First of all thank you for this site! My family has lived and shopped at Marshall Field's since 1880. I was in Field's on Monday, August 29, at the State Store, and from what I hear from the associates who have spoken to the Store Manager, the chances of changing the name seem less and less. They also told me that several people have asked if the store has anywhere set aside for signing a petition or registering complaints, or providing questionnaire feedback to Federated. What astounded me is ALL of them have said Federated IS NOT sending in questionnaires or asking for feedback from Chicagoans or Illinoisans as a whole. Federated is working outside the state on this. IF the name change occurs and you see them getting ready to replace the name on State Street, or God forbid close it, you will see protests to rival those of the 1968 Democratic Convention held in Chicago. Thank you again for this site. -John

Marshall Field's is...community, history and tradition. I grew up with a Macy's and all my life never thought there was anything special or even interesting about department stores. Then, 10 years ago I moved to Chicago. I quickly realized that the store was irrevocably tied in to Chicago's history and its people, and that it was something special to residents who shopped there--more than a store or a famous name, Marshall Fields was an institution. I even got to liking it myself, around Christmastime when I was looking at the displays or shopping for the right shoes to go with my wedding dress--or learning at the Frank Lloyd Wright Home & Studio in Oak Park about how Wright and his family shopped there and his son, a toy designer, created Lincoln Logs for Marshall Fields. I think it's a shame that my son, who is 9 weeks old, might never get to know what a Marshall Fields is, in the face of increasing homogenization of brand names, services and retail thanks to companies like Federated. -Helen, Glenview IL

Marshall Field's is...my store, but it also makes Minneapolis a unique city; it has carried on the Dayton's traditions I think about as well as a department store could, given the changing times and economics. It is part of the fabric of our lives in this city. I am proud that it is headquartered here and like to show off the Downtown Minneapolis store to visitors. It's actually humorous when my friends from both left and right coasts come-----they have no idea we have something so special here. Then they see Macy's at MOA-----yawn. I have shopped the Downtown since high school and have always been taken care of properly---even when their carpet layers messed up my freshly painted walls! They quickly diffuesed the situation and simply made it such that the next time I need carpet, I know I will probably just get it there since I know if there is any problem at all, it will be taken care of. I am deeply touched by their commitment to Minneapolis: the Frank Lloyd Wright Third Ave Bridge, the Annual Day of Music, Glamorama, constant contribtuions to the Guthrie/Walker/Art Institute/Science Museum, etc----a whole book could be written about the Dayton family traditions being continued by Marshall Fields. Obviously, Federated does not understand what they are buying. -James N, Uptown Minneapolis

I'm from NYC and I marched in the 1989 T'giving Parade ... and I'm still disgusted by the possibility that Macy's corp would change MF's name. -Mary

"Give the Lady what she wants." It would be a shame to lose the Marshall Field's Brand! I am a student of retail and brand evolution, having worked for some of the leading retail, consumer and fashion brand companies (e.g., Limited Brands, PepsiCo, Polo Ralph Lauren and May Company). Over the past 15 years, the retail landscape has changed dramatically. Brand consolidation has made many companies more efficient, but has also caused a pervasive sameness both in (and off)the mall. Famous-Barr and other regional May stores can just as easily become Macy's, but Marshall Fields has a distinctive brand position and a place in the hearts and minds of consumers, particularly in Chicago. Federated management would be wise to maintain this brand and elevate it to new levels. It would be better for consumers, Marshall Fields associates, the mall environment AND Federated shareholders. -Steve, Nashville TN

Marshall Field's is...internationally known. Two weeks ago I hosted visitors from South America. I took them to the State Street store. After a while there, they must have realized where they really were and they asked to wee the Walnut Room. When I asked how they knew about the Walnut Room the answer was, "from Danielle Steele's novels." The State Stree store is a part of popular literature and internationally known. As long as it stands, the State Street store must be known as Marshall Fields. -Marian, Merrilville IN

When I went to London last fall, it was the first time I saw a department store even come close to having the originality and character that defines Marshall Field's. Having grown up in Minneapolis, I took for granted that Dayton's would always be there, in my community. A place to shop, and to meet up with family and friends. A place where people had great pride in shopping and working. When the name switched to Marshall Field's, I wasn't too phased because I knew they operated under the same umbrella (Dayton's, Hudson's and MF). Even now, Marshall Field's means being active in our community! It means innovative store displays and fun events (like the Old-Fashioned Sales and Glamorama). If Federated chooses to convert our beloved Marshall Field's into a Macy's - they can kiss a ton of their customers good bye. There is a rich tradition here as well as in Chicago and Detriot, and to take that away would be detrimental - to Federated's profits. I don't shop at Macy's at the Mall of America or any other city I visit. Even if everything stayed the same but the moniker, many people judge a book by it's cover - or feel a deep loyalty to the local store - a Macy's wouldn't work here. Federated - take a que from us - convert some of your other stores to Marshall Field's! Think about the new memories that could be made!!! Expand our favorite store instead of converting it! -Tori, Minneapolis

Marshall Field's is...I moved to Chicago and then Minnesota during my college years. Coming from Omaha, I had never seen a store that actually meant something. The "Dayton's Rage" in Minnesota confused me until I started working for Field's and realized that the name of a store connected so strongly with people if it was a store they cared about. Field's covers sucha huge market range, from the luxury goods at State Street, Water Tower, and Minneapolis, to the everyday prices at Maplewood and Rosedale. MF Gives is a huge part of the community (particularly in Chicago) I have faith that Federated will undo a lot of the damage that May has done in the last year (ask any MF team member what has changed in the past 12 months, it's terrifying). The only mistake that I see Federated wandering into is changing the beloved name and wiping out all the tradition that Field's represents. I can only hope that Federated's board can remember the words of Marshall Field himself... "Give the lady what she wants" -Nick, St. Paul MN

Marshall Field's is...Tradition, customer loyalty, long time customer relationships, theater and drama in store environment, retail at it's absolute best!Better then Neimans! In the Midwest-Chicago and Wauwatosa..no body cares about the macy's-Federated name. It's all about Field's! -Chris, Wauwatosa WI

The heart and soul of one of America's greatest cities. It's both upscale and democratic, it's stylish and subdued, it is basically, Chicago, Midwestern. The name is connected with the building. Changing the State Street Store to Macy's would be akin to changing Harrod's to Printemps. - Bill, Chicago/Seoul

Marshall Field's is... an institution....a tradition...a part of my families life. Dining at the Walnut room, walking the State Street archives, admiring the Tiffany dome, all make our frequent family trips to Chicago memorable. In Minneapolis, it's the Oak Grill, the incredible auditorium events to the glamour and sophistication of Glamorama. Please do not take away these events or our store. My family here in Minneapolis, Chicago and the UK will cease our shopping if Marshall Field's store become Macys. We miss our Dayton's...But, please don't take our Field's away! -Pamela, Saint Louis Park MN

Marshall Field's is CHICAGO! Marshall Field's has a special place in this city and more vital than those other brands in other middle-sized cities. The traditions of the windows on State Street and the Walnut room are especially precious during Christmas, and it will spoil the experience with MACY's on anything CHICAGO. The green bags always meant that I bought something of high quality. Let's face it, New York is wonderful and it has Macys. Chicago was the FIRST and it is Marshall Fields. -Paul, Chicago IL

If you change Field's to Macy's, either in name or in concept....I'm off to Nordstrom in a flash. The Macy's in the Mall of America is a mess. -Mary, Minneapolis

Marshall Field's is...Dayton's and Hudson's and all the history we as a community in the upper midwest have built together.I don't know how much more the emplyees and the communities can take. Maybe the dollar is mightier than all but that would be a truely sad thing. I have worked for the company for 3 1/2 years and we have been through so much. The name change to Marshall Field's, being sold by Target, a company founded by Dayton's, and then to be sold again to Federated. Another name change would be the final nail in the coffin of how we differentiate ourselves from everyother store out there. Marshall Field's is unique. Here is a last thought. Why not grow the Marshall Field's brand instead of losing it by becoming Macy's? We already have a fabulous start. - Rebecca, St. Paul MN

Marshall Field's is...a tradition of the finest department store which became an icon in Chicago and then in Minneapolis. I lived in Chicago as a child and later as a young adult, so I have many memories of the State Street store - its good service and friendly staff, special merchandise, lunch in the Walnut Room, standing under the clock etc. My mother lived there from 1949 until shortly before she died in 1996. She "loved" Marshall Field's and shopped there often - both at State Street and on Michigan Avenue. She could not believe it when Daytons bought Marshall Field's, but she was glad to see the quality and service continue.
The name Marshall Field's not only invokes good memories, but it also honors the founder, a man who brought good merchandising and creative design together with customer satisfaction in many areas. Since moving to Minnesota in 1954 our family has appreciated the fine merchandise and special service that we have received at Marshall Field's either downtown or in one of the "Dales." Please keep the name intact for all of us - either in Minnesota or Chicago! -Dorothy C., Minneapolis

Marshall Field's is...the first place we went to just this past weekend as we spent a 'fun' weekend in Chicago. Even though I live in Mpls, the State Street gave me the Marshall Field 'Fix' I needed. It is a beautiful store, much like the downtown Mpls store only larger. Even though I, like so many others, miss and loved the Dayton's name I have gotten used to it. In fact, we just bought almost $7,000 dollars worth of furniture a year ago, all from Field's. I don't know that I could accept a 3rd name in such a short time. Yes, I realize that even though they MAY keep the Marshall Field name, I assume that Federated will continue to consolidate their buying offices. I hope they don't and I hope that they maintain the quality of service and the level of community giving that makes me proud of my Dayton's...Field's store! J., Minneapolis

Marshall Field's is...MY CHICAGO!! I lived in Chicago for several years and LOVED discovering ALL THAT FIELDS IS and all that it means to Chicago and all the tradition and history that is embued within its identity!! I have recently returned to greater Chicago and that means a return to Field's. THERE IS NO STORE THAT CAN COMPARE to State street, but ANY Field's store is special and DIFFERENT and is my CHOICE for retail shopping. THERE is NOTHING, including 5th avenue in NYC, that can compare to Field's during the holiday season - there is NO where else to shop for Christmas in this world than State street! I LOVE Marshall Field's ! I would not return if it were no longer and would change to other outlets should Field's go away. I would likely avoid Macy's and Bloomingdales both. There are still OTHER options. Dining under the tree at Christmas on the seventh floor -- or just enjoying the main restaurant at ANY time is WONDERFUL. The level of service, the selection, the FEEL of Field's, it is NOT able to be reproduced.No other store feels like Field's.
Field's is Singular. Field's is genteel, swank, dignified. Field's has Panache, Personality, Class. Field's stands ALONE as a reminder of what things Used to be. It is Superb. It has no equal. It is all of these things and remains Welcoming to everyone and it is a shining example of excellence.
I Love it! -William, Merrillville IL

Marshall Field's is...HOME. In 1943, Marshall Field's in downtown Chicago created my grandmother's wedding dress in just one week's time. It was war time, and my grandfather had just received notice that he was to deploy to Europe as a bombardier. As long as there wasn't a funeral on Saturday, they were to be married that weekend. During this frenzy, Marshall Field's was there, exemplifying its commitment to exceptional service. The dress was beautiful, as was the bride, and there was never a doubt that Field's could make any dream come true. Over 60 years later, my wedding dress was purchased from Field's. The service from the bridal boutique was exceptional. There was a bit of a scare as the bridal salon shifted ownership in 2002, and no one knew its fate. Nevertheless, the salon staff assured me that no matter the status of the bridal salon, and no matter what happened, Marshall Field's would always be there. Marshall Field's would always take care of me, because Marshall Field's always stood by their brides. Much like their brides, Marshall Field's has always stood by their customers. After growing up in Chicago, I now live in Maryland. There are Macy's and Bloomingdale's in this area, a dime a dozen. Neither store is anything to write home about. The merchandise is overpriced, the staff is obnoxious, and the overall atmosphere leaves a lot to be desired. But I can assure you that the first place I visit when I go home is always Marshall Field's. To me it's home, to so many others, it's home. Apart from my family, it's the thing I miss most. Chicago has already endured the Frango fiasco, and of course Fannie May. Let's not take another icon out of Chicago in the name of corporate greediness. Let's preserve our history and our memories and keep it Marshall Field's. -Joanna, Silver Spring MD

Marshall Field's is...a part of my family's history. My grandfather was contracted by Marshall Field's to produce alot of their original wood display cases and other wood portions of the original architecture in the building. He was very proud to be here in America and doing work at such a great company. The display cases are long gone, but when I walk into Marshall Field's downtown, I can't help but look at the history display and feel the pride my grandfather felt. Nothing can replace Marshall Fields to the people of Chicago...nothing...and if you try, the customers will resent you because a part of their heritage is being taken away too. - Valerie, Cary IL

Marshall Field's is...a fond memory of my grandmother who died in 1994. Going to Field's to sit by the Christmas tree was the highlight of our holiday. We had to order Welsh Rarebit, which of course I thought was Welsh Rabbit. As I got older I realized that an elderly aunt from California would buy souvenirs at Woolworths, buy something small at Marshall Field's, then place the Woolworth's items in the Field's bag to bring to her friends back home...that green bag and name meant that much to everyone in the country. We've lost the name of many of our traditions, Comiskey Park, the Auditorium. Please don't take our Field's from us. Macy's means nothing to us midwesterners. -Holly, Naperville IL

Marshall Field's is... christmas, green bags, the CLOCK, GREAT service, "Give the Lady What She Wants", the Walnut Room, the 28 shop,a contributor to the Field Museum and Shedd aquarium, the first Department store to install escalators, the best windows, special white boxes and fabulous green bags, gift registry, a wonderful memory, a special store. Macy's is a great store too, but it's never going to be Marshall Field's. Please let us keep our legacy... -Casey, Naperville IL

Marshall Field's has always been a destination for us when we came to Chicago. They provide the exceptional customer service you would expect from an exclusive department store, which is unique in the retail market today. The history of the Field's name far outweighs anything that Federated could possibly achieve by changing this to Macy's. I was born and raised on the J. L. Hudson name and the standards that they provided, and Marshall Field's has even a longer history than Hudson's did. I can safely say that the if the name is changed I will never set foot in a Macy again, and I am not the only consumer that feels this way. Can Federated really afford to lose those people who feel so strongly about a regional department store. History really does mean something to the people in the Midwest, and it is fairly obvious that it doesn't to Mr. Lundgren. -Susan, Indianapolis IN

Marshall Field's is... CHICAGO. Change it and see what happens. Your sales will drop faster than a baseball players home run count after quitting steroids.-Jaime, Palos Hills IL

Marshall Field's is the epitome of what department stores should be. I sorely miss Marshall Field's now that I have relocated to the West Coast. Although Macy's West is considerably better than Macy's East stores, it still does not measure up in any way to Marshall Field's. In particular, Macy's home, shoe and handbag/accessories departments are significantly lacking when compared to Field's. It is a sad occasion that Marshall Field's is no longer a regional chain. At least keep the name and let us all pretend that Field's still is a regionally tailored home grown department store. -Anne, San Francisco CA

Marshall Field's is... TRUST!
To me, it means history, tradition, quality, and mid-western/home-town class. It represents the local flavor at a high-end that really cannot be duplicated by another outside organization hailing from another area, etc... Marshall Fields was the place where we could see Santa Clause as a child, and that type of relationship has brought me to a trust that encourages me to bring my large value, high quality purchases through their door. Marshall Field's means the mid-west to me. And not a "farm" type of mid-west, but sophisticated tastes done in a manner I feel comfortable with. It is a rallying place for those of us who grew up in this area and remain here. It is a haven, a home. It is local comfort. Bob, St. Paul MN

Marshall Field's is...endless memories from when I was a child to my adult life. I go to Marshall Field's first even for my most basic needs.
When my husband and I had our first date , we ate at the Walnut Room, and have made it a tradition with his family to spend every Christmas going to the Walnut Room to have breakfast under the tree. Michael and I plan on continuing the tradition by bringing our son there as well to meet Santa. When it was time for us to get married, I looked to Marshall Field's first for my all wedding needs. I found everything a bride could need all in one day. When it was time for my son's baptism, I found his outfit at Marshall Field's. The quality at other stores didn't even compare to that of Field's. When I needed to find a gallery to display my photography work, Marshall Field's took me in and I have had much success through them. When our boss thanked us for a job well done, the entire team received frangos and gift certificates - from Field's, which I took my mom shopping with. When it was time for my lunch break, I would often walk down State Street and go into Field's. Once, I even saw Elizabeth Hurley promoting Estee Lauder's perfume, Intuition. I have many fond memories of Marshall Field's, and as you can see, Field's has a special meaning to me as I am sure it does to many other people in their own individual way. Chicago w/o Field's wouldn't be the same. Marshall Field, the man and the company has given so much to Chicago. So as Marshall Field used to say, "Give The Lady What She Wants!". Please keep the Marshall Field name. -Joann, Bolingbrook IL

Marshall Field's is... Tradition. History. Chicago. Community. Excellent products at good prices. Family togetherness.... Especially at Christmas. Marshall Field's is part of Chicago, and not only Chicago natives know this... There are movies that utilize Marshall Fields. For me it is Christmas breakfast under the tree, the Walnut room, cherished childhood toys, and cherished gifts and goods that I enjoy everyday now..... The windows on State, My wife and I's first date, loving memories with family members now gone. Dark Green bags being carried on the streets of downtown Chicago. Warm familiarity with a store name even when browsing in outlying malls. In a day and age of conglomeration, streamlining, and downsizing, please don't allow the destruction of this keystone in Chicago's history. The name of Marshall Field's is an asset, not a liability. For many this store carries fond memories, and even is considered a family meeting location, not just a store.-Michael, Chicago

Marshall Field's is more upscale than Macy's. To turn a Marshall Fields into Macy's would be a downgrade. There used to be two Marshall Fields where I used to live in Columbus, Oh. I liked the one downtown especially. Then Kaufmann's took over both stores, now Macy's is taking over and closing stores in three area malls... Gowing up in Ohio meant shopping Lazarus. But now Lazarus is gone, changed to Macy's. Now all Ohio-founded stores are gone. Federated may be based in Ohio, but its stores say NYC all over them. Since moving to Houston, I got used to shopping at Foley's. Since then, I've always liked and bought more from Foley's than Macy's. So, one company, Federated, has killed off about a dozen local names, for a New York name! Sad, sad, sad. NYC is a fine city, but the whole country doesn't need to be one giant retailed-to-death NYC. Ohio, Texas, and Chicago stores mean something too. I hate to see individuality fading in favor of corporate greed, store closures, names lost, and more. Soon, all malls will be Macy's, JC Penny, Sears, and the "evil empire" Wal-mart. -Kirk, Houston TX

Marshall Field's is.......the reason I am a successful interior store planner for a large retail chain. As a child, Field's was going through its major renovations in the late 1980's. The stores looked awesome, with bright spotlights, crystal looking lensed fluorescent lighting, awesome store displays, wood and marble flooing and many other design features that really made me get excited about design. Also, I have many memories, like all of you have, of the wonderful feelings at Christmas time in a Field's store. Whenever I go to a new town in the Midwest, I have to check the Field's store out.....it is a sense of comfort to me. I don't know what I would do without it. If the name changes to Macy's, I think I will never step foot in their door again....either at State Street or any of the regional mall stores in the Midwest. The day the name changes, I will be cutting up my credit card for Field's as well. I may sound calm and collective in this e mail, but truthfully I am extremely angry and dissapointed with Federated. They are causing homoginization of our country. But I will be the one laughing when Lundgren announces he has to close all the Macy's in the Chicago area for lack of sales. It will be a bittersweet laugh, but it will be a great " I TOLD YOU SO!" I should let you all know how rotten Federated is....I contacted their corporate office so that I could be included in the Survey Lundgren keeps talking about in the news.....and they never returned my 5 phone calls....what a way to run a company.....that would never happen at my retail company....we kiss our customers' rear ends.... -Joseph, Chicago

Marshall Field's is...my favorite store. My grandmother worked there 60 years ago. I shopped for my back to school clothes and Christmas presents there in grade school, high school and college. Every time I return to Chicago I go there to buy something because there are no Marshall Field's here in California. There are Macy's everywhere - such a boring store! Marshall Field's is unique. -Barbara, San Diego CA

Marshall Field's is...It just IS. Leave it alone. The econmic impact that will bring your company down because you couldn't fill the state street store with the fine merchandise that they now have and you couldn't draw the customers. I have been to your tacky stores here in California, after you took over another store, and it is sad. You want money flowing....Keep your mitts off of Field's. -Cynthia, Cypress CA

Marshall Field's is...the spirit of Chicago. It's "Meet me under the clock!" It's going to look at the window decorations during the Christmas season and then having lunch in the Walnut Room. It's Mr. Field himself proclaiming, "Give the lady what she wants!" It's State Street. It's the name of a world class museum (would they have to change their name to the Macy Museum of Natural History as well?). It's the color green. It's a destination. It's a venerated Chicago institution! -Mike, Chicago IL

America's Icon to Department Store Retailing. It is Americana as the brand name of Macy's & Bloomingdales, Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman. It means quality, class, savy, luxury, and history. A name plate that definds "Chicago" and the reaches well beyond it's brick and morter locations. A name plate that deserves to be saved, built upon and expanded. A banner worth fighting for and preserving!! Hopefully Marshall Field's will not just become a memory like Frederick & Nelson, The Bon Marche, Meier and Frank, Bullocks Wilshire, Robinson's, The Broadway, and all the other name plates that will disappear in merger to create another national department store chain. We have Penny's, Wal-Mart & Sears Kamart for our "homoginizing" the American retail sector. -Stan, Seattle WA

Marshall Field's is the most beautiful store I have ever seen. My mother took me there weekly as a toddler and I have continued the tradition with my nieces. It was the first store they entered at 6 months of age. Just last week, I was in the State Street store and had to turn back to look at its beauty - and probably look back at my memories too. Marshall Field is synonymous with Chicago. No other name would have the same meaning. Just look at its resurrection following the Great Chicago Fire. -Donna, Chicago

Marshall Field's is has been a tradition in my family for 5 generations. When my 11 year old granddaughter was visiting from Texas, I mentioned that the news had just announced the sale of MF&Co. She wailed, "What will happen to the Walnut Room" It is an icon of Chicago. NEVER, NEVER change the name. -Rosemary, Chicago

Marshall Field's is... tradition, community, world class service, elegance, heritage, a good friend, the holidays. In a world that moves so fast (15 minutes of fame!!) and everything is so disposable, these are important qualities to hold on to. Field's represents a more elegant and gentler time that we keep in our hearts and remember at special times. It represents the pioneering spirit and individuality. We lost Dayton's, we don't want the same to happen to Field's!! Why does everything and everyone have to look the same? Part of the fun of travelling to a different city was for the uniqueness of the stores. There was individuality reflected in the different regions of the country. Macy's and Bloomies are not our stores - they are generic and ho hum and say "commodity". If the Marshall Field's name goes away, my credit card gets cut up and will not be renewed as a Macy's or Bloomingdale's card. I don't like them. There are other places to shop - and this girl likes to shop. Don't kill tradition for the sake of the bottom line!! Let the Marshall Field's executives and staff continue to do the great job they have been doing - let them and Marshall Field's keep bringing us the quality and uniqueness and creativity they are known for. -Vicki, Minneapolis MN

Marshall Field's is Chicago! Just as Macy's is New York, and Neiman-Marcus is Dallas. Potter Palmer and the Marshall Field's story is as much a part of Chicago as Mrs. O'Leary's cow. Changing the name would be akin to changing the name of Coke. I hope this is all just a major marketing ploy to generate interest in Marshall Field's rather than a real concern. The executives should read the fabulous book GIVE THE LADY WHAT SHE WANTS on the history of retailing, and Marshall Field's in Chicago, and they would never consider such a ludicrous idea. I'd hate to make the declaration that I would never set foot in the State Street store again if the name is changed (I'd miss going there so much!) but I might consider it. It definitely would not be the same. -Barb, Wilmette IL

Marshall Field's is... a Chicago institution, landmark and gathering place. The Marshall Field's name itself evokes a wider range of images of Chicago - from retail giants to holiday traditions - than perhaps any single entity. Change its name, and it's like moving the Green Bay Packers to Northern Illinois and changing the name - then telling the fan base you were trying to relocate more centrally for them and that the players are still the same. Or how about changing the name of Wrigley Field? I'm a lifelong passionate Cubs fan but would be LESS UPSET by that. How would New Yorkers feel about changing the name of the Empire State Building? Sorry, but his goes beyond the too easy parallel of chaging the name of Macy's. That store may leave a stronger national imprint, but Field's has stronger local brand appeal. If the name is changed, the message the new store will be sending is that it's time to move on. And if that's the case, the new store will have to go to the end of a long line of great Chicago stores which I'll be frequenting first (you may note the Des Moines address, but I spend 20-25 days a year in Chicago). It won't matter if the Field's traditions stay with the new name. It won't be the same. -Gregory, Des Moines IA

Marshall Field's is...going to the walnut room with my mom and having her reminise about going with her mom and then going with my mom and my kids ... it's the gold string we have to use with our thanksgiving turkey or it doesn't turn out right ... it's wedding presents and santa at christmas ... it's lunch in the basement ... it's chicago and shouldn't change. -Carol

Marshall Field's is... tradition, childhood memories, family time.... Please, respect our tradition.... I'm currently a trainer for Marshall Fields... every time I play the "Marshall Field's Tradition" video for new team members, chills run up and down my body... Our tradition is EVERYTHING. Please respect that... Macy's is a great store, I love it and have enjoyed shopping there but, it's not Marshall Field's. Go, Be Great, Be Green. - Laura, Naperville IL

Marshall Field's is...history. I am an architect, and I adore cities. Each city has its unique story and history and 'feel', The State St. store in downtown Chicago is a landmark building - no less a landmark is the Marshall Field's name in the city's history and in our collective imagination. Did you know that Marshall Field was an early innovator in newspaper advertising? He used the many local papers in Chicago and suburbs to advertise the shopping experience at his store. As Thorstein Veblen said -- 'newspapers are the streetcars of the mind' - so we all came -- generation after generation, on the 'L' to shop at Fields. With the loss of the name, much more is lost than a mere 'branding opportunity' -- what is lost is the connection to peoples' soul and remembrances -- much of what is chronicled on this website. My mother, a native Chicagoan, took me to buy my new school clothes every hot late Ausgust on State st. Then a return visit to see the Christmas tree in the Walnut Room in December and buy the most 'special' of Christmas presents for family and friends...and frangos! They mean Crhistmas Eve dinner -- after dinner treats for us kids -- and so much more. But these are only my memories -- multiply by thousands upon thousands, and you can see the essence and importance of Fields. I will NOT shop in a Macy's. Never. I will praise to the skies any organization that maintains the name of Fields for future generations. Cities are important to our cultural history. Help preserve what is unique and special to each and every one. Long live Fields!!!!! -Diane, Chicago

Marshall Field's is...my coming-of-age milestone. Growing up in rural Illinois, we would visit my grandparents in Wheaton and invariably end up at Field's. Mom would bring her mink there to store it - I remember trailing behind my mother and grandmother with their furs each spring, and returning in October to claim them. I loved just being along for the ride. Our best Christmas presents came in green boxes (each year we reuse the ones with the hard sides that don't collapse, and they are still the best to wrap!) When I moved to Chicago after college and was scraping by and paying off debts, I would wander through Field's and look forward to the day when it would be my main shopping destination. It happened soon afterwards - my first Field's card (I am a 4th generation cardholder) was warmed up by buying a mattress and all of my bedding, and I loved coming home for Christmas with a car full of green bags. I had truly graduated to adult status. It is a family tradition for Chicagoans and Midwesterners alike - and we won't settle for anything less than the Field's experience. Leave the homogenization of America to Wal-Mart. Marshall Field & Company is more than a name - it is a symbol of the Midwestern values of courtesy, quality, and good value. -Andy, Davenport IA

Marshall Field's is... the very essence of my hometown. It takes it's name from a family that invested in the city and helped make it great. It'a a City of Big Shoulders legacy that New York-based executives couldn't possibly understand. Will the over-reaching Federated Corporation soon have me promising my children trips to the Macy Museum? Will I have to wax rhapsodic about the velvet smoothness of Macy's Mints? (They'll probably screw up the Frango formula and soon enough we'll be writing in about that.) Will they take away the context of my childhood memories of grand Christmas window displays and extravagant Santas? I can't belive that the fate of OUR treasure is in the fate of people who can't tell...it from Shinola. Less a memory, more of a complaint, but I'm having a moment. -Michele, Los Angeles CA

Marshall Field's is...that place indelibly fixed in our family's history. We were so young and a judge married us in City Hall just at noon time and my train to be shipped away was loading in 90 minutes. So we had our wedding lunch in the Walnut Room and off I went to come back 2 years later. Twenty years on our daughter wanted orange gloves for college. We searched the whole town and finally on the mannikin, at Fields of course, the gloves. They took them off the mannikin and made her so happy. Fields is Chicago; Chicago is fields. - A., Glencoe IL

Marshall Field's is...shopping as a very young child for special occasions with my Grandmother, the Walnut room at Christmas with my siblings and later in life for a weekly lunch with a colleague, "Marshall Field's green", learning how to get around the Loop by referring to everything as "x blocks from the Marshall Field's clock", Frango easter eggs (well, Frango anything all year long!), a store where I gladly spent my hard earned money and felt compelled to do so on a quite regular basis, and a cultural icon representative of the past and evolving future of life in Chicago and suburbs. You can have any marketing study or focus group tell you what you want to hear about regional store names being indifferent to consumers, but please look deeper into the details on whta they say about Marshall Field's. What about the publicity and brand essence value of sustaining and growing a landmark name like Marshall Field's? What about creating a unique shopping experience for this brand in order to prevent it from becoming part of the vanilla landscape like many in your portfolio? What happens when the mall no longer holds the calling that it has in the past (and has lost today?) and people need another reason to go there - what will stores need to be in the future? When folks need a cultural or landmark experience to truly feel a bit of escapism from the dull shopping environments of today, you could offer more heritage akin to going to Wrigley Field, Gino's East, the Billy Goat, the Drake? It is a part of the culture of Chicago and it can offer that and so much more if you capitalize on the heart of this brand name.
My plea is that you simply realize the number of aging baby boomers and their children and their children's children with a heart for this name/this experience and who likewise have more than the the means necessary to keep it alive and be part of their culture. Look into why people adore certain brands in the Chicago area and please realize how Marshall Field's fits into that landscape of powerful economics. Good luck. And if you change the name, you lose me. And that would be a shame for you. -No name given

Marshall Field's is... Christmas! I was a self-admitted bahumbugger for years until I moved to Chicago. Some friends dragged me to Marshal Field's on State Street the day after Thanksgiving, and I remembered what it was like to be a child, again. The tree in the Walnut Room was larger than life, and the ornaments were really extraordinary, definitely not done on the cheap. The installations in the first floor were larger than life and dynamic. And of course the window displays had the most elaborate mechanical animations in town. I didn't buy anything that day, but I definitely came back to. Since then I find myself shopping there often because they have different, special things that other stores don't. Lord and Taylor basically has the same brands and Bloomingdale's and Carson's, give or take. For example, at Field's I can buy Vosges chocolates or tootsie rolls, they understand "special" comes in many price ranges for many ocassions. -Patrick, Chicago

Marshall Field's is...Chicago's living, breathing spirit. The fact that the greatest department store in the world reflects the name of its founder is no small detail. Marshall Field was a key member of the amazing group of civic leaders who helped rebuild the city after the devastation of the Chicago fire, transforming into an architectural and cultural gem literally from the ashes. The store is an enduring reminder of how our city continues to beautifully thrive with that same spirit of innovation and pride. I love that I live across the street from Field's. I don't want to shop anywhere else, and I definitely don't want to call it by any other name. -Emilie, Chicago

Marshall Field's is...classic, sophistication, warmth and joy all in one. When I was little, The Walnut Room was the best place on earth. I would need to visit the city on a regular basis to see a specialist at Children's Memorial Hospital. To make the trip special and fun, my Mother would always take me to The Walnut Room. The setting: perfect. The service: efficient and kind. The food: great. The value: I understand now as an adult what a treasure it is for such a reasonable amount of money. I still enjoy taking myself to dinner there...sitting in the window, watching the city below. There isn't a better room in the city. I especially love seeing children there for the first time -- running around the floor, excited by the space. To me, Marshall Field's is pure happiness. The State Street store is my favorite department store in the world. I have been to the others, and they each have their own unique qualities that make them great. I can appreciate a Harrod's or a Barney's or a Bergdorf. But the combination of a world-class store with true Midwestern charm makes the State Street store second to none. The food, the specialty stores (Merz Apothecary! Thomas Pink! Levenger!), the clothes, the furniture, the gifts, the kind workers, the shoes, the special events... I love the clock. I love the whole look and feel of it all. I've lived in the city my whole life, and I still make a special trip to view the holiday windows each year. Everything about the institution is fantastic, and that is primarily because it is rich with history. Marshall Field's means Chicago. It is a testament to our strength over time, and will lead us in to the future. Without the name, the memories retire. -Kristina, Chicago

Dudes---Thank you so much for your efforts. A couple of years ago I wrote a letter to the editor of the Mpls Star Tribune thanking Target and Marshall Fields for all they did for our city (Minneapolis) and it got published. Therefore, I have been attached to Daytons/Fields for a lot longer than this latest crisis. The manager of the downtown store brought me in to speak to his managers and staff once about why I was a confirmed Fields shopper and I was very well-received. Let me know if there is anything else you might need help with. I did post a way too-short testimonial here but I could go on at length. Good luck to us all. -James, Minneapolis

I live in Minnesota now - and have, off and on, since the 70's. But I'm one of the Garfield Goose TV Generation of Baby Boomers from ChicagoLand and have fond memories of the Christmas Parade down State Street and the gorgeous windows. I was sad the Day that the Dayton Department Stores died - please don't take away Marshall Field's too! -MB, Walker MN