Brief History

Macy’s, Inc. History

Eighty-one years ago on the morning of March 6, 1929, millions of Americans opened their edition of The New York Times to find a headline that would send the business and retail world into a spin of excited chatter and speculation - "Abraham & Straus and Filene's to Unite." The announcement marked the beginning of the evolution of what was to become one of the largest and most influential corporations in retail history.

Federated Department Stores, Inc. (renamed Macy's, Inc. in June 2007) was born through the combination of Abraham & Straus of Brooklyn, Filene's of Boston, F&R Lazarus & Co. of Columbus, OH, and Bloomingdale's of New York. Each of these retailers was an established, prominent presence with a rich history of its own. In joining together, they agreed to maintain their separate identities while linking their financial interests. These pioneers recognized the immense opportunity that lay before them and on November 25, 1929, Federated Department Stores was incorporated as a revolutionary new company in American retail.