One report said that the 14 stores that Macy's is closing accounted for $140 Million in sales. That works out to $10 Million per store which is very poor because the Filene's at Rotterdam Square Mall was doing a tad over $19 Million is sales 13 years ago.

In response to the questioning of providing all this information.  The point is that Rotterdam Square Mall WAS a location that drew customers from a large area west, southwest and northwest of Schenectady.  It had great potential and performed well in the past AND I strongly believe that the mall site still has great potential and could perform well if it is reinvented.  It won't survive as it is built now.   Times have changed and society has transformed over the years.  Rotterdam Square Mall has to change and transform.  My strong suggestion is that it be redeveloped with a mix of retail, offices, a hotel and, possibly, some residential.

Quoted from CICERO

No, according to DVOR, Macy's doesn't have the correct floor plan, probably not a two story Macy's and not located in a "destination mall".  It has nothing to do with the surrounding area not able to afford the higher end designer products they sell.

Filene's sold many of the same higher proced and designer products that Macy's sold.  In fact - except for the exclusive lines sold at only at Filene's or at Macy's, both stores sold exactly the same merchandise.  Filene's was able to sell almost $20 Million dollars of merchandise out of that location 13 years ago and Macy's only about $10 Million recently
Oh -- and I NEVER said that the economy of the surrounding area had nothing to do with it.  You folks like to put words in others' mouths.  Just stick with what they actually have said and stop trying to twist words.

Quoted from bumblethru

that's what I heard. Is Dewitt a depressed area?

Dewitt far from depressed area. Shoppingtown one of oldest malls, left unattended and
deteriorating...tried to renovate it years ago but too little too late and
with newer malls popping up in the area, most "popular" stores left. At first they went to
PenCan mall, then that got one-upped by Great Northern Mall, which then got one-upped by Carousel Mall,
which is now called DestinyUSA after expanding substantially and bringing in many more stores,
restaurants and other attractions, with plans for more expansion. Contrary to what someone
consistently states (malls are thing of the past), DestinyUSA has strong presence and brings in
a lot of trade from Canada...i.e. BUS LOADS of shoppers, as well as surrounding states and people from Albany/Schdy area.
They currently developing plans for expansion with concert venue, hotel and theme park added on to existing
property. Heck, they even have a "train" stop for people to use.
http://www.destinyusa.com/

The economy is collapsing slowly but surely.
Folks have less and less disposable cash.
Wages are low and taxes are high.

This macy's closure ALONE is effecting more than just their employers.
not only higher unemployment, less payroll taxes paid, lost property taxes.......
but all of the businesses that maintain, ship products, warehouse products will also have lost revenue.
this is the cause and effect when ANY business closes.

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

Oh -- and I NEVER said that the economy of the surrounding area had nothing to do with it.  You folks like to put words in others' mouths.  Just stick with what they actually have said and stop trying to twist words.

You haven't metioned yet that the surrounding market will not support Macy's price point.  You've laid all the blame on Macy's and their poor business model.  Macy's is closing stores in 14 communities nationwide that are not profitable.  It just so happens 25% of the stores that are closing are in upstate NY.  

Quoted from joebxr

Dewitt far from depressed area. Shoppingtown one of oldest malls, left unattended and
deteriorating...tried to renovate it years ago but too little too late and
with newer malls popping up in the area, most "popular" stores left. At first they went to
PenCan mall, then that got one-upped by Great Northern Mall, which then got one-upped by Carousel Mall,
which is now called DestinyUSA after expanding substantially and bringing in many more stores,
restaurants and other attractions, with plans for more expansion. Contrary to what someone
consistently states (malls are thing of the past), DestinyUSA has strong presence and brings in
a lot of trade from Canada...i.e. BUS LOADS of shoppers.
http://www.destinyusa.com/

so it is location location.....yes?

Quoted from bumblethru

so it is location location.....yes?

NO...DestinyUSA is located in what used to be called oil can city, because it was all the oil tanks.
Not a great area, and nothing around it.  Warehouses, metal recycling plant and small garage type
businesses surround it. Closest residential are depressed homes. Location isn't
greatest at all, but very accessible from highway (Rte 81).

Dewitt location was great, at one time, and still is a convenient and good location.
It's the mismanagement of the mall along with other places popping up and attracting
the stores away.

This was predicted here 2 years ago. RSM is in free fall and has an owner who specializes in bottom feeding. What DVOR fails to admit is that western counties like Montgomery have built up the tax  base with an explosion of retail on the Rt 30 corridor. Lower sales taxes, lower County property taxes = more disposable income. Once McDonald's closes it's only a matter of time. RSM had a good run but is done and there should be a new plan for a new retail shopping center in the town, along the lines of Mohawk Commons. But
there is no County planning, no leadership and no clue. RSM destroyed Downtown Schenectady and despite it's demise Downtown still has no new retail. The big winner will be Colonie Center which reinvested and recreated a better shopping experience. Another example of no one watching the store Countywide and all efforts dumped into the 400 State tax free block of Downtown.

RSM can't expand from what I understand. Hence, the sale to the mall undertaker.
Macy's is in trouble nationwide. Dedicated Macy's shoppers have not been happy with the increasingly cheap quality of the merchandise without the cheap prices to go with it. KMart was on the verge of bankruptcy when it bought Sears and Macy's, and Sears bought Land's End, wasn't it?
The reason Colonie Center is surviving is partly due to the central location, I think, and also they keep throwing money into the facility.
People who used to have to shop at Rotterdam Square now can meet many of their shopping needs in Amsterdam.
The mall, when it is finally done, should return to nature. It won't though, the owner will be allowed to abandon it and leave it, or worse, he will squeeze some taxpayer money out of us for a worthless piece of real estate.

Quoted from Madam X

KMart was on the verge of bankruptcy when it bought Sears and Macy's, and Sears bought Land's End, wasn't it?

I believe you are mistaken about Kmart/Macy's

Quoted Text

Macy's, originally R. H. Macy & Co., is a mid-range chain of department stores owned by American multinational corporation Macy's, Inc. It is one of two divisions owned by the company, with the other being the upscale Bloomingdale's.

Yes, you are right. I was getting confused by the Martha Stewart lawsuit in the news. That's the Kmart-Macy link, although KMart doesn't have the Martha stuff any more, do they?

Quoted from Madam X

Yes, you are right. I was getting confused by the Martha Stewart lawsuit in the news. That's the Kmart-Macy link, although KMart doesn't have the Martha stuff any more, do they?

http://www.kmart.com/search=martha%20stewart%20collection

Looks like internet only.
I think all these stores are making bad decisions. They toss aside the customers who still like to go shopping because they think they 'lost' business to the internet, but they really made going to the store such a waste of time that they drove customers online.
Anyhow, malls are dying out nationwide, for various reasons, and RSM is clearly not a mall that is going to 'make it'. It would be a big mistake to throw away any public money on that location. If it were worth it, somebody would have already seized the opportunity.

Quoted from visitor

tough to compete when Crossgates and Colonie Center are 10 minutes away and people have the ability to shop electronically.

Once the full tax on on-line sales is implemented,and it's coming, the bloom will be off the rose somewhat on internet sales.   It's main advantage will still be convenience.   Why go out in inclimate weather,waste gas,risk a car accident(higher ins. rates result),slip/fall on the ice just for a pair of pants.   Residual effect of BM stores closing is not only a loss of job for the employee, but makes it harder for POLS. to run for office/win when most campaigns are run on job creation, not job losses.

Quoted from CICERO

You haven't metioned yet that the surrounding market will not support Macy's price point.  You've laid all the blame on Macy's and their poor business model.  Macy's is closing stores in 14 communities nationwide that are not profitable.  It just so happens 25% of the stores that are closing are in upstate NY.  

a) Others have mentioned the economy (area and national) and just because I pointed out some other factors does NOT mean that I disagree with those other comments,

b) The Rotterdam Square Mall store never fit Macy's business model -- just compare the size, layout, department by department product offerings at the Colonie Center and Crossgates Mall stores.  Those fit Macy's business model -- the store at Rotterdam Square Mall could never fit that model.  Whether Macy's business model is "poor" or not is a matter for discussion.

c) you really can't deny the major point that I was making --- shopping malls as they were built in the past are obsolete --- Rotterdam Square Mall needs to be   reinvented and redeveloped.