# Are Department Stores Dinosaurs? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [March 5, 2005, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-department-stores-dinosaurs/293078 "2005-03-05T13:22:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2025, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-department-stores-dinosaurs/293078/141 "2025-01-02T19:14:21Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Are you referring to a different mall than the one in East Rutherford, New Jersey? NOOOOOOO I was getting it confused with Palisades, I have been to both in the last month. My apologies. Ok so far downstate it is out of state. Admittedly northern NJ often feels like an extension of downstate NY (or vice versa). I think I am still tired from the long break. However the stuff it has is all accurate. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2025, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-department-stores-dinosaurs/293078/142 "2025-01-02T20:41:51Z")
American Dream, under a different name, was first proposed under a different name twenty years ago and some construction began in 2004. The Mall/Theme Park had a [famously troubled history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Dream_(shopping_mall)#History) since then. It may be the most offputting and least followable model for malls or department stores ever. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2025, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-department-stores-dinosaurs/293078/143 "2025-01-02T21:12:21Z")
The Bright Sun Film channel has a couple of episodes on the American Dream Mall, [one in 2020](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NESqtSQGhhE) and a [follow-up in 2022](https://youtu.be/-3ZcFguYn3U?feature=shared). ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2025, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-department-stores-dinosaurs/293078/144 "2025-01-10T22:54:42Z")
Today Macy’s announced they’re [closing 66 stores in 22 states](https://www.today.com/style/macys-closing-stores-rcna187183), crippling 66 more shopping malls. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2025, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-department-stores-dinosaurs/293078/145 "2025-01-11T04:16:57Z")
I’m saddened to hear that the Center City Philadelphia Macy’s is among the locations set to close. After spending over four decades in Florida, I’ll be moving back to Philly this year, and revisiting the iconic Holiday Light Show—complete with the Wanamaker Organ—was high on my list of must-do holiday traditions. I still remember it fondly from when the store was Wanamaker’s. It’s disheartening to see Macy’s continuing its decline, especially when it means losing yet another piece of Philadelphia’s history and culture. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2025, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-department-stores-dinosaurs/293078/146 "2025-01-11T13:42:31Z")
JC Penny merging into parent company of Eddie Bauer: [https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/general/brooks-brothers-jcpenney-forever-21-owner-launch-new-venture-in-texas/ar-BB1rfCQb](https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/general/brooks-brothers-jcpenney-forever-21-owner-launch-new-venture-in-texas/ar-BB1rfCQb) _Known as Catalyst Brands, the new company includes Aéropostale, Brooks Brothers, Eddie Bauer, Lucky Brand, Nautica and JCPenney. The joint venture was formed in an all-equity transaction between JCPenney and Sparc Group_ I haven’t been in a mall or a department store in at least five years. Maybe ten. This new venture probably wont get that to change, at least for me. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2025, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-department-stores-dinosaurs/293078/147 "2025-01-11T18:03:40Z")
> [@Kent\_Clark](#): > > Today Macy’s announced they’re [closing 66 stores in 22 states](https://www.today.com/style/macys-closing-stores-rcna187183), crippling 66 more shopping malls. They’re closing the Macy’s near me, which was the last anchor store in that mall. They replaced half the mall with a Costco, which is not connected to the rest of the mall. Not surprising it is closing - the last time I went there they had very little in the way of merchandise, and I left without buying anything. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2025, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-department-stores-dinosaurs/293078/148 "2025-01-11T18:44:33Z")
I’m surprised that the Macy’s near me isn’t on the list. It’s the last anchor store in a dying outdoor mall. The other anchor store, Sears, is long gone. Half of it is a mattress store now and the other half is the saddest consignment furniture store imaginable. It’s full of bulky ornate china hutches and coffee tables. Who wants that shit? I needed new dress shoes last year and I went there and it was depressing. It was all crap. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2025, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-department-stores-dinosaurs/293078/149 "2025-01-23T20:52:52Z")
The last department store I would go to on any sort of consistent basis was Boscov’s, which of course is more of a discount store. I had to go overseas to actually see what the old school department store must have been like–Harrods in London, of course, but also some massive seven story or so building in Shinjuku. Both struck me as both convenient and not simultaneously if that makes any sense. A case of giving up selection for convenience, which I guess is really no different from a big WalMart or something. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2025, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-department-stores-dinosaurs/293078/150 "2025-01-23T21:03:39Z")
Boscov’s opened a store in a Connecticut mall replacing a closed J C Penney store ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2025, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-department-stores-dinosaurs/293078/151 "2025-01-23T21:41:24Z")
And if I was still in the Northeast I might still go there. As it is, I can’t even think of where it makes more sense to go to a department store than a specialty store for some things. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2025, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-department-stores-dinosaurs/293078/152 "2025-01-23T21:54:21Z")
This thread is really interesting. 10 posts back in 2005, then dormant 19 years, then 140 more posts in the last year-ish, and it’s still going strong now. Not much to add on the whole department store / mall topic, but for darn sure the thing that’s obvious to me is that both malls and department stores can only survive by selling luxury goods to luxury people. Which means they will only be found in the zip codes where a critical mass of luxury people live, or can be persuaded to drive to. The great post WW-II heyday of department stores, both local brands and national behemoths, coincided with the heyday of the rapidly growing and wealth-gaining US middle class. As that crowd’s fortunes have shifted into reverse, both shrinking and getting relatively poorer, the frills inherent in malls and department stores become unaffordable. Leaving nasty Wal\*marts and online low overhead Amazon for the 0-95%ile consumers and the department stores / malls for the elite 96-99.9%ile consumer. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2025, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-department-stores-dinosaurs/293078/153 "2025-01-23T22:52:01Z")
Aside from the luxury goods, many malls seem to have lots of restaurants and entertainment venues. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-department-stores-dinosaurs/293078.md?page=7)