Macy's is launching a new store concept that's masterminded by the woman behind buzzy concept store, Story
by Mary Hanbury- Macy's is preparing to open a new type of store in Texas, according to job listings on its site.
- Sources told WWD, which was first to report the news, that the new store will be focused on beauty and offer an "apothecary-based" approach to this. It will also offer more general wellness items, these sources said.
- The job listings indicate Macy's brand experience team – overseen by Rachel Shechtman, the founder of the New York-based concept store Story that was acquired by Macy's in 2018 – is the brains behind the new store.
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Macy's is preparing to open a new retail concept in Texas.
Job listings on its site reveal that the US department store chain is in the process of hiring employees to work at its new store in the upscale town of Southlake, Texas, which is ranked as one of the wealthiest cities in the US.
Sources told WWD, which was first to report the news, that the new store will be focused on beauty but also have a wellness element to it. The beauty aspect of it will be more "apothecary-based," WWD wrote, stocking a mix of well-known and up and coming brands.
Job listings show that the new location will also include a cafe-plus-restaurant, serving alcohol.
"We're looking to hire someone who can make a delicious latte, serve up a fancy cocktail and encourage our customers to try our assortment of tasty bites! Our ideal candidate is someone who has a love of coffee and spirits," Macy's wrote in one listing that was recruiting a cafe team member.
The listings also indicate that the new store is the brainchild of its brand experience officer Rachel Shechtman and her team.
Shechtman is the founder of the New York-based concept store Story, which was acquired by Macy's in 2018. Since it acquired the company two years ago, Macy's has been launching Story shop-in-shops in its stores. These micro shops feature a selection of products that are based on different themes and are regularly rotated. The idea is that these Instagrammable shops should boost store traffic and give customers more reasons to visit Macy's.
In the job listing descriptions, Macy's also explains what the brand experience team is setting out to do.
The team "is passionate about finding new ways for the Macy's brand to show up to the consumer, our vendors, and our colleagues. We live to challenge the status quo, change minds, and deliver growth as a result. This new team is reimagining the customer experience in Macy's stores to further engage our existing customers and acquire entirely new ones," it said.
A spokesperson for Macy's was not immediately available for comment when contacted by Business Insider.
The news of this new store concept comes just weeks after Macy's confirmed that it would be closing at least 30 of its underperforming stores in early 2020. The company is also rumored to be considering closing some of its tech offices in the US. A spokesperson for Macy's would not comment on this and said that investors will be updated on any changes at its investor day on February 5.