Results tagged “jordanmarsh”

Once upon a time in a land far, far…oh. No. It was Brockton. Back in 1890 James Edgar of Edgar's Department Store in Brockton sported a white beard and a belly laugh, he suited up as Santa Claus for an appearance in his Brockton Store. It wasn't Macy's, it wasn't Coke, it was a store in "The City of Champions" where the department store Santa was born. In the interest of full disclosure it appears that a Kris Kringle character did make an appearance in a Philadelphia store in 1841 – but Edgar's really marked the birth of the department store Santa. Kids growing up today know more of the "mall" Santa. He checks his list and listens to children's wishes from that coveted spot in the middle of the food court or a Santa's village placed in the crossroads of all the anchor stores of the mall (maybe where the Easter Bunny lives in the spring).

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...

When Filene's was bought by Federated Department Stores, Inc. this past February for $17 billion, many anticipated changes to Downtown Crossing. After already going through an identity crisis (changing from Boston's own Jordan Marsh to Macy's), the Macy's storefront has always remained a competitor with Filene's and her basement across the street. This recent buyout of Filene's now leaves Federated, who happens to own Macy's too, with two stores across the street from one another. A Globe article today mentions talk of Target execs' interest in taking over the Macy's spot and turning it into one of their stores. According to our beloved mayor, he was in Istanbul last month at the International Council of Shopping Centers, and was chatting it up with them. Menino of course put in his two cents: "I'm a big fan of Target...It would bring a lot of vibrancy to that area."