Macy's planning big party

When Macy's opens its doors for business Saturday, it'll be dressed in its party clothes, serenaded, offering drinks and treats and games for the kids.

The host of the morning's events will be Macy's Northwest chairman and chief executive officer, Jeff Gennette.

"Utah is a very important market for us," Gennette told the Deseret Morning News in a phone interview from the division's headquarters in Seattle. "The Salt Lake market is a big opportunity for us, and I wanted to be there" for the official opening of Macy's in Utah.

Saturday is the big day when more than 400 former May Co. stores nationwide (which operated under the Meier & Frank brand in Utah) will open under the Macy's banner. Macy's parent company, Federated Department Stores, completed its $11 billion purchase of The May Co. in 2005. That acquisition doubled Federated's size to more than 800 stores.

Saturday morning's "Red Carpet & Ribbon-Cutting Celebration" will include remarks from Gennette, Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. and Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon. The event will feature cider, cake, live entertainment and activities for children.

More than that, though, Gennette said the event marks the beginning of what Macy's hopes will be a new and satisfying relationship for consumers looking for mid- and upscale clothes, shoes, accessories, gifts and the like. Which, according to Gennette, is something Meier & Frank didn't adequately provide in Utah.

"It's no secret that (Meier & Frank) was a more robust business when it was ZCMI," Gennette said. "Over the last five years, it diminished to a point where we believe we have a tremendous opportunity for growth."

Macy's has been out stumping hard in the run-up to Saturday's re-launch, promising noticeable improvements in the merchandise quality, presentation and service offered at its stores.

"We're a department store, but what Macy's really strives for is that our products are differentiated and unique," Gennette said. "Hopefully, customers who have been in our stores in the last few weeks have experienced an environment that was less cluttered, more easily navigated and discernible."

Macy's has "edited" its assortment of merchandise — the majority of which, including private labels, will be new to Meier & Frank faithful — to make shopping a "more inspiring" experience for customers, Gennette said.

And that merchandise will be tailored on a store-by-store basis to fit the needs of individual communities.