Farewell, Marshall Field's

The stretch of State Street in Chicago's downtown between Randolf Street and Monroe Street has always been the nucleus of the rivalry between the two dominant department stores in Chicagoland -- Marshall Field's and Carson Pirie Scott -- and the two chain's flag ships on that stretch of State Street has been an inseparable part of the downtown landscape for as long as most people can remember. Now, the generation-long rivalry has met an unexpectedly disappointing ending: Marshall Field's have been sold to the owners of Macy's, and it will officially be re-branded as Macy's starting tomorrow (link), and Carson Pirie Scott has announced the plans to vacate its downtown store (reporting weakened sales as main reasons) by Spring. (link)

The iconic Marshall Field's clock (immortalized in a Norman Rockwell painting) and the Louis Sullivan cast iron ornaments at Carson's will now become mere relics of 20th century vestige, and the spirit of the 20th century Chicago classics will now be replaced by the shinier, glitzier, New York City version.

Eventhough I've only been a resident here a short while, I am sorry to see these changes. No matter how hectic my business travels get, I always relish a commute to the Chicago downtown office in the rare occasions and I make it a point to walk past the State/Washington intersection (the site of now Macy's) to remind myself of the things I really like about living in Chicago. It's truly sad to see the Chicago institutions being edged out by ubiquitous names like Old Navy, Nordstrom Rack and Macy's.

Obviously, some share my sentiments, albeit in a quixotic expression. (link)