FieldsFansChicago.org Steps Up Its
"Selfridges Come Home To Chicago" Campaign



Tweet

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(CHICAGO—November 19, 2015)

FieldsFansChicago.org Steps Up Its Campaign

"Selfridges: Come Home to Chicago and Restore Marshall Field's!"

For more information:

Phone:          Jim McKay or Leslie Singer, +1.312.662.8980

Email:           regards AT fieldsfanschicago.org

Web:             www.FieldsFansChicago.org

Twitter:        @FieldsFansChgo

Facebook:     facebook.com/groups/fieldsfanschicago/

Instagram:    FieldsFansChicago

The grassroots organization FieldsFansChicago is stepping up its campaign to bring Selfridges back to Chicago and "Restore Marshall Field's."  Specifically, the organization is working to lure London's Selfridges Group and the family of Canadian entrepreneur and philanthropist Galen Weston to make a deal to restore the international retail and cultural destination Marshall Field & Company back to State Street. Indeed, a whole new chapter in the story of Mr. Selfridge could be written.

The newly refreshed efforts are in response to news reports that Macy's, Inc. is reviewing options for maximizing stockholder value by redeveloping, reconfiguring, downsizing, or even selling part or all of the formerly world-renowned Marshall Field's flagship store at 111 North State Street. But we of FieldsFansChicago say that the maximum value of this asset is far from realized while the store remains another Macy's and can only be unlocked when it is operated once again as the unique Marshall Field's.

To support this, FieldsFansChicago has refreshed several initiatives:

-       Raise awareness of the unrealized value of Marshall Field's. Inform Macy's stockholders, business and civic leaders, and the shopping public that The Wall Street Journal recently valued the State Street store at $1.74 billion, a value that is maximized when the store is operated with the Marshall Field's trade name, which itself was valued at $419 million in SEC 10-K filings before the name was mothballed. Today, Macy's market cap was $12.4 billion.

-       Expanded pin-on button campaign. Distribution of yellow pin-on buttons that say, "Selfridges Come Home to Chicago" have been added to FieldsFansChicago's previous distribution of “Time to Bring Back Marshall Field's” buttons and stickers. Over 142,000 buttons and stickers have been distributed so far.

-       Educational bookmark flyer distribution. Over 175,000 bookmark-style flyers have been distributed, educating all about why the restoration of Marshall Field's to State Street is a good deal for everyone and the unique historic connection between Marshall Field's and Selfridges.

-       "Selfies for Selfridges." This is a new social media campaign on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, where Chicagoans and Chicago visitors show support for our latest efforts by posing under the Marshall Field's clock on State Street with Selfridges and Marshall Field's signs and pin-on buttons.

Buttons and bookmark flyers will be distributed and "Selfies for Selfridges" will be taken at various times on Black Friday, November 27, 2015, as well as Saturday afternoons through Christmas. See contact details for exact times.

The Historical Context

Selfridges can attribute its world-class pedigree to the DNA of the internationally renowned Marshall Field & Company on State Street. There, Harry Gordon Selfridge started his career by playing a pivotal role for 25 years in defining the Marshall Field & Company that was experienced throughout the 20th century. For his second act, Mr. Selfridge translated and replicated his Field's experience by creating London's own world-class emporium, Selfridge & Co., on Oxford Street. Today, Selfridges is considered the "best department store in the world" by the Intercontinental Group of Department stores. Reciprocally, Marshall Field & Company on State Street successfully interpreted and implemented a Chicago version of Selfridges Oxford Street "stores within a store" concept during the early 2000s, before Field's was converted to Macy's.

Toronto's Galen Weston and his family are the masterminds behind the current world-class success of Selfridges. Through Selfridges Group, the Galen Weston family successfully operates other historic department and specialty stores under their original names and styles in Canada, United Kingdom, and Europe. And the Galen Weston family operates the largest grocery and drug store chains in Canada, Loblaw and Shoppers Drug Mart, as well as Canada's expansive Choice Properties REIT. For several decades, Chicago was the base of Galen Weston's U.S. retail operations.

People want more than Marshall Field’s nostalgia and historical markers at State Street—they want the Marshall Field's experience restored as a vibrant, contemporary, world-class emporium. Surveys of more than 2,000 shoppers from 2009 to 2012 showed that 4 out of 5 people interviewed overwhelmingly prefer Marshall Field's to Macy's.

For further information, contact James McKay or Leslie Singer at  +1.312.662.8980 or email to regards AT fieldsfanschicago.org

FieldsFansChicago is solely responsible for the content of this press release.  It is not connected with nor endorsed by Selfridges Group, the Galen Weston family, Macy's, Inc., or others.