#onebelow

Throughout my teen years, my favorite weekend activity was going to the mall with friends. It was my first taste of freedom as my protective mother finally gave me permission to roam the mall in the company of friends. We spent countless hours browsing through our favorite stores in search of the latest trend. Some of my favorite stores throughout high school were Urban Outfitters, Free People, Madewell, and Nordstrom. I adored the visuals and the merchandise each store offered, although the higher price point limited me to one or two pieces per purchase.

Looking back on my experiences while shopping at Macy’s, I was never a fan of their merchandise, their visuals, or their customer service. Eventually, at some point in high school I neglected the department store entirely. Since, I haven’t given much thought to the retailer until I came across an interesting article in Women’s Wear Daily regarding Macy’s Herald Square flagship store (Palmieri, 2015). Macy’s transformed an entire level of their flagship into a teen dream titled “One Below,” which was created to “attract a younger millennial customer” (Palmieri, 2015). According to Palmieri, “the space is about 53,000 square feet” allowing for plentiful space for their boutique-like setup to highlight different brands and trends (Palmieri, 2015).

Tim Baxter, the retailer’s Chief Merchandising Officer, stated that One Below is “an entirely new experience that blends technology with fashion and food” (Palmieri, 2015). If One Below is successful at the flagship location, it will likely be “applied to as many destinations as we can,” said Baxter (Palmieri, 2015).

One Below customers can explore their creativity through the build-your-own-watch feature by Fossil, which allows teens to customize the straps, face, and even engrave their new wrist bling (Palmieri, 2015). Marc Mastronardi, Executive Vice President and General Merchandise Manager of Center Core at Macy’s, said “personalization and customization are a touch point for Millennials” (Palmieri, 2015). This trend has been on the rise as customers want the ability to personalize merchandise and many retailers have caught onto this trend, offering this feature with specific items.

Another distinct feature of One Below is the “3-D printing lifestyle shop,” which will include jewelry, accessories, shoes, and iPhone cases that customers can purchase for a “level of intricacy (that) can only be achieved with a 3-D printer,” said Mastronardi (Palmieri, 2015).

The American Rag boutique “spans about 3,700 square feet,” making it the largest boutique on the floor as Macy’s continues to stress the brand and attract customers (Palmieri, 2015). Personally, I was never a fan of American Rag when I shopped at Macy’s in middle school and early high school, so I am interested to see how it has changed in the past 8 years or so. In addition to American Rag’s boutique, vendors such as Jessica Simpson, BCBGeneration, Levi’s, Roxy, and Volcom can be found on the floor. As I reflect on my department store shopping experience as a teen, I distinctly remember these brands, and only wish I were 8 years younger, so that I could indulge in this teen delight.

What I find to be the most special is their dress department, which features a variety of dresses for all occasions, from homecoming to prom to a first date (Palmieri, 2015). I remember the countless hours I spent roaming from department store to department store in search of the perfect dress, and if I had the option to visit this one-stop-shop instead, it would have saved so much time.

This distinct floor will feature accessories from brands such as “Kipling backpacks, Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger active wear … (and) Betsey Johnson bags” (Palmieri, 2015). In addition, customers will find on-trend accessories such as “fur, fringe, ponchos, and blanket wraps,” so teens can cozy up this fall and winter in a fashionable way (Palmieri, 2015). Footwear is also available in One Below, including styles such as “sneakers, booties, pointed flats and other on-trend items,” said Muriel Gonzalez, executive vice president and general merchandise manager of cosmetics, fragrances and shoes (Palmieri, 2015).

To top off the look, the beauty section features brands such as Mac, Benefit, and Clinique (Palmieri, 2015). Girls can also benefit from “makeup lessons, brow shaping, and other beauty services” with a blowout bar set to launch soon (Palmieri, 2015). If only I had this kind of resource when I was a teen and had no idea what I was doing with makeup.

One Below creates a space for teens, that is 53,000 square feet, to shop their hearts out. The master goal is to make the entire floor “cool” enough for a teen to desire this shopping experience, otherwise, “she’s not going to shop here,“ said Mastrogiacomo and will instead opt for another department store such as Nordstrom or Bloomingdales (Palmieri, 2015). “It’s all about getting and keeping them here,” said Mastrogiacomo (Palmieri, 2015). This is the key in creating a group of customers that keeps coming back. It’s all about the experience when it comes to shopping, and as many of us avid shoppers have learned, a good shopping experience keeps us coming back for more, while a negative experience leaves us running for the door.