County Gets Retail Facelift Next Week as 4 Macy’s Open

Macy’s signs are being hoisted up onto some of the old Bullock’s and Broadway stores this weekend, changing Southern California’s retailing landscape.

Bullock’s entire 23-store chain, including its department store in South Coast Plaza, will reopen as Macy’s between Monday and Wednesday.

Each of the remaining 25 Broadway stores in Southern California will be converted to Macy’s over the next month. Cincinnati-based Federated Department Stores, which owned the Bullock’s and Macy’s chains when it acquired Broadway Stores last year, is also converting Broadway’s 22 Emporium and Weinstocks stores in Northern California into Macy’s.

The transformation is another step in the consolidation of the department store field. It sets up a rivalry between Macy’s and Robinsons-May, a chain born of the 1993 union of the Robinson’s and May Co. stores.

The Broadway acquisition vaulted Federated past May Department Stores--operator of Robinsons-May and other chains--to become the nation’s largest department store operator. The 48 Macy’s in Southern California will give the chain an edge over Robinsons-May, which has 46 stores in the region.

At South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, workers have been removing Bullock’s letters from the full department store and men’s store all week, replacing them with the Macy’s logo. The stores have stocked up on green-and-tan Macy’s bags for shoppers.

Bullock’s staff at South Coast Plaza will have a breakfast party Monday to celebrate the long-awaited changeover.

Bullock’s stores in Santa Ana, Mission Viejo and Newport Beach’s Fashion Island will be converted to Macy’s by Wednesday.

For their part, shoppers will notice little change at Bullock’s besides the new store signs and shopping bag logos, because those stores already operate in the Macy’s mold. Bullock’s has long offered the same merchandise found in Macy’s.

But major changes are in store for the Broadway sites. Executives at Macy’s West, the San Francisco-based division that operates Federated’s Western stores, frequently use the word “more” to characterize what’s in store for the Broadways.

“More service . . . more famous labels . . . more career clothing for women . . . more accessories” is the litany recently recited by Macy’s West Chairman Michael Steinberg, who is overseeing the changes at the Broadway stores.

Broadway stores in Costa Mesa’s Crystal Court and Laguna Hills will be converting to Macy’s by May 31.

May Department Stores had no comment on its plans to counter new competition from Macy’s, but industry analysts say May will continue to mount a strong challenge in California and nationwide.

The St. Louis-based firm earlier this month announced its 21st consecutive year of record earnings. May Department Stores also completed the spinoff of its Payless Shoesource stores this month.

“May Department Stores will continue to do well because they are masters of promotional sales events,” said Kurt Barnard, a New Jersey-based retail economist.

Shopper preferences on selection will decide which chain comes out on top, Barnard said. Robinsons-May will present a greater amount of moderately priced merchandise and Macy’s will offer a greater range of prices, including more high-end items, Barnard said.

Both stores will have to compete with Nordstrom, a chain with a strong reputation for service that operates 16 stores in the Southland.

Broadway customers will notice the most dramatic differences between their old chain and the new Macy’s, particularly in clothing. Macy’s says it will stock fewer private label lines than Broadway, instead carrying more cachet labels such as Polo, Tommy Hilfiger and hot-selling women’s accessories such as Dooney & Bourke.

“We’ll be very competitive on price--especially on brand labels,” Steinberg said.

Macy’s plans to retain some of the successful parts of Broadway’s merchandising mix. For example, denim women’s clothing was a big seller at Broadway stores. Macy’s stores in Southern California will stock more women’s denim than the stores in other chain locations.

Federated will spend $75 million remodeling the Broadway stores in Southern California. Among the planned changes are lighting and fitting room improvements. Broadway’s cosmetics section will be enlarged and near store entrances.

The change in store design and name identity will generate curiosity among Southland consumers, said Jack Kyser, senior economist at the Economic Development Corp. of Los Angeles County.

Macy’s will try to stimulate that interest by hosting opening-day celebrations Monday at two other sites as well as South Coast Plaza.

The ceremony at Broadway Plaza in downtown Los Angeles will feature members of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, a giant balloon in the shape of a bow and confetti fired out of a cannon.

The Fashion Valley Bullock’s in San Diego will have costumed characters representing animal attractions at the city’s zoo.

“Ultimately, Macy’s will have to deliver attractive merchandise and good service,” Kyser said. “But the company has an advantage. Shoppers in Southern California are very familiar with the Macy’s name and the name has appeal.”

Times correspondent Lesley Wright in Orange County contributed to this story.