Macy’s is inviting you to hang out in its new Market. Southlake has the first one
When you pull up to the new Market by Macy’s in Southlake Town Square, you can’t help but feel directed to walk in.
The store entrance sits on a blunted corner, where Prospect and State streets meet, and when you walk through the door, you’re immediately greeted by the store employees — or as they’re officially known, storytellers — in a room of artfully arranged merchandise.
It’s a far cry from the overwhelming barrage of scents, sounds and sights you experience when you walk into a traditional Macy’s department store.
It’s all part of the vibe Market by Macy’s seeks to create with its visitors.
Most traditional department stores are built on efficiency: everything from the layout to the employees to the product selection are arranged in a way to help people get in and get out as quickly as possible.
But Market by Macy’s is the opposite. The store encourages people to come in and stay.
Rachel Shechtman is Macy’s chief brand experience officer, and she’s been behind the Market by Macy’s concept since the beginning.
“We believe that retail should tell a story and customers should find the joy in shopping,” she said. “Market by Macy’s is a community-driven destination where the Dallas-Fort Worth customer can shop, eat, drink, learn, relax, catch up with friends and so much more.”
Sips and nibbles
You realize this when you first walk in and on the right is a cafe called Herald. It’s laid out like a traditional cafe, with tables and barstools for people to sit and work quietly by themselves and also tables for larger groups to meet and hang out.
Herald serves all the caffeinated beverages people have come to expect, but it also serves local beer and wine. And the menu is an ode to local bites as well: the pastries come from Empire Baking Company and Candor Bread, both Dallas based companies. The smaller plates are a hat tip to Texas tastes, with pimento cheese, guacamole and Texas Caviar.
And lest you forget that you’re in a Macy’s store, you can buy almost everything you see at Herald. The plate your avocado toast was served on? You can buy it right then and there. The chair you’re sitting on? Absolutely. The cushion that makes your backside feel so comfy? No problem.
A community-driven experience
Once you leave Herald with a cup of coffee in hand, you’re free to browse the rest of the store, which is laid out much like a boutique. While traditional Macy’s department stores have options upon options upon options, Market by Macy’s instead offers a more edited selection of products, often ones that reflect the local community.
“We’re taking a community-centric approach to the merchandising, representing the unique nature of each community and the white space of the shopping environment surrounding Market by Macy’s,” Shechtman said.
You see this clearly at Getchell’s, the “apothecary” where Market by Macy’s offers different beauty products arranged by need rather than brand. It’s named for Margaret Getchell, the first woman to work at Macy’s in 1860. Taking a turn around Getchell’s feels like the exact opposite of stopping by a Sephora or Ulta or even the cosmetics counter at a normal Macy’s — here, you get the chance to shop by need rather than by brand.
Everything about Market by Macy’s is based on experiential retail. It’s encouraging people to come in, stay, connect with the storytellers and shop. In fact, the store is even hosting community events. On Monday, the store hosted a book club with “From Scratch” author Tembi Locke. Before that, there was a yoga day with a local yoga instructor. Future events include a dinner club with Urvashi Pitre, known as the “Butter-Chicken Lady,” and a wine club hosted at Herald.
More to come
The Southlake location of Market by Macy’s is the first one nationwide.
A second is coming to Fort Worth this summer in the WestBend development. The company also plans on bringing this concept elsewhere in Atlanta and Washington D.C.
The Market by Macy’s concept is one of the strategies the company is undertaking in the wake of its financial struggles. Most brick-and-mortar stores have struggled to adjust to the disruption of the internet, and Macy’s is no exception. Earlier this month the company announced it would close 125 stores and cut 2,000 corporate jobs.
But while Macy’s is closing under-performing, traditional department stores, it’s also doubling down on its Backstage concept (similar to chains like T.J. Maxx) and opening more of its Market stores.
“Market by Macy’s demonstrates Macy’s commitment to evolve and innovate retail with more experience-based concepts to drive customer engagement,” said Macy’s CEO Jeff Gennette in a statement. “Market by Macy’s will play an important role in our off-mall expansion. Our vision for Macy’s is to build an ecosystem that gives our customers easier and more convenient access to the fullness of the Macy’s brand, from online to offline, on-mall to off-mall, flagship to off-price.”
This story was originally published February 20, 2020 at 1:07 PM.
