If I had wanted to live in New York City I would have moved there when I was 18 instead of moving to Chicago.
I like Chicago. I used to even love Chicago, that was why it was my home for 15 years of my life. I enjoy what makes Chicago unique, even if some of those things are now gone (…sigh… Meigs Field… sigh…)
Marshall Field’s was as iconic a store for Chicago as Macy’s was for NYC. Prior owners of Marshall Field’s understood that, which is one reason they kept the name intact. Then, when Macy’s bought them out and changed the name I remember some Macy’s owned talking head talking about how people would get over it and “people really do want to shop at Macy’s!” and bringing the glamor of New York City to Chicago —
I was just aghast at how this woman Did Not Get It. I did NOT want NYC, I wanted Chicago. I have zero desire to ever visit NYC (well, OK, maybe the statue of liberty). I don’t want to be a pseudo-New Yorker! I want to be an *authentic *Chicagoan! What a slap in the face! Why didn’t she just come out and state than any city other than NYC is inferior and it’s distinctiveness should be wiped from the face of the earth, to be replaced by NYC brand items? The husband and I started referring to Macy’s as The Borg Store and we still do. Just erase 150 years of history, because it’s just not important, not being NYC.
No, I have never, in my life, ever had a desire to shop at Macy’s. As of this time, I never have shopped at a Macy’s. Og willing, I never will. Macy’s is just another department store, at best. The Marshall Field’s State Street Store, was unique to Chicago. Seriously, they could have avoided a lot of ill will by keeping the Field name on just that particular building, even if they changed the name of other other Field’s branch in the world. They could have said “MARSHALL FIELDS (owned by Macy’s)” or “Macy’s at Marshal Field’s” - just something to acknowledge that there was some history and the status of icon there but, oh no, it’s not New York enough, therefore it’s as disposable as a used tissue.
I don’t want to be in New York City. Screw you, Macy’s. You’ll get no money from me. The only sad thing is that, inevitably, when they do close the State Street Store the building will probably fall into ruin and Mayor Daley will probably come up with some BS excuse to bulldoze yet another Chicago landmark in the middle of the night so his buddies can get richer skimming the contract to build something else there.
Yes, I’m bitter… and you kids, get off my lawn! I’m off to my rocking chair to be old for awhile…