As Downtown Macy’s Closes, Where Will Retail Find a Home in the City?

With the news that Macy’s is closing its downtown St. Louis store this summer, the era of downtown department stores comes to a close. The past decade has seen many positive trends in downtown development. From 2000-2010, the city experienced the largest percentage increase in college-educated 25-34-year-olds moving to with three miles of the central business district of any city in the nation. Nearly 2,700 people in St. Louis fit that description, an increase of 87% over the past decade. The Central Business District population increased by nearly 3,000 over that same period. The retail demographics are changing quickly.

It’s not just downtown where retail development struggles. The only Target within the city limits is at Hampton Village is south city (there's a JCPenny there as well). Walmart? There isn’t one? TJ Maxx? Nope. Best Buy (yeah, they’re dying everywhere, but…)? Nope. Old Navy? Uh, uh. If you want to buy a broom, some shorts, a light bulb, soap, a towel, contact solution and a coffee maker without five stops, there are very few choices in the city.

{Macy's=pink circle, BPV=red, Bottle District=blue, 21st Street=green, Federal Mogul=purple, CORTEX=orange, Pruitt-Igoe=yellow}