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Macy's, Inc.

Department Store RetailFounded 1858
Reviewed by Swet Parvadiya
Company data updated: October 2026

Founders

Who Founded Macy's?

Rowland Hussey Macy · Founded 1858 · HQ today: New York, New York, United States

Who founded Macy's?

Macy's was founded by Rowland Hussey Macy in 1858. It is now led by Tony Spring.

Founders
Rowland Hussey Macy
Founded
1858
Headquarters
New York, New York, United States
Number of founders
1
Current CEO
Tony Spring (since 2024)
Where was Macy's founded?
Macy's was founded in New York City, New York in 1858.
When was Macy's founded?
Macy's was founded in 1858.
Who started Macy's?
Macy's was founded by Rowland Hussey Macy.
How old is Macy's?
Macy's is 168 years old as of 2026.

Founding Story

Rowland Hussey Macy, a former Nantucket whaler, had several unsuccessful dry goods stores, including in Haverhill, Massachusetts, before opening R.H. Macy & Co. on Sixth Avenue in New York in 1858. He became known for fixed prices, cash sales and heavy newspaper advertising. The Straus family, which had run the store's china department, took full ownership in 1896 and moved the business to Herald Square in 1902.

Rowland Hussey Macy

Co-founder 1858

Background

Macy went to sea on a whaling ship as a teenager, then ran dry goods businesses in Massachusetts and California before succeeding in New York.

Role at Macy's, Inc.

Rowland Hussey Macy (1822-1877) was a Nantucket-born merchant and former whaler who opened R.H. Macy & Co. in New York City in 1858 after earlier retail ventures failed. He built the store on fixed prices, cash sales and aggressive newspaper advertising, and promoted Margaret Getchell to superintendent in 1866, one of the first women in a senior U.S. retail management role.

Macy was born on August 30, 1822 and died on March 29, 1877. He is credited as one of the first major US retailers to sell at a single fixed price to every customer, a practice drawn from Quaker principles. Rowland Hussey Macy was born in 1822.

Macy's, Inc.: CEO & Leadership History

Full timeline →

Tony Spring

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

2024 – Present

Under Spring, Macy's returned to positive annual comparable sales in FY2025 and posted five straight quarters of comp growth through Q2 2026. He joined Bloomingdale's in 1987 and was its CEO from 2014 until becoming Macy's CEO.

Tom Edwards

Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer

2024 – Present

As CFO, he managed aggressive real estate monetizations and cost-cutting initiatives as the department store struggled against declining mall traffic.

Jeff Gennette

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

2017 – 2024

He successfully navigated the pandemic closures and drove massive e-commerce growth, though he struggled to permanently reverse the structural decline of legacy department stores.

Terry Lundgren

Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

2003 – 2017

Over 14 years as CEO, he built Macy's into a national retail juggernaut, successfully integrating hundreds of regional brands into a single cohesive national footprint.

Compare Macy's, Inc. Leadership With Competitors

Macy's, Inc. vs Kohl's Corporation Leadership →Overview
Macy's, Inc. vs Nordstrom, Inc. Leadership →Overview

Keep researching Macy's

Who Founded Macy's? FAQ

Who founded Macy's and what was his entrepreneurial background?

Macy's was founded by Rowland Hussey Macy (1822 to 1877), a Massachusetts businessman and former whaler who opened four unsuccessful dry goods retail shops in Boston, Marysville (California), and Haverhill before finding monumental success with his New York store in 1858.

What is the origin of the Macy's red star logo?

According to company lore, the red star comes from a tattoo R.H. Macy got during his whaling days. He adopted it as the store's symbol, and it remains the Macy's logo.

Who was Margaret Getchell and why is she famous in retail history?

Margaret Getchell was a cousin of R.H. Macy who was hired in 1860 and appointed store superintendent in 1866, becoming the first female corporate retail executive in American history, pioneering catchy advertising slogans, store merchandising displays, and customer service standards.

What major retail practices did R.H. Macy pioneer in 19th-century America?

R.H. Macy pioneered modern retail practices including fixed, one-price pricing (eliminating haggling), selling merchandise strictly for cash (no credit, keeping prices low), bold newspaper advertising with money-back guarantees, and creating animated holiday window displays.

When did the Straus family take over Macy's?

Lazarus Straus and his sons Isidor and Nathan initially operated the china and glassware department in Macy's store in 1874. Following the deaths of R.H. Macy and his heirs, the Straus family acquired full ownership of R.H. Macy & Co. in 1896.

When did the brothers Lyman and Joseph Bloomingdale found Bloomingdale's?

Brothers Lyman and Joseph Bloomingdale founded Bloomingdale's in 1872 on New York's Lower East Side, opening their 'Great East Side Bazaar' specializing in ladies' hoop skirts and European fashion before moving to 59th Street and Lexington Avenue in 1886.

Who founded Bluemercury and when did it join Macy's, Inc.?

Bluemercury was founded in 1999 in Georgetown, Washington, D.C., by Marla Beck and Barry Beck as an innovative neighborhood beauty boutique and spa concept. Macy's, Inc. acquired Bluemercury in March 2015 for $210 million.

What was the founding of Federated Department Stores in 1929?

Federated Department Stores was formed in 1929 as a holding company uniting prestigious regional department store families: Abraham & Straus (Brooklyn), Filene's (Boston), F&R Lazarus & Co. (Columbus), and Bloomingdale's (New York), later acquiring Macy's in 1994.

Who founded Macy's?

It was founded by Rowland Hussey Macy, but the true architects of its massive empire were the Straus brothers (Isidor and Nathan). The Straus family acquired Macy's in 1895 and built the legendary Herald Square flagship. Tragically, Isidor Straus and his wife Ida died on the RMS Titanic in 1912, famously refusing to board a lifeboat while younger women and children were still on the sinking ship.

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Content is for informational purposes only. Not financial advice. Data sourced from SEC filings, annual reports, and public records. See our full disclaimer and methodology.