It has always been much more than a department store. It's the magical place where parents brought their children to see the windows at Christmastime, where those children grew and did the same with their kids — stopping, of course, to visit the one true Santa Claus. It is Marshall Field's. Or simply "Field's" to everybody in Chicago.
For longer than anyone can remember, Marshall Field's has been one of the few constants in an ever-changing city. With its famous clock, the store that was built in stages between 1892 and 1914 is as much a part of the city's landscape as Wrigley Field and Sears Tower.
On Tuesday, Federated Department Stores Inc., said it is planning to change to Macy's the name of all 62 Marshall Field's, including the one on State Street that dates back to 1892. And if it seems like just another merger or name change that happens all the time with very little fuss — even in Chicago, there wasn't much noise when the White Sox's Comiskey Park became U.S. Cellular Field — to those who grew up with Marshall Field's this is different.
"It's so awful I can't even believe it," said Tracy Kepler, a 37-year-old attorney who can recall in vivid detail time spent at the store as a child, including the trip to see the windows every Christmas Eve day, followed by a meal in the Walnut Room.
--I love eating at the Fields Walnut Room. I'm not a native to Chicago, and this still just seems wrong to even a mere visitor like myself.
Posted by Lawren at September 23, 2005 08:35 AM
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Marshall Fields is synonomous with Chicago like Macy's is with NYC or Neiman's is with Dallas. It shouldn't be changed.
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Nanc' at September 23, 2005 09:21 AM
It's interesting the so many people -- myself included -- have such a palpable reaction to one large company being subsumed by a larger company. I suppose this goes to show the power of the Field's brand as a Chicago staple.
As for the point about Comiskey: I don't think anybody cared because it was "new" Comiskey. Try changing the naming rights at Wrigley and you'll have a beer & brat-fueled riot on your hands.
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Kevvy the Unnamed Source at September 23, 2005 09:43 AM
T-shirt being sold around Comiskey: "Wrigley Field is a gay bar."
You gotta remember, Wrigley Field was first called Weeghman Park WAY WAY back, but the corporate sellouts on the northside decided otherwise (see source: http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/chc/ballpark/index.jsp)
So, renaming crappy venues and sites all over Chicago is a "Chicago" tradition.
I'll be renaming myself Johnny Viagra, because they're thowing TONS of cash at me.
And in the end, isn't selling out to the highest bidder as American as Al-Queda pie?
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Johnny Chicago at September 24, 2005 11:42 PM