Introduction
Macy's was founded by Rowland Hussey Macy, who between 1843 and
1855 opened four retail dry goods stores, including the original Macy's store in downtown Haverhill, Massachusetts, established in 1851 to serve the mill industry employees of the area. They all failed, but he learned from his mistakes. Macy moved to New York City in 1858 and established a new store named "R.H Macy Dry Goods".
Macy's Inc. is headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, and operates just over
850 stores in the United States.[3] The company's Macy's locations and related operations account for 90 percent of the company's revenue, while luxury-oriented Bloomingdale's stores and associated ventures represent the balance of the company's business. Macy's is well known for its flagship department stores, most notably in New York, San Francisco, Los
Angeles, the former Jordan Marsh in Boston, the former Dayton's in
Minneapolis, the former Kaufmann's in Pittsburgh, the former Burdine's in
Miami, the former Wanamaker's in Philadelphia.
As the business grew, Macy's expanded into neighboring buildings, opening more and more departments, and used publicity devices such as a store Santa Claus, themed exhibits, and illuminated window displays to draw in customers.[7] It also offered a money back guarantee, although it only accepted cash into the 1950s. The store also produced its own made- to-measure clothing for both men and women, assembled in an on-site factory.[4] The store later moved to 18th Street and Broadway, on the
"Ladies' Mile", the elite shopping district of the time, where it remained for nearly forty years.
In 1875, Macy took on two partners, Robert M. Valentine (1850–1879), a nephew; and Abiel T. La Forge (1842–1878) of Wisconsin, who was the husband of a cousin.[8][9] Macy died just two years later in 1877 from Bright's disease[10] The following year La Forge died, and Valentine died in 1879.[8][9] Ownership of the company was passed down through the Macy family until 1895, when the company, now called "R. H. Macy &
Co.", was acquired by Isidor Straus and his brother Nathan Straus, who had previously held a license to sell china and other goods in the Macy's store.