Macy’s Department stores is closing down its iconic downtown Pittsburgh location after selling off the building that, for over 100 years, served as the flagship store for the now defunct Kaufmann’s chain.
After announcing the closing of the location, Macy’s announced that a clearance sale would run through September.
The location served as the main store for Kaufmann’s department stores, which opened in Pittsburgh in 1887 and remained open until Macy’s bought out the chain in 2005.
Macy’s reported that it sold the building because it was only using 40 percent of the 13-story building. Plans were under discussion on what to do with the building when a developer inquired about buying the whole edifice to turn the space into retail and condos.
The developer promised the city that it would leave the familiar outdoor clock installed in 1913 at Fifth Avenue and Smithfield Street because it is such an iconic Pittsburgh landmark.
The closing comes at the same time as a spat between the Cincinnati-based retailer and GOP candidate Donald Trump is raging. Macy’s is pulling all of its Trump-related merchandise, and in return Trump has had a few things to say about it all.
The announcement of the Pittsburgh closing came at the same time that Trump was urging followers via Twitter to boycott Macy’s.
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston, or email the author at igcolonel@hotmail.com.
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