Downtown Macy's Could Be Apartments (Pittsburgh: hotel, malls, trendy)

[TheYO]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

Why has a thread discussing the impending transition of 2/3 of the Macy's building into upscale apartments devolved into a pi$$ing contest over whether or not Pittsburgh is a "real" city based upon how little here is open 24/7?

Because this is the City-Data Pittsburgh forum. Would you expect anything else?

[Johnland]

Originally Posted by AaronPGH

I hope that if they downsize they do a serious interior and product upgrade. I really do try to shop there, but the selection of mens' clothing is extremely outdated. They need to get serious about fashion. Generally I just end up buying jeans and calling it a day.

With that said, it's dope they're staying around. We really are lucky to be retaining our store when every other city is losing theirs it seems. And not only that, but ours is still huge.

You are so right. Macy's is trading on it's reputation from 50 years ago. When it went national and bought up all the regional stores, their model was obviously to standardize, cut costs, and orient to the bottom line. For a business, that's understandable. But in the process, they obliterated all the regionals variety and uniqueness. Downtown Kaufmanns used to be, to use a cliche, 'an experience'. It was enormous, almost a maze, and had so many areas to look through. When I went in right after the conversion to Macys, it was tired, cheap looking displays, poorly kept, trash on the floors, slimmed down selections. I was appalled. And this was right after they made it macys. Same thing here in Tampa. The local chain Burdines used to be great for mens cloths and shoes. I always found things I wanted. Now as macys, its pathetic. Shoes are down to a couple dozen of the same old outdated styles that never change, clothes are either expensive teen or young mens or retired vacationer mens look - those hideous Tommy Bahama or Tommy Hilfiger color blocked crap.

[SolitaryThrush]

I try to support that Macy's and at least browse when I have time to kill in the area, but it's like stepping into 1986 there. I like the idea of having department stores downtown, but let's hope it sees a major upgrade. With increased residential down there, we should also see an increase in retail as well.

[doo dah]

I've been predicting they will close the store, in the end; they don't have special events like they do at Ross Park or South Hills Village any more.

[I_Like_Spam]

Originally Posted by SolitaryThrush

I try to support that Macy's and at least browse when I have time to kill in the area, but it's like stepping into 1986 there. I like the idea of having department stores downtown, but let's hope it sees a major upgrade. With increased residential down there, we should also see an increase in retail as well.

Residential development in town really doesn't make it much more of a location for a department store.




A retail outlet as big as Macy's is even now, needs to get sufficient numbers of shoppers, and that has to expand far beyond the immediate residential neighborhood.


Getting more stores in the neighborhood would increase the attraction of people going to Macy's. Macy's in Ross Park benefits from the presence of Penney's, Nordstrom, Men's Warehouse and other retailers in the same building. If someone goes to the Macy's in town, isn't sure what they want, there is no place nearby to compare and make their final shopping decision.

[gg]

Originally Posted by doo dah

I've been predicting they will close the store, in the end; they don't have special events like they do at Ross Park or South Hills Village any more.

It will probably close at some point. Not nearly as cool as Kaufmann's was and shopping in a downtown city the size of Pittsburgh is probably on the way out in general. I did just buy a nice pair of shoes there and even though the selection isn't nearly as good as Kaufmann's and not as upscale, it is still a nice store. I wish it would do well and the apartments make sense considering downsizing is an obvious move. Living above a department store in a building like that, could be pretty nice.

[MathmanMathman]

Originally Posted by Johnland

You are so right. Macy's is trading on it's reputation from 50 years ago. When it went national and bought up all the regional stores, their model was obviously to standardize, cut costs, and orient to the bottom line. For a business, that's understandable. But in the process, they obliterated all the regionals variety and uniqueness. Downtown Kaufmanns used to be, to use a cliche, 'an experience'. It was enormous, almost a maze, and had so many areas to look through. When I went in right after the conversion to Macys, it was tired, cheap looking displays, poorly kept, trash on the floors, slimmed down selections. I was appalled. And this was right after they made it macys. Same thing here in Tampa. The local chain Burdines used to be great for mens cloths and shoes. I always found things I wanted. Now as macys, its pathetic. Shoes are down to a couple dozen of the same old outdated styles that never change, clothes are either expensive teen or young mens or retired vacationer mens look - those hideous Tommy Bahama or Tommy Hilfiger color blocked crap.

Pretty much the same story in Atlanta. Rich's had the sort of reputation that Kaufmann's had. I guess that era is gone now. Not sure why it had to go but I guess the big box stores took bites out of the major department stores' market share in niche markets. The old department stores had so much variety years ago, but weren't known for good prices...just availabilty. Christmas time...ya just headed to the department stores to do you shopping. Sears might be next and K-Mart too. I'd miss Sears for nostalgia's sake but not K-Mart.

[Clint.]

Pretty cool. Great for Downtown and the City.

[doo dah]

Developer plans apartments on upper floors of Macy's in Downtown Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

[Herodotus]

Originally Posted by Johnland

You are so right. Macy's is trading on it's reputation from 50 years ago. When it went national and bought up all the regional stores, their model was obviously to standardize, cut costs, and orient to the bottom line. For a business, that's understandable. But in the process, they obliterated all the regionals variety and uniqueness. Downtown Kaufmanns used to be, to use a cliche, 'an experience'. It was enormous, almost a maze, and had so many areas to look through. When I went in right after the conversion to Macys, it was tired, cheap looking displays, poorly kept, trash on the floors, slimmed down selections. I was appalled. And this was right after they made it macys. Same thing here in Tampa. The local chain Burdines used to be great for mens cloths and shoes. I always found things I wanted. Now as macys, its pathetic. Shoes are down to a couple dozen of the same old outdated styles that never change, clothes are either expensive teen or young mens or retired vacationer mens look - those hideous Tommy Bahama or Tommy Hilfiger color blocked crap.

It's a myth that Macy's bought out those stores. What happened is that when the May Company, and Federated Department Stores merged, they decided that running their stores under various names made it difficult to compete with their competition. The merged company decided to brand most of their stores as Macy's, because that was the one name that was familiar to shoppers nationwide. The idea was good, but the execution, not so much. The reason why Pittsburgh's Macy's are so ho-hum, is because they placed our stores in the midwest division . In their minds, that, and the south were areas that weren't very trendy, and didn't need the latest fashions.