Macy’s, originally R. H. Macy & Co., is a mid-range to upscale chain of department stores owned by American multinational corporation Macy’s, Inc. It is one of two divisions owned by the company, with the other being the upscale Bloomingdale’s. As of January 2014, it operates 850 department stores locations in the United States, Guam and Puerto Rico, with a prominent Herald Square flagship location in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It also has eSpot ZoomShops kiosks in over 300 store locations selling consumer electronics.
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 & Co.” on Sixth Avenue between 13th and 14th Streets, which was far north of where other dry goods stores were at the time. On the company’s first day of business on October 28, 1858 sales totaled US$11.08, equal to $301.47 today. From the very beginning, Macy’s logo has included a star in one form or another, which comes from a tattoo that Macy got as a teenager when he worked on a Nantucket whaling ship, the Emily Morgan.
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. It also offered a money back guarantee, although it accepted only 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. 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.
[responsivevoice_button voice="UK English Female" buttontext="Listen to this Post"]The presidency of the Council of the European Union is responsible for the functioning of the Council of the European Union, the upper house of the EU legislature. It rotates among the member states of the EU every six months. The presidency is not an individual, but rather the position is held by a national government. It is sometimes incorrectly referred to as the "president of the European Union". The presidency's function is to chair meetings of the Council, determine its agendas, set a work programme and fa...
