Macy's gets ready to go 'national'

NEW YORK, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- Federated Department Stores has been on a mission to keep U.S. shoppers loyal to their local stores -- even when that store's name is changed to Macy's.

And it looks like the tactic has worked, as there has been little opposition to Macy's name going on some 400 May Co. stores acquired by Federated -- even in Chicago, where stalwart Marshall Field's becomes a Macy's in a matter of weeks, the New York Times reported.

Federated Chief Executive Terry Lundgren traveled across the nation reassuring customers and employees of Marshall Field's, Filene's, Famous-Barr, Foley's, Hecht's, The Jones Store, Kaufmann's, L.S. Ayres, Meier & Frank, Robinsons-May and Strawbridge's stores, the Times said.

In Chicago, for instance, he promised to resume local manufacturing of the famed Frango mints at Marshall Field's. In St. Louis, he vowed to keep the downtown Famous-Barr store open, despite years of poor sales.

Macy's will become "a national department store" with the name change scheduled for Sept. 9.