Living in a Concrete Jungle

Unique to New York City is its legendary department store Macy‘s, Herald Square.  The store which has served its constituency faithfully since October, 1858, reflects the city’s own personality in its energy, style, color, and pace.  Like the city, it has the ability to reinvent itself every so often in order to keep current.  It has something for everyone.  It attracts every demographic.  Tourists flock to it.  It is legendary and holds a special place in the hearts and memories of New Yorkers and others throughout the world who have shopped there or stood watching the joyous Thanksgiving Day Parade or Fourth of July Fireworks Extravaganza.  Macy’s is a very vital part of the New York experience.  Macy’s in fact, is quintessential New York.

The idea that Macy’s is used synonymously to represent New York in popular culture supports the premise that Macy’s is quintessential New York.  Macy’s, Herald Square, played a starring role in the beloved 1947 holiday classic Miracle on 34^th Street.  Other Hollywood hits that used Macy’s to represent New York include Auntie Mame, Sweet Charity, Ocean’s Eleven, and King Kong. 

Television favorites such as The Wonder Years, Who’s the Boss, Seinfeld, Friends, Ugly Betty, The Biggest Loser, and Project Runway also featured the store to establish their locale in New York City.

            In addition, New York entertainment icons Dustin Hoffman, Sean (Diddy) Combs, Rhea Perlman, Carol Channing, Diahann Carroll, Burgess Meredith, and F. Murray Abraham all worked at Macy’s before they rose to fame.

             New York City is often referred to as a Melting Pot because of its diverse nature and its attitude of inclusion.  The same could be said of Macy’s, whose customers, sales force, and suppliers reflect its international flavor.  It should come as no surprise that Macy’s is as important to its international clientele as is the Empire State, Lady Liberty, or a Broadway show.  Macy’s strives to accommodate the needs of their world wide clientele with an International Center located at their first floor Information desk, which distributes store directories in seven different languages as well as supplying on site translators who are fluent in twenty-one different languages.  Macy’s believes that to be successful, it is imperative that they reflect the diverse customer bass that they serve.

            While Macy’s is committed to diversity, it makes a point to celebrate culture and tradition throughout the city in the most splendid ways.  Each year, Macy’s reaches out to New Yorker’s in celebration of our major holidays.  These complex and spectacular events are Macy’s gifts to the city.  The Thanksgiving Day Parade, sponsored and staffed by Macy’s, heralds the beginning of the holiday season in brilliant fashion.  Like the store, the parade is unparalleled and brings joy to young and old alike. 

            Just as extravagant as the Thanksgiving Day Parade, the Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular is a more than worthy celebration of our nations beginning.  These events are nationally televised and enjoyed by millions.

            Macy’s is unique in the sense that it is the largest department store in the world.  Macy’s may also be known as the store with the largest heart.  The stores deep ties to its New York communities and their needs have resulted in numerous initiatives.  The store believes in “giving back” because it’s the right thing to do.  Annually, its foundation, Macy’s Inc., supports thousands of non-profit organizations which enrich the communities in which they do business and their customers work and live.  They have encouraged their customers to join them in giving back to the community through programs such as Shop for a Cause, Go Red, and A.H.A. Thanks for Caring. 

            Macy’s has also involved their employees in actively volunteering their time. Approximately one hundred and thirty thousand hours were volunteered through their Partners in Time program.  The contribution resulted in 2.4 million dollars for the charities Macy’s benefits.  Last year, Macy’s foundation, employees, and customers raised more than seventy four million dollars to benefit non-profit organizations.

             Macy’s is socially conscious as New York City takes initiatives towards sustainability, acting on behalf of our shared environment.  As a leading retailer, it is attempting to make a meaningful difference in improving the environment and to use our resources more efficiently.  Macy’s has put in place an aggressive campaign to eliminate wasteful behavior.  It is making conscious efforts to educate its employees on very simple changes they can make daily, from turning off lights, to printing fewer hard copies of e-mails, using mass transit, and using eco-friendly products.

            Macy’s has adopted the use of recycled paper bags, bio-degradable packing materials, and general recycled materials.  The store uses 48 million folding gift boxes and 255 million sheets of wrapping tissue yearly.  These are all being converted to 100% recycled material.  If other retailers followed Macy’s strategy, it would make an enormous impact to preserve and protect the environment.

*All facts and data were taken from www.macysinc.com