The Hits Keep Coming for the Retail Sector

[DramatistDreamer]

This time it's Neiman Marcus.  I'm also told that JCPenney is also set to file for bankruptcy next week.

 

[Soapsuds]

I remember Sophia on the GG always mentioning Neman Marcus especially the Christmas episodes. Ive never been to a NM. The closest one is about 2 hours away. 

[Khan]

I'm surprised JCPenney is even still in operation.  I can't remember the last time I entered one of the stores and saw more than a handful of customers.

[victoria foxton]

 

  

[Soapsuds]

Ha...i use to love the store but not so much anymore. The only reason I'd go in now is to buy a pair of jeans.

[Khan]

 

JCP's Big & Tall section is the absolute worst.  It's as if they believe big guys (like yours truly) don't gaf about looking stylish.  Either that, or they're just fat-shaming people.

[Soapsuds]

I use to love their selection in men's clothing but it's really gone to hell. 

[DramatistDreamer]

For some reason, I immediately thought of Sophia mentioning Neiman Marcus when I saw this too. It made me giggle.

 

I think people have been waiting for JCPenney to be forced to liquidate for about a decade.

 

JCPenney was never fancy fare but it used to be a place where you could at least, get the basics.  Years ago, I remember venturing in there on the hunt for a crisp white shirt/blouse and couldn't find one.  I knew this store was headed for trouble.

 

JCPenney and Macy's started bleeding out at about the same time but everyone was focused on Macy's struggles due to their prominence. Then everyone started to focus on Sears because of the pathetic state of their stores.  All during those times, few had noticed that JCPenney had become a zombie retailer with little to offer inside its walls.

[Soapsuds]

We use to have Foleys here at our mall until it was bought out by Macy's . Macy's started out great here with a variety of brand name clothing but as the years went by they started bringing less and less merchandise to the store. If I want a particular Polo shirt I've seen at say Dillard's ...I'll go online to see if Macy's has it in stock or cheaper and I order it. 

 

Sears turned into a hot mess. I never cared for their clothing but they had the best electronics. 

Edited April 19, 2020 by Soapsuds

[Khan]

 

I knew the end was nigh when either they bought out Kmart, or Kmart bought out them (forget which).  Kmart's merchandise isn't even as good as Walmart's, for God's sake.

 

 

And then there was the time when JCP hired the guy who had designed the Apple store to redesign all their stores, resulting in a huge misfire that drove away customers and forced the company to blitz everyone with even more coupons and discounts to bring them back.  When Kohl's and TJMaxx offer better stuff than you, you know you have effed up, lol.

[Soapsuds]

I never cared for Kmart. It truly was not up to Walmart standards. Sears was the only place I know that didn't sell half sizes in shoes after a certain size. I being an 11 1/2 shoe was frustrating...lol 

 

jCP was never a high end store and them trying to make it look rich looking inside was so wrong...lol

[kalbir]

Wow, even upscale retailers aren't immune. With Neiman Marcus struggling, I wonder what the future holds for their fellow upscale department stores Bloomingdale's, Lord & Taylor, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue. I consider Macy's more mid-tier; below the upscale department stores but ahead of JC Penney/Sears.

Edited April 19, 2020 by kalbir

[DramatistDreamer]

 

Ew, they did that? I remember the backlash at the redesign but I didn't know that the designer behind the Apple store was behind it? Why would anyone think that was a good idea??

 

 

Lord & Taylor has already been facing hard times. They have had to downsize their flagship store on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan and in contrast to the big splashy window displays that they used to do for Christmas, this past year, they had to settle for something far less ornate.

Saks Fifth Avenue has bought the license to recently liquidated Barney's New York, just so they can sell off-loaded merchandise and stick the Barney's label on there.  So far, Bloomingdales and Nordstrom are probably the only brands that haven't had to downsize or downscale in some way (at least, that I know of).

 

It's hard times all around, that's for sure, which always makes me irritated that Y&R botched what could've been a really compelling story with Fenmore's decline.

[Paul Raven]

Lauren gleefully announced recently that Fenmores is expanding into Sth Korea and Japan...

[Aback]

 

LOL... where do these writers even live...