MINK ORGANIZATION TO TAKE OVER LEASE
DEPARTMENTS IN 15 MACY'S STORES IN
CHICAGO, DETROIT AND MINNEAPOLIS

By Lissa Wyman

NEW YORK-- Kenneth L Mink & Sons, Inc. will take over the rug lease departments in 15 Macy's stores in metropolitan Chicago, Detroit and Minneapolis.  The move is effective Aug. 31, according to David Mink, president of  Kenneth L. Mink & Sons.

The 15 stores were formerly part of Macy's North, which was merged into Macy's East earlier this year. The stores include the former Marshall Field's stores, including the flagship store on State Street in Chicago. Mink has operated the rug lease departments in Macy's East stores since 1997.

The former lease operator in Chicago, Detroit and Minneapolis was BBT (Bashian Bros-Tudesko) which has been the rug department lease holder in those areas for several years.

Both David Mink and George Bashian, a principal of BBT, said the transition is proceeding smoothly. "Bashian Bros has a long-standing relationship with Mink and we were able to work out a fair and equitable transition that was agreeable to both companies," noted Bashian. BBT employees will continue at the Macy's stores for 90 days.

"Bashian will continue to be one of our major suppliers and we look forward to working with BBT personnel," said Mink.

The changeover in the management of the Macy's rug departments came as a result of the merger of Macy's North into Macy's East, explained Mink and Bashian..

"The company wishes to  operate the rug leases in line with the corporate strategy of consistency throughout the system," Mink noted.

In the past two years, Macy's has brought all of its stores -- except Bloomingdale's -- under a single corporate name. One name allows the company to advertise nationally and strengthen a single  brand.

Even with the strong corporate identity, however, Mink stressed that the Macy's rug departments  are not cookie-cutter clones of one other.

"We merchandise our floors based on demographics. We don't treat this like a commodity business. We emphasize high end products at such stores as Herald Square and Carle Place in New York, but we also have stores that feature more moderate prices," said Mink. "We fully intend that the State Street store in Chicago will maintain its quality image."

Major vendors at the Mink departments, in addition to Bashian, include Nourison, Oriental Weavers, Momeni, Karastan, Bokhara and many others. "We already share major suppliers with Bashian, so the changeover in the midwest will be an easy transition," said Mink.

In addition to the 15 former Macy's North stores, Mink operates the rug lease departments in 80 Macy's East stores that are spread from Maine to Virginia. Kenneth L. Mink & Sons was formed in 1975 and specializes in operating department and furniture store rug lease departments.

Macy's also operates rug departments in many Macy's Central, Macy's West and Macy's Florida stores. The rug departments in those stores are operated by the Macy's Home division, under the direction of senior buyer Keith Arlinghaus.

08.26.08

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