Dive Brief:
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Barbie Cameron, who became Macy’s Inc.’s chief stores officer in August, will take on the role permanently effective Sunday, the company announced Friday.
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Before August, Cameron had been the company’s regional director of stores for the East region since 2020. She will report to Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer Adrian Mitchell.
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The appointment comes at a crucial time for Macy’s stores. The company is about halfway through its plan to shutter 150 stores and is revamping merchandising and operations at its top 50 locations.
Dive Insight:
As it toils to transform its brick-and-mortar fleet, Macy’s is sticking with someone who has been at the company for nearly four decades.
Cameron began at Macy’s as a sales manager and worked her way up in the ensuing 37 years. She’s had various leadership roles, including in merchandising and buying, as well as stores.
Macy’s has been unwinding its massive early 21st century expansion, when two mergers brought most U.S. department store banners under one umbrella, and local nameplates steadily disappeared.
But the chain isn’t just shrinking; it’s also experimenting with formats and revamping remaining stores. The company in recent years had stepped up openings of smaller stores, located away from malls, though 24 joined anchors in the latest round of closures. Merchandising and staffing investments at its top 50 stores have boosted sales, and in December Macy’s Inc. CEO Tony Spring said that in 2025 more stores are slated for improvements.
In Q3, comp sales at Macy’s “first 50” stores rose nearly 2%, while at “go-forward” stores (those that are staying open but haven’t yet seen upgrades) fell nearly 2%.
That surprising decline at what should be better-performing stores signals some concern that Macy’s closure list could grow if upgrades don’t come fast enough, according to a January research note from Evercore ISI analysts led by Michael Binetti.
