Macy's Plans to Makeover 150 of Its Best Stores

Racked is no longer publishing. Thank you to everyone who read our work over the years. The archives will remain available here; for new stories, head over to Vox.com, where our staff is covering consumer culture for The Goods by Vox. You can also see what we’re up to by signing up here.

Macy's announced earlier this month that it will introduce outlet stores called Macy's Backstage but the department store giant isn't ignoring the high-end market, either: Fortune reports that Macy's new strategy involves special attention for 150 stores or the top 20% of its locations. These stores were chosen based on factors like sales growth, customer service scores, the local economy, and profitability. The top 30 stores get even more love, and a new nickname as "platinum doors."

The plan is to add refreshed decor, more high-end goods, more staff, and more technology to the top 150 stores. Macy's may even remove some clearance items at the 30 platinum stores to bring in new merchandise. The recent purchase of cosmetic boutique Bluemercury could figure into Macy's plans for its top 150 stores. "We believe there is opportunity to elevate these stores further and accelerate their growth," said Macy’s chief financial officer Karen Hoguet. "Hopefully, we will begin to see the benefit this fall, particularly in the fourth quarter."