May to Sell Most Denver Stores It Acquired

May Department Stores said Friday that it plans to sell much of the Denver department store chain it acquired as part of its October purchase of Associated Dry Goods and will merge the rest of the operation into its own May D&F; unit in Colorado.

The announcement culminated a week that also saw a management shake-up at the company’s J. W. Robinson division in Southern California. Since its takeover of Robinson’s former parent, May has also installed new top management at some other divisions and announced plans to sell a Pittsburgh unit.

The two Colorado divisions--May D&F;, with 10 stores, and the one in Denver, with 12 stores--will be combined over “a period of time” into one division under the May D&F; name, the company said.

In seven areas where both chains have stores, St. Louis-based May said it will lease or sell the Denver chain’s locations to other retailers. An eighth store, in Pueblo, also will be sold. The company has already said it will close a location in Lakeside when that lease expires.

May said that talks are under way on six shopping center sites in Denver and that all stores will continue to operate until agreements have been reached to sell or lease them. Three locations of the Denver division that May plans to retain will be renamed May D&F.;

May, parent of May Co. California, also revealed plans to open two Lord & Taylor stores in the Denver area, one in late 1988 or early 1989 and one in 1990. Those would represent the westernmost locations for 45-store division, acquired in the Associated deal. Previously, Houston and Dallas were Lord & Taylor’s points farthest west.

May spokesman Jim Abrams said the company does not plan to combine any other divisions, particularly in Southern California.