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Zions Cooperative Mercantile Institution
Company typeDepartment store
IndustryRetail
Founded1868
HeadquartersSalt Lake City, Utah
ProductsClothing, footwear, bedding, furniture, jewelry, beauty products, and housewares.
WebsiteNone

Zions Cooperative Mercantile Institution or ZCMI was founded in 1868 and was the first department store in the United States [1]. For many years, it used the slogan, "America's first department store." Based in Salt Lake City, Utah, it quickly became a household name in the community. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was a significant influence in the company, retaining a majority interest in ZCMI until its eventual sale.

May, Meier & Frank, and Macy's

Historic facade of the flagship ZCMI store in Salt Lake City, Utah

In December 1999, as a result of negative profit results for two consecutive years along with mounting economic and social pressures, ZCMI was sold to the May Department Stores Company. ZCMI operated under its original name as a part of May's Portland, Oregon-based Meier & Frank division until April 2002, when the stores adopted the Meier & Frank name. In addition to the name change, the stores in Logan, St. George, Idaho Falls, and Pocatello were sold to Dillard's. By August 2002, the stores were further consolidated within May into the company's Los Angeles, California division, Robinsons-May, though retaining the Meier & Frank nameplate.

May Department Stores was acquired by Federated Department Stores in September 2005, with most store locations to be converted to Macy's by the end of 2006.

Former Locations

Photograph of an entrance to the ZCMI Center Mall in downtown Salt Lake City.

Utah ZCMI Stores

  • Salt Lake City - (Former Flagship) ZCMI Center Mall (became Meier & Frank in 2002, Macy's in 2006, closing 2007, re-opening 2011)
  • West Valley City - Valley Fair Mall (opened 1970, became Meier & Frank in 2002, Macy's in 2006)
  • Sandy - South Towne Center (became Meier & Frank in 2002, Macy's in 2006)
  • Holladay - Cottonwood Mall (opened 1962, became Meier & Frank in 2002, Macy's in 2006)
  • Orem - University Mall (became Meier & Frank in 2002, Macy's in 2006)
  • St. George - Red Cliffs Mall (became Dillard's 2002)
  • Ogden - Ogden City Mall (closed 2001)
  • Layton - Layton Hills Mall (became Meier & Frank in 2002, Macy's in 2006)
  • Logan - Cache Valley Mall (became Dillard's 2002)

ZCMI II Stores

In addition to the above locations, there were also a few ZCMI II stores, a smaller concept retailer opened in new locations with limited services and departments, as well as much smaller square footage. These stores were generally on a single level and with the exception of the Fashion Place Mall location, located in smaller shopping developments. Save for the Fashion Place location (which operates as Macy's), no former ZCMI II stores are still in operation.

Idaho ZCMI Stores

  • Idaho Falls - Grand Teton Mall (opened 1984, became Dillard's 2002)
  • Pocatello - Pine Ridge Mall (opened 1981, became Dillard's 2002)

Utah ZCMI Restaurants

Most of the larger stores (Salt Lake, South Towne, Cottonwood, University Mall, Ogden City Mall) had restaurants, and some had delis and bakeries. All the eateries are now closed, as of 31 January 2007, when the downtown Salt Lake City Tiffin Room closed for the construction of the City Creek Center retail project. It was rumoured to have been reopening in 2011, but most likely will not be included in the new Macy's store plans.

  • The Tiffin Room Restaurant, on the 4th floor - ZCMI Center Mall (closed January 31, 2007)

Trivia

  • The Great Brain children's book series, which takes place in Utah, makes several references to ZCMI stores throughout the series.
  • The Danish band D-A-D has made a song called ZCMI

External links

Template:Robinsons-May history