three for shopping

Not so fast, Federated Department Stores.

According to blogger Michael Meckler of red-state.com, Federated would be better served by abandoning their two-tier retailing plan (Macy's at the bottom tier and Bloomingdale's at the top tier) and replacing it with a three-tier plan that place Marshall Field's in the middle.

Such a plan, according to Meckler, would free Macy's to compete with Target and Kohl's as price-based retailers, while allowing Marshall Field's to present a higher level of price and quality in merchandise, as well as customer service (which is lacking at Target and Kohl's, and might as well be lacking at Macy's).

I think the idea is interesting. Creating a middlebrow chain with the cachet of Marshall Field's would allow the brand to be preserved and would allow Field's to do what Field's does best, serve the fashionable but less edgy customer that still appreciates style and quality, which would also allow Federated to directly compete with Nordstrom, which has this market pretty much to itself currently.

My only concern in Meckler's plan is the future of Lord & Taylor. It's been tarnished by mismangement over the years, but is still a viable chain with a few adjustments needed to keep it relevant. In my opinion, any plan to realign Federated has to include some discussion about how to preserve L&T, one of the most venerable names in retailing.