The double-barreled Robinsons-May name was created in 1993 when the former May Company California was consolidated with their corporate sibling JW Robinson's.[1]May Department Stores had acquired Robinson's with its 1986 acquisition of Associated Dry Goods Corp. J. W. Robinson's had been acquired by Associated Dry Goods in 1957, while May Company California had been established in 1923 when May acquired the then-named A. Hamburger & Sons (founded in 1881 by Asher Hamburger).
Both chains had operated exclusively in Southern California until 1989 when May Department Stores had dissolved its Goldwaters division, based in Scottsdale, Arizona, and apportioned its Phoenix metropolitan and Las Vegas, Nevada, stores between the still separate J. W. Robinson's and May Company California. In 1997 Robinsons-May absorbed the Tucson-area locations of sister division Foley's, which were themselves the remains of the former Levy's and Sanger-Harris stores. Robinsons-May was further consolidated with Portland, Oregon-based Meier & Frank in 2002, which retained its individual nameplate, but merged its primary headquarters into Robinsons-May's in North Hollywood.
On August 30, 2005, operational control of the Robinsons-May stores was assumed by Macy's West[2] (the Meier & Frank stores were transferred to Macy's Northwest). Fifteen of its California stores were offered for sale under an agreement with the California State Attorney General, though Federated has retained several of the stores covered by the agreement since satisfactory offers from competitors were not received (including stores at Woodland Hills and Northridge). During 2006, the majority of the Robinsons-May stores were converted to the Macy's or Bloomingdale's nameplate, either as replacements for existing stores, new locations or as expansions of existing locations. Prime locations at South Coast Plaza, Costa Mesa and Fashion Valley Mall, San Diego where Macy's already had stores were shuttered in early 2006 and refurbished as Bloomingdale's locations. The change of store signs occurred on September 9, 2006.[3] Already existing Macy's locations in Arizona and Inland Empire regions relocated from their existing spots to Robinsons-May.
The trademark for Robinsons-May was bought by Strategic Marks in 2012 and is currently owned by them to this day, with plans to revive the brand in the future.[4][5][needs update]
References
^Yu, Deborah (January 23, 1993). "Merger Of Retailers Ironed Out - Robinsons-May Stores to Appear at Six Malls". Los Angeles Daily News. p. B1. When the dust clears after the merger of Robinson's and May Co. department stores becomes official Jan. 31, shoppers may be seeing double. At six malls in Southern California, where there is a May Co. and Robinson's department store, the retailer plans to convert both stores to hybrid Robinsons-May stores. They will carry similar merchandise and will be almost identical.
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