Assignment 5: Simone

Although in the past department stores were located downtown, just outside the CBD, today they are anchor stores in our malls. Few big cities like New York and Toronto still have department stores in their downtowns that serve a large population. I have photographed the exterior and interior of the Macy's at Lenox Mall. This is an example of a large store under single ownership that provides a wide range of products. This is a place where things are not only mass produced, but also mass consumed. The interior pictures of this Macy's represent mass production with the large open display of watches. There is a large glass case for shoppers to easily look through and decide which watch is their favorite. Beside the glass case there are tables with tiers of watches stacked on top of each other. The same can be said for the purse display. The bright lights immediately draw your attention to the perfectly arranged display of purses. The path through the first floor of the Macy's is basically guided by the lights, with every step you take from one display to the next the light shifts and changes drawing you to the next display. Not only are their a wide variety of products to choose from, but there are also sales highlighted in several places for those items that are slow moving and/or out of season/style.

Department stores today are known for there simplistic wharehouse like form. This Macy's challenges that in some ways. Although the building is a big cement building the front side that faces Peachtree Street, which is the mens side, has large ceiling to floor glass windows, which also displays some of the clothes that are inside. This Macy's is also in a very convenient location, right of the highway and in Buckhead, one of Atlanta's most prestigious neighborhoods. The Marta stops right behind the mall and there are no "bad areas", referenced by Ford, between the subway and the malls entrance. Ford also mentions that some department stores had rooftop gardens and amusement rides, and the Macy's at Lenox Mall during Christmas has one of the biggest Christmas trees in the city on its roof and the Pink Pig tent set up in part of its lot. In addition throughout the year they sponsor concerts and special events.