Macy’s is more than just a 166-year-old department store—it’s an American cultural institution. In 2006, Macy’s ran more than 800 stores and was estimated to be worth more than $20B. But as of 2024, the retailer was down to around 500 stores—and, with a market cap of just under $5B, was set to close dozens of them.
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The brand soon grew into a cultural icon, hosting the first in-store Santa in 1862, and launching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1924, now a holiday staple. Its flagship Herald Square store became the world’s largest, and its festive window displays set a new standard for holiday celebrations.
Macy's went from roughly 800 to 500 stores within the same time period. Macy’s has spent the recent years since the pandemic closing swaths of stores.
Snoopy and Bullwinkle and Clifford, oh my! This slideshow has photographs of all those characters (and more) from when they debuted as balloons at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. These photos span from the original parades in the 1920s through the early 2000s.
When Macy’s moved to the Herald Square location, it reached a verbal agreement to acquire that corner of land—but at the last minute, it was sold to a rival store for roughly $1M.
It was originally intended to promote Macy’s upcoming holiday sales. Although it took place on Thanksgiving Day, the parade was initially called the Macy’s Christmas Parade—the name didn’t change until 1927.
From the first Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade to opening its flagship store in Herald Square, Macy's has a long and successful history despite its recent financial troubles.
The Macy’s website claims that retail Santas—the Christmas icons who invite children to meet them at department stores and malls around the holidays—have been visiting the store since the 1860s.
From its founding as RH Macy & Co. in 1858, to its 150th birthday in 2008, Macy’s has a long and storied history. Luckily, the store has chronicled many of its major milestones on its website, including key Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade milestones.
Whether you want to see the floats in the parade or prefer to learn more about the balloons, performers, and more, this interactive website has it. Click on each of the visuals to see details about the float or balloon. The Beagle Scout Snoopy balloon, for instance, has a giant hat that is as long as 17 beagles lined up end to end.
Margaret Getchell, an early Macy’s superintendent, was among the first female executives in the American retail industry. Getchell (who was distantly related to Macy’s founder RH Macy, although it’s unclear if the pair knew that when she was hired) helped shape Macy's as an early employee.
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