Does anyone shop at Department Stores anymore? I can understand shopping at Nordstroms, because of their reputation for customer service, but the mid-range stores - Hechts, Macy's, Lord and Taylor? Since my Wedding registry, I've had no real need to shop at a Department Store.

They're hard to navigate, hard to find customer service, and usually expensive.

what eric said.

i never go into one anymore.

I haven't shopped in one in forever. Women get 2 choices..."Baby Prostitute" clubwear for teens (scary)or "50 and Fabulous" mom-wear (hellno)...and that's even assuming that you have the time to spend FINDING those areas!! Department stores are only good as entry points to the REAL stores.
This merger isn't going to do anything unless they COMPLETELY revamp the entire way department stores are set up...I don't see that happening.

There's a reason Target got out of the department store business, probably several years later that they should have. On the other hand, their sale of Marshall Fields was pretty deft; snookering 3.2 billion from May was several hundred million above value, which is what cost May's chairman his job, leading to this merger with Federated.

Of course no merger/snooker will ever compete with AOL/TimeWarner, in which Steve Case performed brilliantly for AOL's stockholders, and convinced TimeWarmer's board to hand over the keys to the company for essentially nothing.

C'mon! This Federated/May consolidation is necessary if they're to counter-balance the new K-Mart/Sears conglomerate.

Oh, there's some saying Sears bought K-Mart ... but look who gets more directors on the new board.

Sears of course is the retailer that quit the mail order business then turned around and bought Lands' End. K-Mart is the retailer that just two years back was closing failing stores left and right and nearly abandoned Texas and other states entirely -- due largely to the impact of the ad campaigns centered around Martha Stewart and Rosie O'Donnell.

This is probably a good time to invest in Dollar General ...

I don't know if Federated can fix what May has broken. I worked at Marshall Field's through the Target-> May conversion and still keep up with some old co-workers, May's focus on value was killing customer service (spending money to train staff on DOWNgraded computer systems is a bad sign). If Federated can shape some of May's stores up to Macy's/Bloomingdale's standards, I can see the company carving out a good niche.

I despise Tar-jay for what they did to Field's.

What a tin ear they have.

I agree w/the clothes statement, get some good stuff in and in petite sizes and I'm there.

Nordy's petite section is horrible.

Lord and Taylor has better prospects than Field's.

IIRC, JC Penney had a really good 2004.

Couple of things:
I have worked for both in my life (Kaufmans[May] in NY and Lazarus [Federated]in Ohio). Neither is spectacular, but of the two, I can clearly say that May will come out better if Federated brings the May stores up to Federated standards. The Lazarus/Macy's that I go to here in Cincy is great. Do I go there weekly? Not a chance. When I need a specific wardrobe item (special occasion dress, suit, kick-butt-Condi boots), I head there. Plus, there is the makeup counters (can't get Estee Lauder at Tar-jay). There is a purpose on earth for this type of store and there always will be as long as there is a retail consumer who is slightly more discerning than JC Penny.

C'est Moi,
Really, the Lazarus/Macys that I shop here in Cincinnati has raised the bar in the area. Very well laid out, plenty of help, signs mounted on the ceilings directing you to different departments on each floor. Little more expensive, yes. Better quality, yes. Do I shop for my kids there? Heck no. Do I shop for my "professional" clothes there? Have gotten some beauts there (Condi boots included).

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