Thousands — THOUSANDS — are protesting the renaming of Marshall Fields to Macy’s on keepitfields.org. One sentimental rebel at the barricades bemoaned the potential passing of “our beloved tradition-filled, friendly department store paradise.”
That’s right, paradise. A paradise where Frango mints fell from the sky and rooms were made of Walnut. A paradise so enticing that people stopped shopping there.
Seriously — where were these loyalists with their self-proclaimed $63 million in spending power when the store’s sales were floundering? Most likely they were at Wal-Mart and Target, which is a big reason why Marshall Fields (and regional department stores like it) has sold itself into consolidation.
Plus — and this fact seems lost on the faithful — Marshall Fields is gone. Sold. No more. And yet the tagline on keepitfields.org courageously reads, “Save Marshall Fields.” Last time I checked, that ship had sailed.
But never mind that, we’ve got a Man to stick it to. Many of the die-hard Fields lovers refuse to set one foot inside the soon-to-be Macy’s on State Street. That’s the spirit! Maybe we can force thousands of layoffs among local workers!
Similar cries of outrage sprung up in Atlanta when Macy’s purchased (and renamed) Rich’s. The outcome?
In May, Federated’s same-store sales rose a robust 9.2 percent. (Chicago Tribune, 6/4/06)
Oh. Well, nevermind that. Things will be different here. We’ll see this fight through. In fact, Federated Department Stores (Macy’s parent company) is already acknowledging our efforts. Here’s spokesman Jim Sluzewski on the likelihood that the Marshall Fields name will live on:
“Not going to happen.” (Chicago Tribune, 6/4/06)
Hmm.
Ah, screw it, let’s go for burgers at The Berghoff. At least some things never change.