The May Department Stores Company Overview and History

The May Department Stores Company was founded in 1886 by David May in Denver, Colorado.

Its first store was a small dry goods store on 16th Street, which quickly grew into a successful business.

The company's early success was largely due to its focus on providing high-quality products at affordable prices.

May's innovative approach to retailing included offering a wide range of products, including clothing, home goods, and accessories.

By the early 20th century, May had expanded its operations to include several stores across the western United States.

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The May Department Stores Company has a rich history that spans over a century. The company was founded in 1877 by David May, who started a small dry goods store in St. Louis, Missouri.

One of the earliest expansions of the company occurred in 1911 when The Famous Clothing Store and The William Barr Dry Goods Company merged to create Famous-Barr. This marked the beginning of the company's growth into a major retail chain.

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In 1946, May acquired the Kaufmann's chain based in Pittsburgh, retaining it as a separate division. This acquisition helped the company expand its presence in the eastern United States.

The company continued to grow through strategic acquisitions, including the purchase of The Hecht Company of Baltimore in 1959 and the Meier & Frank chain based in Portland, Oregon in 1966. These acquisitions added new divisions to the company's portfolio.

Here's a list of some of the notable acquisitions made by the company:

These acquisitions helped the company establish itself as a major player in the retail industry, with a presence in multiple regions across the United States.

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The May Department Stores Company has a wide range of principal subsidiaries. May Capital, Inc. is one of them. May Centers Associates Corporation is another.

The company's headquarters is located at 611 Olive Street in St. Louis, Missouri. You can reach them at (314) 342–6300. They also have a fax number, (314) 342–4461, and a website at http://www.maycompany.com.

One of the notable subsidiaries is May Department Stores International.

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The May Department Stores Company made significant moves to maintain its market share in the 1980s, including the acquisition of Associated Dry Goods (ADG) for $2.5 billion in 1986, which brought in the Lord & Taylor chain, J.W. Robinson department stores, and Loehmann's off-price apparel shops.

The company also formed a 50-50 partnership with PruSimon, called May Centers Associates (MCA), and transferred its shopping center operations to MCA in 1987. May's chief benefit was to disengage from management functions unrelated to the stores, which increased in number with the acquisition of Filene's of Boston and Foley's of Houston in 1988 for $1.5 billion.

May's acquisition spree continued in the 1990s, with the company acquiring stores around the country and consolidating them into one of May's own companies, depending on the geographic region. This aggressive expansion strategy included acquiring ten Hess's in Pennsylvania and New York in 1994, and 16 Wanamaker and Woodward & Lothrop stores in Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. in 1995.

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In the early 1900s, Famous-Barr was formed in 1911 through the merger of The Famous Clothing Store and The William Barr Dry Goods Company.

May Department Stores started to expand its operations, and by 1923, May had acquired A. Hamburger & Sons Company in Los Angeles, renaming it May Company California.

May continued to grow, and in 1946, the company acquired the Kaufmann's chain based in Pittsburgh, retaining it as a separate division.

Here's a brief timeline of May's early expansions:

David's grandson Morton May became the chairman in 1951 and headed the company for 16 years.

In 1998, May acquired The Jones Store chain based in Kansas City, Missouri, expanding its reach even further. This acquisition was a strategic move to increase market share.

May's aggressive expansion continued throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s. The company acquired several prominent department store chains, including Strawbridge's in 1996 and Thalhimers in 1990.

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In 2004, May Department Stores took over the Marshall Field's chain from Target Corporation, solidifying its position in the market. This acquisition was a significant move, adding to May's existing portfolio of department store chains.

Here's a list of some of the notable acquisitions made by May during this period:

By the early 2000s, May had established itself as a major player in the retail industry, with a strong presence in multiple regions across the country.

The Federated merger had a significant impact on the retail landscape. In 2005, Federated Department Stores, Inc. acquired the May company for $11 billion in stock.

This acquisition marked the beginning of the end for the May company's regional nameplates. By September 2006, most of the May regional nameplates had ceased to exist, with the exception of Lord & Taylor.

The consolidation of operations under the Macy's mastheads was a key part of the merger. This included the rebranding of stores under the Macy's name, as well as the sale of some locations to other retailers.

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Here's a list of some of the department stores that were converted to Macy's:

The sale of Lord & Taylor to a group of investors in 2006 marked the end of the May company's presence in the retail market.

The May Department Stores Company was a retail giant that operated in the United States from 1881 to 2005. It was founded by David May in Denver, Colorado.

The company was known for its innovative approach to retail, introducing the first self-service store in the United States in 1911. This change in retail strategy allowed customers to browse and select products on their own, revolutionizing the way people shopped.

May Department Stores Company's flagship store, Famous-Barr, was a popular destination for shoppers in St. Louis, Missouri, where it was founded in 1867. The store's iconic clock tower became a landmark in the city.

By the 1990s, May Department Stores Company had expanded to become one of the largest retailers in the United States, with over 4,000 stores across the country.

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In the mid-1980s, May's market share was threatened by warehouse stores and off-price outlets.

May acquired Associated Dry Goods (ADG) in 1986 for $2.5 billion, gaining quality department store chains like Lord & Taylor and Loehmann's off-price apparel shops.

May formed a 50-50 partnership with PruSimon in 1987, called May Centers Associates (MCA), transferring its shopping center operations to the new partnership.

The partnership was formed with PruSimon paying $550 million in cash for its share, allowing May to disengage from unrelated management functions.

May continued to expand, acquiring Filene's of Boston and Foley's of Houston in 1988 for $1.5 billion.

Loehmann's was sold in 1988, and May attempted to sell the Caldor chain for nearly $600 million, but was unable to reach the asking price.

May sold the Caldor unit to Odyssey Partners L.P. and spun off Venture to shareholders in 1990.

That same year, May acquired Thalhimers, a 26-store group based in Richmond, Virginia, helping its sales surpass $10 billion.

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In 2005, Federated Department Stores acquired May for $11 billion in stock, folding all of May's divisions into its various Macy's branches.

This marked a significant shift in the retail landscape, as many beloved brand names disappeared from the scene.

Federated sold off three former May chains: David's Bridal, Lord & Taylor, and Priscilla of Boston.

Here's a summary of the key events that took place in 2005 and 2006:

In the mid-1980s, a significant threat to market share emerged in the form of warehouse stores and off-price outlets.

May's answer to this challenge was the 1986 acquisition of Associated Dry Goods (ADG) at a cost of $2.5 billion.

This acquisition brought May the quality Lord & Taylor chain, J.W. Robinson department stores, L.S. Ayres units, Caldor discount operations, and Loehmann’s off-price apparel shops.

May continued to operate each chain independently, just like its other subsidiaries.

In 1987, May formed a 50-50 partnership with PruSimon, called May Centers Associates (MCA), which transferred its shopping center operations to MCA.

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PruSimon paid $550 million in cash for its share of the partnership, a significant investment in May's shopping center operations.

May's focus on upscale department stores led to the acquisition of Filene’s of Boston and Foley’s of Houston in 1988 for $1.5 billion.

The company then decided to narrow its retailing focus and discontinue its discount operations, starting with the sale of Loehmann’s in 1988.

May was unable to reach its asking price of almost $600 million for Caldor, which was sold to an investor group in 1988.

The company spun off Venture to shareholders in a tax-free distribution in 1990, and also acquired Thalhimers, a 26-store group based in Richmond, Virginia, that same year.

May's sales surpassed $10 billion with the acquisition of Thalhimers.

The May Department Stores Company operates a vast network of department stores and shopping centers across the United States. The company has a significant presence in 43 states, with nearly 600 retail outlets.

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May's expansion efforts began in the late 19th century, with the purchase of the Famous Department Store in St. Louis, Missouri in 1892 for $150,000. In 1905, the company moved its headquarters to St. Louis, where it remained until the 1990s.

May Centers was a key part of the company's operations, handling the purchase of land and construction of buildings for new department stores. The company's entry into the shopping center development business began in 1947 with the construction of the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza in Los Angeles.

Here are some of the notable department store chains operated by May Department Stores:

The May Department Stores Company operates a diverse range of department store chains, with a total of 11 chains under its umbrella. This includes the well-known names of Lord & Taylor, Robinson’s-May, Kaufmann’s, Foley’s, Filene’s, Hecht’s, Meier & Frank, Strawbridge’s, L.S. Ayres, The Jones Store, and Famous-Barr.

With a presence in 43 states, May has nearly 600 retail outlets across the country. This extensive network allows the company to reach a wide customer base and establish itself as a major player in the retail industry.

May’s portfolio also includes David’s Bridal, the largest retailer of wedding apparel and accessories in the United States. This acquisition has further solidified May’s position as a leading retailer in the country.

The company's diverse range of department store chains allows it to cater to different customer segments and preferences. From upscale department stores like Lord & Taylor to more affordable options like Hecht’s, May has something for everyone.

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May Centers was a major shopping center and mall developer, having started in 1947 with the construction of the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza in Los Angeles.

The company began developing new malls to house their department stores after entering the open-air shopping center development business. May Centers was a key part of May Department Stores' expansion strategy.

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In the mid-1980s, May Department Stores noticed that their stock was vastly undervalued and at risk of a hostile takeover. To address this issue, they made a deal with Prudential Insurance in 1985, which gave May $550 million in exchange for 50% ownership of May Centers.

This deal significantly impacted the company, leading to Prudential purchasing the rest of May Centers in 1992 and renaming it CenterMark.

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