Come on Filene

Downtown Crossing is set for a makeover. It's yet unseen what the City will do to improve the space (planters and pushcart awnings are promised). A big spot on the block is slated to be vacant very soon. Filene's will be no longer. Macy's parent corporation has merged with Filene's Federated, and is in the process of converting the Filene's branded stores to Macy's – and where they're in competition, consolidation will follow. Menino seems to have his eyes set on bringing a Target store downtown. The discount chain might be a nice space filler, but a Bloomingdales (another Federated store – another store owned by Macy's parent company, Federated) could add some class to the shopping center in limbo between Faneuil Hall and Chinatown, the Leather District and the Boston Common.

The flagship Filene's Basement store will remain in place in Downtown Crossing. The store upstairs (a different company for a number of years) will be shutting down. Before the fate of the Downtown location has been sealed and an announcement has been made regarding the tenant of the space has been made, Macy's is looking to exploit their local roots to Boston shoppers. A national ad campaign has been launched as Macy's begins to "reopen" in a number of markets. An ad, pictured left, appeared in today's Boston Globe as a full page on the back of Section A. They're trying to sell R. H. Macy as a Nantucket native (he was born there in 1822). The public relations tale – you may be able to make out if you click the image - about Macy's roots in Boston almost make us forget that we've lost Jordan Marsh and Filene's as anchors in Downtown Crossing and as national brands.