Assignment 5: Heather Miller

The one stop shop department store developed out of the variety stores such as the Bon Marche of Paris. These places created a city within a city. These department stores were historically located downtown. However the department store I visited was located at Perimeter Mall. Most of the department stores moved out of downtown and to shopping malls after WWII.

Macy's is one of four anchor stores of the Perimeter Mall. This is the entrance to the furniture section of the store. The men's section entrance is in the same style and labeled in much the same way as the furniture gallery. This separation of the men's store and furniture gallery is mimicked on the interior. This allows for those shopping for furniture or men's wear to skip the women's and children side of the store. One small doorway leads from the women and children's section into the men's store. The look of the exterior of this section is streamlined and modern with the glass and curvilinear design, a look that would appeal to male shoppers. You can also see in this image a car. This shows one historical aspect that led to the department store being located off main street. The importance of the automobile led to a need for parking while shopping. The on street parking on main street was limited. Once department stores moved off main street the emergence of off street parking (for free!) attracted numerous costumers, despite the inconvenience of driving to a location apart from the central business district.


The two entrances to the women's and children's section of Macy's looks much like this. This is the iconic look of Macy's from the heyday of the mall. It is a design women who shop there recognize. It would attract the female shopper with its familiarity. Some department stores installed gardens to add a sense of naturalism to the business being conducted. The trees planted on the sides of the entrance of the women's side of the department store are a reminder of this practice.



This interior shot shows the dramatic transitions that can be seen on the inside. This transition is between the women's section and the junior's section. The junior's section is very modern with televisions and bright lights. This section opens up to the mall and serves to attract the young shopper into the store from the mall. The women's section is homelike and inviting with soft lighting. This mimics the history of the Sear's department store, which attempted to attract different types of customers, not just women.



The floor serves as the guide to the customer. Flooring types vary between walkways and the sales floor. When you step off the tiled floor, you are entering the shopping section.