Comments on: Marshall Field’s

By: Stephan

Stephan — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 07:36:34 +0000

Marshall Fields was a Chicago institution as much as or more so than any other in the City. To have Macy’s shoved upon us is galling. My family shopped regularly at Fields since the early 1940s and losing Fields is like losing a piece of Chicago. Macy’s was not that impressive in New York– it is unwelcome in Chicago. Bloomingdales and Neimans were welcomed as additions to the City, Macy’s is an interloper who has displaced a member of the Chicago family.

By: Doug Mainor

Doug Mainor — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 22:04:40 +0000

Marshall Fields is a cornerstone of history. Don’t let it slip away if there is any chance at all of bringing it back. Sonetdug……

By: Mike M

Mike M — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 22:16:15 +0000

Great comments! Macy’s will NEVER be accepted by Chicagoans. The boycott is working!

By: Jules

Jules — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 18:25:32 +0000

i really really miss marshall fields! : (

By: aiesha ronje

aiesha ronje — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 23:26:49 +0000

I have the fondest memories of Marshall Fields. It was an annual holiday destination for us. It’s where my parents took us kids to see Santa and read him our list of wishes. It’s where we would sit in the Walnut Room and gaze at the huge tree, and where you could smell the exotic perfumes on the first floor as you watched shoppers bustle by. I remember going to the ice cream shop there, the crystal palace or something, where every ice cream creation was named after a Chicago monument. Every Christmas we would buy Frango mints. It was a ritual, just like chocolate Santas from Fannie May. I loved the Field’s clock and there was something about being on the ground floor and looking out at each of the street entrances which made you feel as though you were in the middle of something important. I’ve been away from Chicago for a long time and I’m so saddened when I hear of yet another bedrock of Chicago history being tossed away. No wonder people don’t wan’t to shop at Macy’s. Duh. Bring back the green bags with the handles and white writing. Bring back Marshall Fields!

By: Mike Cassata

Mike Cassata — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 21:42:58 +0000

I totally disagree with anyone who thinks that Marshall Field’s on State Street could not come back under new ownership. The idea that the State street store is “too big” to be operated profitable is a bunch horse dung. Just look at Harrods in London! Mr. Mohamed Al Fayed is doing a fine job of balancing tradition while still keeping in step with the times.

By: Rita Meyers

Rita Meyers — Sat, 10 May 2008 06:16:22 +0000

The ChicagoPostcardMuseum.org has a Marshall Field and Co. special exhibit.

A Field’s Lover.

By: dillon jackson

dillon jackson — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 11:38:15 +0000

dear sir i have a marshal field and company pocket watch on the movement is signed areo watch
can you tell me anything about this watch
yours e d jackson

By: Branden

Branden — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 10:13:52 +0000

Im from the Pacific Northwest and over here the Marshall Fields Subsidary was known 1st as The Crescent then Fredrick & Nelson, Which my grandma and my mom worked at. I think Marshall Fields should be brought back, why not carry on the original tradition yeah we have macy’s over here but its still known as the Bon Marche, but its not the same with them selling frango chocoaltes, bring back marshall fields and bring back Frederick & Nelson

By: James B Caffrey

James B Caffrey — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 01:46:01 +0000

I lived in the northeast for the past 50 years, just moving to Chicago in 2006. I didn’t shop Macy’s in the northeast nor will I shop thier stores in the midwest including Bloomingdale’s. Macy’s from my experience has terrible customer service, takes forever to resolve a customer complaint and could care less about loyalty. For the past 20 years while visiting my sister in Chicago I always made a stop at Marshall Field’s on State. I would do my Christmas shopping there. My family in the northeast were very excited when they opened up the green box from Marshall Field’s. They knew the store was very unique and felt special that I thought of them with a gift from Marshall Field’s. Terry Lundgren made a big mistake in changing Marshall Field’s to Macy’s. Given time this will go down in retail history as the biggest blunder of all time. I don’t think Federated, now Macy’s Inc will ever recover.

By: Richard

Richard — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 05:58:15 +0000

I absolutely despise Macy’s. I live in the Houston area and Macy’s is no Foley’s. The stores are awful now and the merchandise is cheap and overpriced. I predict over half of the old Foley’s will be closed within a year (along with the other former May divisions). I shopped Foley’s without coupons. I disagree that Macy’s problem is coupons. It is much more than that. It is a multitude of problems created by themselves. It is funny that every month that their poor sales figures come out they blame something – the weather, a change in promotions, couponing, customers needing to be re-educated due to their “confusion” over the change in merchandise. This is hysterical considering Macy’s competitors have double digit increases (Nordstrom, Saks VonMaur on the high end, Penney’s, Kohl’s etc on the low end and Dillards in between). Dillard’s associates have told me they have seen a marked increase in their business since Foley’s demise. The arrogance of Terry Lundgren is appalling. Just admit you made a mistake and bring back the regional identities and traditions as well as the better merchandise. Atlantans are still not over Rich’s nor are Floridians over Burdine’s, Californians over Bullock’s/Bullock’s Wilshire, I Magnin, The Broadway, Robinsons, May and the list goes on and on. Folks across the country are sick of the cookie cutter stigma across the board. Everywhere you go are the same banks, department stores, restaurants. As I said before, Macy’s downfall is their own fault. They should have been a good merchant and listened to the customer prior to abolishing all the regional nameplates and all the other changes. It is NOT ABOUT COUPONS. Bring back Foley’s!!!

By the way, I found a link to an old Foley’s commercial that shows how treasured the name was to the Southwest – This commercial is from the mid 80’s prior to Foley’s expanding into Oklahoma, New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona and Louisiana… thus their slogan then of “At the heart of Texas”
Go to Google Video (YouTube) and type in Foley’s department store

By: The Great Clocks

The Great Clocks — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 17:53:11 +0000

[...] was acquired by Federated Department Stores (now Macy’s, Inc). To many Chicagoans’ disappointment, the name of the store was officially changed to “Macy’s on State Street,” the [...]

By: Matt

Matt — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 06:05:44 +0000

Not only does Marshall Field’s have to return, but the corporate offices have to return to Chicago. The morons (Dayton Hudson) didn’t help things either

By: Thomas F. Smith

Thomas F. Smith — Sat, 11 Aug 2007 18:53:44 +0000

Marshall Fields was a wonderful shopping experience. The quality of the goods and excellent staff stand out. When you bought something at Marshall Fields it was wonderful.Macy’s doesn’t understand this at all. The merchandise is gone. The staff fired. All the ad’s tell of discount sales. Junk from China sits on the once beautiful fixtures and marble floors. This has to be one of worst moves in American history of retailing.

By: Jake

Jake — Sun, 08 Jul 2007 22:32:55 +0000

They need to bring back Hecht’s too. Maybe even Thalhimer’s.

By: annieo

annieo — Wed, 23 May 2007 07:25:05 +0000

I absolutely agree with you on this one.

Someone told me I was too nostalgic about Marshall Fields and that this was all about accepting change.

I’m sorry, but going from Marshall Fields to Macys is at least two levels of quality downward.

By: Craig Klofach

Craig Klofach — Sun, 20 May 2007 18:51:38 +0000

I agree with almost all you say, except that Federated may be already looking to hawk the State Street Store. That store is one of only a small collection of center city type stores which are truly unique, with Philadelphia having a more pure form by the same architect at what was John Wanamaker. (Wanamaker, originally had 9 full block stories above ground and 2 below, has been reduced to less than 3, with the rest converted to offices (when the May company got that location with 5 retail floors they even thought that was too big (as did Macy’s who also wanted it) such that it is a shell of its former glory) My suspicion is that State Street would be reduced in scale LONG before Federated/Macy’s would ever consider letting it go. I also would be hard pressed to find any retailer willing to take that building on as a single store. Marshall Field’s was a great store up until the end, and State Street was certainly a destination tourist location (I always enjoyed shopping there when in Chicago), but a stand alone store of that size and magnitude is not practical in this day and age. Just look what happened to its neighbor Carson’s (although not as great a landmark as Field’s)…offices will come long before Macy’s reliquishes control.