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Macy’s 165-Year Journey From Humble Beginnings to Troubled Icon

Company’s Evolution Marked by Several Retail Mergers

Macy's has been a high-profile neighbor in New York's Herald Square area since 1902. (Getty Images)
Macy's has been a high-profile neighbor in New York's Herald Square area since 1902. (Getty Images)

Macy's stands as part of just a handful of remaining U.S. department store chains. The retailer that turns 166 years old in October grew through a series of acquisitions and mergers over the decades.

Here's a timeline of its history, according to the company:

R.H. Macy & Co. began as a dry goods store in New York. (Bettmann Archive)

1858: Rowland H. Macy started R.H. Macy & Co. as a dry goods store in New York.

1872: Bloomingdale Brothers is founded in New York by Lyman and Joseph Bloomingdale.

1872: Bloomingdale's expanded its East Side Bazaar, a harbinger of the so-called department store.

1877: David May opened the first of what was to become May Department Stores in Leadville, Colorado.

1888: The Straus family acquired a general partnership with Macy's.

1902: Macy's moved to Herald Square in Manhattan.

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1924: Macy's Herald Square became the world's largest store following the completion of its Seventh Avenue addition.

1929: Federated Department Stores was formed by Abraham & Straus, F&R Lazarus, Shillito's, and Filene's of Boston.

1930: Bloomingdale's joined Federated.

1992: Federated emerged from bankruptcy with 220 stores in 26 states.

1994: Federated acquired R.H. Macy & Co., creating the largest department store retailer in the nation.

Bloomingdale's and its cosmetics counters joined Macy's under the same ownership in 1994. (Getty Images)

1995: Federated acquired Broadway Stores, with 56 converted to the Macy's banner and five others becoming Bloomingdale's.

2003: Federated began integrating the Macy's nameplate with its regional department stores.

2004: May acquired Marshall Field's.

2005: Federated began operating under two store banners, Macy's and Bloomingdale's.

2006: Federated acquired May, and over 400 stores are converted to Macy's.

2007: Federated shareholders voted to change the corporate name to Macy's Inc.

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2008: Macy's celebrated its 150th birthday on Oct. 28.

2015: Macy's acquired Bluemercury, a specialty beauty retailer.

2015: Macy's opened its first six Macy's off-price stores.

2022: Bloomingdale's celebrated its 150th anniversary.