Macy's

Macy's is the name of a chain of American department stores including one in New York City that bills itself as "the world's largest". The company is also well-known for sponsoring Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, an annual parade in New York City. Macy's is part of Federated Department Stores.

New York

Macy's was founded in 1851 by Rowland Hussey Macy as a dry goods store in downtown Haverhill, Massachusetts. In 1858, Macy moved to New York City and founded a new store with R.H. Macy & Company on the corner of 14th Street and 6th Avenue, which later moved to 18th Street and Broadway on the "Ladies' Mile", the 19th century elite shopping district, where it remained for nearly 40 years.

Related Topics:
1851 - Rowland Hussey Macy - Haverhill, Massachusetts - 1858 - Broadway - 19th century

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In 1896, Macy's was acquired by Isidor Straus and his brother Nathan, who had previously sold merchandise in the store. The flagship store moved uptown to Herald Square at 34th Street and Broadway in 1902. Beginning with one building, and through expanded new construction or merging, eventually it grew into the world's largest department store, with 198,500 m² (2,150,000 ft²) of selling floor. (Although there are claims that the GUM store in Moscow, Russia is larger.)

Related Topics:
Isidor Straus - Herald Square - Department store - GUM - Moscow, Russia

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Macy's now occupies the entire block from 7th Avenue to Broadway and 34th to 35th Streets—except for one small brownstone on the corner of 34th and Broadway, which remains a separate property, though rented by Macy's annually for a legendary figure, and camouflaged with giant signs.

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The same property problem presented itself when Macy's built a store on Queens Boulevard in Jackson Heights, Queens, New York, This resulted in a architecturally unique round department store on 90% of the lot, with a small privately owned house on the corner. It was a case literally of the "little lady who wouldn't sell".

Related Topics:
Queens Boulevard - Jackson Heights - Queens, New York

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