Will Remain Separate Entities, Officials Vow : May Says Robinson Merger Going Well

The merger of May Department Stores with the owner of troubled J. W. Robinson Co. last October has gone “faster and smoother” than anticipated, a top May official told a group of financial analysts Tuesday.

Jerome Loeb, vice chairman and chief financial officer, said that with the merger, St. Louis-based May is the largest department store company in the United States.

Lawrence E. Honig, also a May vice chairman, knocked down rumors that some of the J. W. Robinson stores might be converted into one of May’s other units, such as May Co. California or Lord & Taylor.

“May Co. California and J. W. Robinson’s are to remain separate entities,” Honig said. While May Department Stores said it is “shrinking or closing unproductive stores” in some parts of the country, Honig commented that the company had “no plans to close Robinson’s” stores. Two new Robinson’s are slated to open this year in Palm Desert and Santa Ana.

Officials at J. W. Robinson headquarters in Los Angeles declined to answer any questions, referring all calls to corporate headquarters in St. Louis.

But Ed Mangiafico, chairman of May Co. California, said the prospect that Robinson’s might be turned into a May Co. “has never been a question in our minds. We’ve always operated in Southern California addressing different market segments. May is just continuing that.”

Honig said the 24-store Robinson’s chain will be run the same as it is now, but needs to be made “more profitable.”

Acknowledging various cutbacks at the chain, Honig said: “Robinson’s is now operating with fewer resources. We’ve asked the staff there to take a harder look” at their inventory.