Rowland Hussey Macy
Rowland Hussey Macy (born August 30, 1822 in Nantucket , Massachusetts , † March 29, 1877 in Paris ) was an American businessman . He founded RH Macy & Company , known as Macy’s , on October 28, 1858 . Today Macy’s is the largest department store in the world.
Macy was a member of a Quaker family . When he was fifteen, he went to sea on a whaling ship , the Emily Morgan . During this time he had a red star tattooed on his hand, which later became part of the company logo.
Between 1843 and 1855, Macy opened four retail stores, including the original Macy's in Haverhill , Massachusetts. Each of these businesses went bankrupt. Learning from his mistakes, Macy opened a new store on Sixth Avenue and 14th Street in New York in 1858 . The opening is considered the starting signal for the chain of stores.
He married Louisa Houghton in 1844. The marriage resulted in two children, Rowland H. Macy (born 1847) and Florence Macy (born in 1853). The marriage was divorced in 1877. Macy died that same year.
Macy is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx , New York . He was portrayed in the movie The Miracle of Manhattan .
Individual evidence
- ^ LH Robbins, The City Department Store: Evolution of 75 Years , New York Times , Feb.12, 1933, 130
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Macy, Rowland Hussey |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American entrepreneur |
| DATE OF BIRTH | August 30, 1822 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Nantucket , Massachusetts |
| DATE OF DEATH | March 29, 1877 |
| Place of death | Paris |