Macy's last day, Sunday at 5:00
Posted: Mar 4, 2010 11:56 AM
Updated: Mar 5, 2010 7:33 AM
MISSOULA - As bargain hunters pick at the scraps of what was once Missoula's landmark retail center, the countdown clock is racing ahead on the inevitable closing of Macy's.
Neon signs screaming from the front window displays tease shoppers inside to get deals of up to 90-percent off. And as of Sunday at 5:00, it's over.
It's a bittersweet sight. Most of the merchandise is organized neatly on the ground floor by size. Shoes are grouped for easy access. Even the dressing room mirrors are for sale. The towels are gone, the linens are picked over thoroughly. With deals of 70% to 90% off, even those waiting for the drastic price cuts are finding it too tempting to pass up.
The Missoula Macy's store found out in January it was one of several so-called under performing stores the company is closing. And while it's an obvious sign of the recession, it's sad.
That building on the corner of Higgins avenue and Front was once the place to shop back in the days where you could buy food, tack and rugs all at the same place. The Missoula Mercantile was such a huge force in the business world, not even Marcus Daly himself could compete with the retail giant.
Significant pieces of Missoula's history are housed in the nooks of the big building including graffiti from World War I scrawled on a wall in the basement.
There's no indication yet what company might buy or lease the building or how long the corner store might stay closed.
The store's closing puts 55 people out of work.
