concentrated in the eastern U.S., the retailer operated independently for nearly a century prior to joining American Dry Goods... for US$1.2 billion, and completed the sale in October 2006. |
| L.S. Ayres L.S. Ayres L. S. Ayres & Company was an Indianapolis, Indiana, department store founded in 1872 by Lyman S. Ayres and taken over by his son Frederic in 1896... |
L.S. Ayres & Co. | Indianapolis | 1872 | 1991 | Acquired as part of Associated Dry Goods Associated Dry Goods Associated Dry Goods was a chain of department stores that merged with May Department Stores in 1986. It was founded in 1916 as an association of independent stores called American Dry Goods, based in New York City.-History:... Corp. in 1986, which had acquired Ayres in 1972. It had previously absorbed H.& S. Pogue Company H.& S. Pogue Company The H. & S. Pogue Company was a Cincinnati, Ohio based department store founded by two brothers, Henry and Samuel Pogue. They first came from Ireland to Cincinnati and worked in their uncle’s dry goods store. They later were able to buy him out and H. & S... of Cincinnati in 1984 and Stewart's Stewart Dry Goods The Stewart Dry Goods company of Louisville, Kentucky, commonly referred to as Stewart's, consisted of seven department stores in Kentucky and Indiana. It was a division of Associated Dry Goods in New York City.... of Louisville Louisville, Kentucky Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096... in 1985. The underperforming locations of both former chains were swiftly divested by May in 1987 and 1988. L. S. Ayres was operationally consolidated with Famous-Barr Famous-Barr The Famous-Barr Co. , St. Louis, Missouri, was a division of Macy's, Inc. . It was formerly the hometown division of The May Department Stores Company, which was acquired by Federated on August 30, 2005. On February 1, 2006, it was subsumed into the newly created Macy's Midwest division.The... in 1991, when its downtown Indianapolis flagship and 3 other under-performing stores were closed. |
| Marshall Field's Marshall Field's Marshall Field & Company was a department store in Chicago, Illinois that grew to become a major chain before being acquired by Macy's Inc... |
Marshall Field & Co. | Chicago | 1852 | 2006 | Adopted its longest-held name in 1881 after having operating as Field, Palmer & Leiter and Field & Leiter. Operated a famous location on State Street State Street (Chicago) State Street is a large south-north street in Chicago, Illinois, USA and its south suburbs. It begins on the Near North Side at North Avenue. For much of its course, it lies between Wabash Avenue on the east and Dearborn Street/Lafayette Avenue on the west... in Chicago. Retained its independence until 1982 when it was acquired by an arm of British-American Tobacco. Sold to Dayton Hudson Corporation Target Corporation Target Corporation, doing business as Target, is an American retailing company headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the second-largest discount retailer in the United States, behind Walmart. The company is ranked at number 33 on the Fortune 500 and is a component of the Standard & Poor's... in 1990, who added to the Field's presence when they rebranded their Dayton's Dayton's Minneapolis-based Dayton's was among the leading department stores in the United States for nearly a century after its founding in 1902 by George Draper Dayton. In 1969, the Detroit-based J.L. Hudson Company merged with the Dayton Corporation to form the Dayton-Hudson Corporation, adding 21... and Hudson's stores as Marshall Field's prior to selling the brand to May in 2004. |
| May Company | May Co. California May Company California May Company California was a chain of department stores operating in the Southern California and Nevada, previously with headquarters in North Hollywood, California. It was a subsidiary of May Department Stores and merged with May's other Southern California subsidiary, J. W... |
Los Angeles | 1923 | 1993 | Acquired by David May in 1923 and renamed (formerly A. Hamburger & Sons Co., founded in 1881 by Asher Hamburger). It rapidly expanded throughout Southern California after World War II, opening its branch in 1939 on the Wilshire Boulevard Miracle Mile Miracle Mile, Los Angeles, California The Miracle Mile in Los Angeles, California, is an area in the Mid-Wilshire region consisting of an almost two-mile stretch of Wilshire Boulevard between Fairfax and Western Avenues... and its first modern shopping center locations at Baldwin Hills in 1947. In 1989 it took over operation of Goldwaters' Las Vegas Las Vegas metropolitan area The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ... location. Merged with J.W. Robinson Co. in 1993 to form Robinsons-May Robinsons-May Robinsons-May was a chain of department stores operating in Southern California, Arizona and Las Vegas, Nevada, previously with headquarters in North Hollywood, California... . |
| May | May Co. Cleveland | Cleveland | 1898 | 2006 | Founded by David May and partners in 1898 after acquiring a Cleveland location. It absorbed M. O'Neil Co. O'Neil's O'Neil's was a regional department store chain based in Akron, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1877, the store grew to several locations throughout northeastern Ohio. Owned by May Department Stores, in 1989 it was merged with May's Ohio division, May Company Ohio, which was subsequently merged into... of Akron, Ohio Akron, Ohio Akron , is the fifth largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Summit County. It is located in the Great Lakes region approximately south of Lake Erie along the Little Cuyahoga River. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 199,110. The Akron Metropolitan... in 1989, and was itself subsequently merged into Kaufmann's Kaufmann's Kaufmann's was a department store that originated in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was owned in the early 20th century by Edgar J. Kaufmann, patron of 'Fallingwater' and the Kaufmann's Desert House. In the post-war years the store became a regional chain in the eastern United States, and was last... . |
| May Cohen's | May Cohen's Co. | Jacksonville Jacksonville, Florida Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968... |
1959 | 1987 | Acquired by May in 1959 (formerly Cohen Brothers Co., founded in 1867) and renamed May-Florida in 1987 right before being sold to Maison Blanche/Goudchaux Co. of Baton Rouge in 1988. Its remaining locations were eventually renamed Gayfers Gayfers Gayfers was a regional department store chain in the southern United States. Most stores were located in the Southeast. The chain became part of Dillard's in 1998.-History:... after Maison Blanche's acquisition by Mercantile Stores Co., and then its legacy Jacksonville stores were re-sold to Belk, Inc. after Mercantile's acquisition by Dillard's in 1998. The sale included four stores in the Jacksonville Jacksonville, Florida Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968... area and one in Daytona Beach. The stores are at Regency Square, Roosevelt Mall, Orange Park Mall and Gateway Shopping Center in Jacksonville, and Volusia Mall Volusia Mall Volusia Mall is a super-regional shopping mall located in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is the largest retail shopping center in the Volusia-Flagler market. Opened October 15, 1974, the mall comprises more than 120 stores on one level, as well as a food court. Anchor stores are JCPenney, Macy's, Sears... in Daytona Beach. |
| May D&F May-Daniels & Fisher May-Daniels & Fisher was a Denver, Colorado department store created in 1957 when the original May Company operations in Colorado, founded in 1877 in Leadville , were merged with the newly acquired The Daniels & Fisher Co... |
May, Daniels & Fisher | Denver | 1957 | 1993 | Created in 1957 when the original May operations in Colorado, founded in 1877 in Leadville, CO (and relocated to Denver in 1888), were merged with the newly acquired The Daniels & Fisher Co. store in Denver, Colorado. In 1987 May D&F absorbed 3 stores from The Denver Dry Goods Company The Denver Dry Goods Company The Denver Dry Goods Company, also known as "The Denver", was established in Denver, Colorado in 1879 by Michael. J. McNamara and L.H. Flanders as M.J. McNamara & Company and later The McNamara Dry Goods Company. The beginnings of the company can be traced back to 1876 when they had both worked as... (from the 1986 acquisition of Associated Dry Goods Associated Dry Goods Associated Dry Goods was a chain of department stores that merged with May Department Stores in 1986. It was founded in 1916 as an association of independent stores called American Dry Goods, based in New York City.-History:... Corp.), and 1989 it assumed the Goldwater location in Albuquerque. It was merged into the Foley's Foley's Foley’s was a chain of department stores owned by May Department Stores and headquartered in Downtown Houston, Texas. As of August 30, 2005, the division was dissolved and operation of the stores was assumed by Federated's Macy's West and Macy's South divisions. Foley's operated stores in Texas,... division in 1993. |
| McCurdy's McCurdy's McCurdy's was a Rochester, New York-based department store. Founded in 1901, the company was acquired by May Department Stores in 1994, but as a result of an antitrust settlement due to both McCurdy's and May's Kaufmann's stores being the predominant anchors in the area shopping malls, its stores... |
McCurdy & Co. | Rochester | 1901 | 1994 | Acquired by May in 1994 and largely disgorged the same year under pressure from the New York State Attorney General. |
| Meier & Frank Meier & Frank Meier & Frank was a chain of department stores founded in Portland, Oregon, and later bought out by the May Department Stores Company. Meier & Frank operated in the Pacific Northwest from 1857 to 2006.-History:Summary... |
Meier & Frank Co. | Portland | 1857 | 2005 | Acquired by May in 1966. In 2001 it absorbed the former ZCMI franchise in Utah. And in 2002 its operations were merged with the Robinsons-May Robinsons-May Robinsons-May was a chain of department stores operating in Southern California, Arizona and Las Vegas, Nevada, previously with headquarters in North Hollywood, California... division in Los Angeles, California Los Angeles, California Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California... , while retaining its name. |
| O'Neil's O'Neil's O'Neil's was a regional department store chain based in Akron, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1877, the store grew to several locations throughout northeastern Ohio. Owned by May Department Stores, in 1989 it was merged with May's Ohio division, May Company Ohio, which was subsequently merged into... |
M. O'Neil Co. | Akron | 1877 | 1989 | Acquired by May in 1912. In 1989 it was merged into May Co. Cleveland and eventually into Kaufmann's Kaufmann's Kaufmann's was a department store that originated in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was owned in the early 20th century by Edgar J. Kaufmann, patron of 'Fallingwater' and the Kaufmann's Desert House. In the post-war years the store became a regional chain in the eastern United States, and was last... . |
| Pogue's H.& S. Pogue Company The H. & S. Pogue Company was a Cincinnati, Ohio based department store founded by two brothers, Henry and Samuel Pogue. They first came from Ireland to Cincinnati and worked in their uncle’s dry goods store. They later were able to buy him out and H. & S... |
H. & S. Pogue Co. | Cincinnati | 1863 | 1983 | Division of Associated Dry Goods Corp., acquired by that company in 1962. In 1984 it was merged into L. S. Ayres & Co. of Indianapolis and after the May/ADG merger in 1986 its former locations were swiftly shuttered or sold to Hess's Hess's Hess's was a department store chain based in Allentown, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania in the United States.- History :The department store known as Hess Brothers was founded on February 19, 1897, by Charles and Max Hess. Max Hess came to Allentown in 1896 on a business trip and envisioned a... and JCPenney in 1987 and 1988. |
| Robinson's | J.W. Robinson Co. | Los Angeles | 1881 | 1993 | Division of Associated Dry Goods Corp. from 1957, and was acquired by May in October 1986 merger. It was historically a carriage-trade department store and operated in tandem with May's own middle-tier May Company California division for several years. (This did not apply to the separate Robinson's of Florida division, which May sold in 1987 to Maison Blanche Maison Blanche .Maison Blanche was a department store in New Orleans and later also a chain of department stores. It was founded in 1897 by Isidore Newman, an immigrant from Germany.... .) In 1989 it took over operation of the Goldwater's Goldwater's Goldwater's Department Store was a department store chain based in Phoenix, Arizona. It was founded in Gila City, Arizona, in 1860 and moved to Phoenix in 1872. The store was founded by Michael Goldwater, the grandfather of U.S. Senator and 1964 presidential candidate Barry Goldwater.Goldwater's... stores in Phoenix, Arizona Phoenix, Arizona Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data... . In 1992 it merged with May Company California to form Robinsons-May Robinsons-May Robinsons-May was a chain of department stores operating in Southern California, Arizona and Las Vegas, Nevada, previously with headquarters in North Hollywood, California... . |
| Sanger-Harris Sanger-Harris Sanger-Harris was a department store chain from 1961 to 1987. It was formed by Federated Department Stores in 1961 from two Dallas, Texas chains, Sanger Brothers and A. Harris and Co., that dated from the 19th century... |
Sanger-Harris | Dallas | 1961 | 1987 | Result of the 1961 merger of the Sanger Brothers Dry Goods Co. of Dallas, founded in 1868, and acquired by Federated Department Stores Federated Department Stores Macy's, Inc. is a department store holding company and owner of Macy's and Bloomingdale's department stores. Macy's Inc.'s stores specialize mostly in retail clothing, jewelery, watches, dinnerware, and furniture.... in 1951 and A. Harris and Co. of Dallas, founded in 1887 and acquired by Federated in 1961. It expanded into Oklahoma in the early 1980s and absorbed the Levy's stores in Tucson in 1985, before itself being merged into the Foley's Foley's Foley’s was a chain of department stores owned by May Department Stores and headquartered in Downtown Houston, Texas. As of August 30, 2005, the division was dissolved and operation of the stores was assumed by Federated's Macy's West and Macy's South divisions. Foley's operated stores in Texas,... division in January 1987. In 1988, following the acquisition of Federated by Campeau Corp. of Canada, the resulting Foley's Foley's Foley’s was a chain of department stores owned by May Department Stores and headquartered in Downtown Houston, Texas. As of August 30, 2005, the division was dissolved and operation of the stores was assumed by Federated's Macy's West and Macy's South divisions. Foley's operated stores in Texas,... organization was sold to May, which then closed the former Sanger-Harris store in downtown Dallas. In the 1990s many of its former, out-dated locations were replaced by May. |
| Sibley's Sibley's Sibley, Lindsay & Curr Company, known informally as Sibley's, was a Rochester, New York-based department store chain with stores located exclusively in the state of New York... |
Sibley, Lindsay & Curr Co. | Rochester | 1868 | 1992 | Since 1957 a division of Associated Dry Goods Corporation and was acquired with that company in 1986 by May. It had previously absorbed the William Hengerer Co. in Buffalo in the 1981. In 1992, Sibley's Sibley's Sibley, Lindsay & Curr Company, known informally as Sibley's, was a Rochester, New York-based department store chain with stores located exclusively in the state of New York... , as it was known, was merged into Kaufmann's Kaufmann's Kaufmann's was a department store that originated in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was owned in the early 20th century by Edgar J. Kaufmann, patron of 'Fallingwater' and the Kaufmann's Desert House. In the post-war years the store became a regional chain in the eastern United States, and was last... . |
| Steiger's | Albert Steiger Co. | Springfield | 1894 | 1994 | Largely acquired by May in 1994 which converted them to its Filene's Filene's Filene's was a Boston-based department store owned by Federated Department Stores , and May Department Stores . It operated throughout New England and in New York.-Early years:... and Lord & Taylor Lord & Taylor Lord & Taylor, colloquially known as L&T, or LT, based in New York City, is the oldest upscale, specialty-retail department store chain in the United States. Concentrated in the eastern U.S., the retailer operated independently for nearly a century prior to joining American Dry Goods... divisions. |
| Stewart Dry Goods Stewart Dry Goods The Stewart Dry Goods company of Louisville, Kentucky, commonly referred to as Stewart's, consisted of seven department stores in Kentucky and Indiana. It was a division of Associated Dry Goods in New York City.... |
The Stewart Dry Goods Co. | Louisville Louisville, Kentucky Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096... |
? | 1985 | Division of Associated Dry Goods Corp. In 1985 it was merged into L. S. Ayres & Co. of Indianapolis and after the May/ADG merger in 1986 its former locations were shuttered or sold to Hess's Hess's Hess's was a department store chain based in Allentown, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania in the United States.- History :The department store known as Hess Brothers was founded on February 19, 1897, by Charles and Max Hess. Max Hess came to Allentown in 1896 on a business trip and envisioned a... in 1987. |
| Strawbridge's Strawbridge's Strawbridge's was a department store in the northeastern United States with stores in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. In its day a gracious urban emporium, the downtown Philadelphia flagship store added branch stores starting in the 1930s and together they enjoyed annual sales of over a... |
Strawbridge & Clothier | Philadelphia | 1868 | 2006 | Longtime rival of Wanamaker's Wanamaker's Wanamaker's department store was the first department store in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and one of the first department stores in the United States. At its zenith in the early 20th century, there were two major Wanamaker department stores, one in Philadelphia and one in New York City at Broadway... and both chains refused to open stores in the same shopping centers. In 1996 the company liquidated itself and sold its 13 full-line department stores to May, which operated it as part of its Hecht's Hecht's Hecht's, also known as Hecht Brothers, Hecht Bros. and the Hecht Company, was a large chain of department stores located mainly in the mid-Atlantic and southern region of the United States.... division under the name Strawbridge's Strawbridge's Strawbridge's was a department store in the northeastern United States with stores in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. In its day a gracious urban emporium, the downtown Philadelphia flagship store added branch stores starting in the 1930s and together they enjoyed annual sales of over a... . Ironically May had previously acquired the complementary Wanamaker's stores in 1995 and proceeded to rename them under the Strawbridge's Strawbridge's Strawbridge's was a department store in the northeastern United States with stores in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. In its day a gracious urban emporium, the downtown Philadelphia flagship store added branch stores starting in the 1930s and together they enjoyed annual sales of over a... moniker. |
| Strouss' Strouss Strouss was a department store serving the U.S. states of Ohio and Pennsylvania. Originally known as Strouss-Hirshberg Co., it was long the leading department store in the greater Youngstown, Ohio and the Mahoning/Shenango Valleys... |
Strouss-Hirshberg Co. | Youngstown | ? | 1987 | Long-time division of May, operating as Strouss Strouss Strouss was a department store serving the U.S. states of Ohio and Pennsylvania. Originally known as Strouss-Hirshberg Co., it was long the leading department store in the greater Youngstown, Ohio and the Mahoning/Shenango Valleys... after the purchase by May. It was merged into Kaufmann's Kaufmann's Kaufmann's was a department store that originated in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was owned in the early 20th century by Edgar J. Kaufmann, patron of 'Fallingwater' and the Kaufmann's Desert House. In the post-war years the store became a regional chain in the eastern United States, and was last... in 1986, which promptly shut-down most of its former locations in 1987 due to the depressed Youngstown Youngstown, Ohio Youngstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Mahoning County; it also extends into Trumbull County. The municipality is situated on the Mahoning River, approximately southeast of Cleveland and northwest of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania... -Warren Warren, Ohio As of the census of 2000, there were 46,832 people, 19,288 households and 12,035 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,912.4 people per square mile . There were 21,279 housing units at an average density of 1,322.9 per square mile... , OH/Sharon, PA Sharon, Pennsylvania Sharon is a city in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, in the United States, northwest of Pittsburgh. It is part of the Youngstown–Warren–Boardman, OH-PA Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :... regional economy and a strategic decision by May Company May Department Stores The May Department Stores Company was a national department store chain in the United States, founded in 1877 by David May. The company ceased to exist in 2005 when it was merged with Federated Department Stores, Inc . Prior to the merger it was headquartered in Downtown St. Louis, Missouri... to focus on mall-only retail locations within the Kaufmann's Kaufmann's Kaufmann's was a department store that originated in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was owned in the early 20th century by Edgar J. Kaufmann, patron of 'Fallingwater' and the Kaufmann's Desert House. In the post-war years the store became a regional chain in the eastern United States, and was last... division. |
| Thalhimer's Thalhimer's Thalhimers was a department store in the Southern United States. Based in Richmond, Virginia, the venerable chain at its peak operated dozens of stores in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and one store in Memphis, Tennessee.... |
Thalhimer Brothers | Richmond | 1842 | 1992 | Acquired by Carter Hawley Hale Stores Carter Hawley Hale Stores Broadway Stores, Inc. was an American retailer based in Southern California. Known through its history as Carter Hawley Hale Stores and Broadway Hale Stores over time, it acquired other retail store chains in regions outside its California home base and became in certain retail sectors a regional... in 1978. CHH sold the chain, which by then operated throughout southern Virginia and North Carolina, in 1990 to May, which in 1992 sold stores in Charleston, South Carolina Charleston, South Carolina Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the... and Memphis, Tennessee Memphis, Tennessee Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers.... to Dillard's Dillard's Dillard's, Inc. is a department store chain in the United States, with 330 stores in 29 states. Headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas, Dillard's locations are concentrated in Texas and Florida; with a major presence in other states including Arizona, Iowa, Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas, Missouri,... , shut down a further 8 small, out-dated stores and merged the rest into Hecht's Hecht's Hecht's, also known as Hecht Brothers, Hecht Bros. and the Hecht Company, was a large chain of department stores located mainly in the mid-Atlantic and southern region of the United States.... . |
| Wanamaker's Wanamaker's Wanamaker's department store was the first department store in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and one of the first department stores in the United States. At its zenith in the early 20th century, there were two major Wanamaker department stores, one in Philadelphia and one in New York City at Broadway... |
John Wanamaker Co. | Philadelphia | 1861 | 1995 | Purchased by Carter Hawley Hale Stores Carter Hawley Hale Stores Broadway Stores, Inc. was an American retailer based in Southern California. Known through its history as Carter Hawley Hale Stores and Broadway Hale Stores over time, it acquired other retail store chains in regions outside its California home base and became in certain retail sectors a regional... in 1978, which then sold it in 1986 to Taubman Investment Co.'s Woodward & Lothrop, Inc. Woodward & Lothrop Woodward & Lothrop was a department store chain headquartered in Washington, D.C. Woodward & Lothrop was Washington, D.C.'s first department store, opening in 1887. Woodies, as it was often nicknamed, maintained stores in the Mid-Atlantic United States... unit. In 1995 May acquired the John Wanamaker stores from Woodward & Lothrop's bankruptcy estate, and renamed them Hecht's Hecht's Hecht's, also known as Hecht Brothers, Hecht Bros. and the Hecht Company, was a large chain of department stores located mainly in the mid-Atlantic and southern region of the United States.... . In 1996 when May acquired the Strawbridge & Clothier stores, it consolidated its Philadelphia area stores under the Strawbridge's Strawbridge's Strawbridge's was a department store in the northeastern United States with stores in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. In its day a gracious urban emporium, the downtown Philadelphia flagship store added branch stores starting in the 1930s and together they enjoyed annual sales of over a... name, operated as part of the Hecht's Hecht's Hecht's, also known as Hecht Brothers, Hecht Bros. and the Hecht Company, was a large chain of department stores located mainly in the mid-Atlantic and southern region of the United States.... division. The former John Wanamaker flagship in Center City Philadelphia was temporarily closed with the upper floors converting to unaffiliated office space and a flagship branch of Lord & Taylor Lord & Taylor Lord & Taylor, colloquially known as L&T, or LT, based in New York City, is the oldest upscale, specialty-retail department store chain in the United States. Concentrated in the eastern U.S., the retailer operated independently for nearly a century prior to joining American Dry Goods... re-opening in the lower floors, centered on the Center Court. |
| ZCMI | Zions Cooperative Mercantile Institution | Salt Lake City | 1868 | 2001 | Associated throughout its history with the LDS church. In 1999 it was acquired by May and operated as part of its Meier & Frank Meier & Frank Meier & Frank was a chain of department stores founded in Portland, Oregon, and later bought out by the May Department Stores Company. Meier & Frank operated in the Pacific Northwest from 1857 to 2006.-History:Summary... division. In 2001, 4 locations in Idaho and St. George and Logan, Utah were sold to Dillard's Dillard's Dillard's, Inc. is a department store chain in the United States, with 330 stores in 29 states. Headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas, Dillard's locations are concentrated in Texas and Florida; with a major presence in other states including Arizona, Iowa, Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas, Missouri,... and the remaining stores in Salt Lake City, Provo and Odgen, Utah were renamed Meier & Frank. |
External links
- May Company (Archive)