Macy's to Close Mpls HQ, Lay Off 950

The Strib reports that Macy's will consolidate its headquarters in New York, eliminating 950 HQ jobs from the Twin Cities. Apparently a cost-cutting measure, the company will now run the store from afar. I'm not sure what will happen to all that space on the 8th-11th floors of the building, but presumably some of it will be filled by regional hires Macy's will be making.

From the article:

Tyler Rosengren, 26, an advertising account executive from Minneapolis who frequently buys lunches at the downtown Macy's, said the loss of the headquarters represented "the final stage of a downward spiral away from the Dayton's days."

"It's been a long time since this store felt special," he said.

That's for sure.

Macy's has a right to run it's business as it sees fit, but Twin Cities shoppers also have a right to shop where they want. The abandonment of the Twin Cities market is just another nail in the coffin of the old-time department store, which doesn't seem to have much place in most people's lives these days.

Mine, for example: I would boycott Macy's, but how would they even be able to tell? I haven't purchased anything at a Macy's store since December, 2005.

14th Annual Twin Cities Food & Wine Experience, Feb. 21-24

Tickets are on sale for the 14th Annual Twin Cities Food & Wine Experience, the annual wine and food blowout at the Minneapolis Convention Center (with other associated events at local restaurants and at Macy's downtown). Events begin on Thursday, Feb. 21 and run through Sunday, Feb. 24. There will be chef demos (JD Fratzke, Nathalie Johnson, Scott Pampuch and others), wine seminars, and lots of other opportunities for doing it (and overdoing it). Two unfortunate notes: (1) the Friday night winemaker's dinner at Solera is already sold out, and (2) featured chef Rick Tramonto of Tru (Chicago), previously announced, will not be able to attend.