Inside Market by Macy’s New Retail Foodservice Concept

After announcing 125 store closings—representing one-fifth of its locations—earlier this month, Macy’s debuted the first of its new Market by Macy’s smaller format concepts on Feb. 6 at Southlake Town Square in Southlake, Texas. 

Focused on “discovery, community and convenience,” the new Market by Macy’s—with in-store Herald cafe and event center—hopes to be more than a retail shopping space.

With Market by Macy’s, the iconic New York-based department store has created what it called a 20,000-square-foot immersive shopping experience that includes Herald, Market by Macy’s cafe that serves breakfast, lunch and snacks daily along with craft cocktails, beer and wine.

Market by Macy's new foodservice component will go toe-to-toe with fellow Southlake Town Square resident Trader Joe’s of Monrovia, Calif., and Texas’ own Central Market, located across the street.

Designed by Dallas-based Swoon the Studio, Herald offers local coffee favorite Oak Cliff Coffee and a menu crafted in partnership with local food writer and consultant Leslie Brenner.

Food is presented and served on merchandise that is available for purchase within the cafe, featuring brands such as Macy’s Hotel Collection. Areas of Herald are accented by exclusive home favorites, including Martha Stewart Collection copper bakeware and handmade discoveries like Katie Kimmel’s ceramics.

“Shoppers can dine in at Herald or grab and go,” Lauren Vocelle, manager of media relations for Macy’s Inc. South Region, told WGB. “Local Dallas food writer and consultant Leslie Brenner helped create the menu, which offers items from local farmers and bakers, coffee experts and more.”

Market by Macy’s is also hoping to lure shoppers with the increasingly popular sip-while-you-shop trend. “Food items are sold within Herald at Market by Macy’s, but shoppers are welcome to bring their coffee or cocktail with them as they shop throughout the store,” Vocelle said.

Within the beauty category, Market by Macy’s is introducing a 1,000-square-foot exclusive Getchell’s Apothecary beauty shop. Getchell’s is a nod to the first female executive in retail, Margaret Getchell, who worked at Macy’s in 1860. With a focus on skincare, Getchell’s offers more than 80 beauty brands organized by the needs they address.

“Market by Macy’s demonstrates Macy’s commitment to evolve and innovate retail with more experience-based concepts to drive customer engagement,” Jeff Gennette, chairman and CEO of Macy’s, said in a statement. “Market by Macy’s will play an important role in our off-mall expansion. Our vision for Macy’s is to build an ecosystem that gives our customers easier and more convenient access to the fullness of the Macy’s brand, from online to offline, on-mall to off-mall, flagship to off-price.”

Market by Macy's event spaces can accommodate a range of community-driven programming, from cooking tutorials and book signings to crafting and fitness classes, and shoppers will be able to discover more than 20 new events and experiences each month. Upcoming events include a Wine Club Introduction to Wines from Herald Cafe and a Supper Club event featuring "Butter Chicken Lady" Urvashi Pitre.

“We believe that retail should tell a story and customers should find the joy in shopping,” Rachel Shechtman, Macy’s brand experience officer, said in a release. “Market by Macy’s is a community-driven destination where the Dallas-Fort Worth customer can shop, eat, drink, learn, relax, catch up with friends and so much more.”

On the technology front, Market by Macy’s partnered with best-in-class tech companies to explore new strategies to learn more about consumer behavior in-store, automate pricing updates with digital signage and price tags, maximize in-store communication and leverage radio frequency identification throughout to simplify inventory and monitor product movement.

“At Macy’s, we know that constant innovation is required to win in retail today,” Gennette said. “The information we learn from Market by Macy’s will help us tailor our in-store shopping experience across our portfolio of businesses.”