Macy’s has launched a new themed shop that will change themes, looks and product offerings every six to eight weeks.
Story At Macy’s debuted 36 of its stores on Wednesday (April 10), with the shops boasting 400 unique items on display.
“When you think about department stores in general, they’re very much about intent, a consumer going to the store for a specific thing,” Macy’s Brand Experience Officer Rachel Shechtman told Fortune. “This is where you find what you weren’t looking for, but what you wanted.”
The first theme, which lasts until late June, is color. Fortune got a sneak peek at the 1,200-square-foot Story At Macy’s in Short Hills, New Jersey.
Shechtman explained the retailer wants Story At Macy’s to be an “evergreen gifting destination,” with current products including a bicycle repair kit in a bright red metallic box, a sneaker cleaning kit, Levi’s denim jackets kids can personalize, Crayola socks, reusable straws and individual palettes by MAC, which had previously only been sold to professionals.
“It presents us an opportunity to present MAC in a different way to the consumer,” said Chris Good, group president for North America at Estée Lauder Companies, MAC’s parent company.
The rotating inventory of products aims to entice shoppers to stop in often to see what’s on display and make a purchase, as the items they like might not be available on their next visit.
“Brick-and-mortar retail can no longer just be transactional,” explained Macy’s CEO Jeff Gennette. “We need to increase ‘experience’ and, with that, frequency of shopper visits.”
Story at Macy’s will also allow brands to test out products before launching them into larger stores. Levi’s is set to roll out a larger variety of kids’ clothing this summer for the back-to-school season, while Crayola, which has never sold products at Macy’s, will use Story At Macy’s as “a way for them to flirt with us before dating us,” Shechtman jokingly said.
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