RALLY IN SUPPORT OF
THE RETURN OF MARSHALL FIELD’S
1:00 pm, SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2007

Field's Fans should start gathering at 12:30 pm
Under the Great Marshall Field's Clock at
State & Washington Streets

• Wear your Marshall Field's Best or something dark green (please no profane t-shirts).
• Bring signs and placards with Marshall Field's slogans.
• Carry a Marshall Field's Shopping Bag.
• Carry a City of Chicago Flag.
• Please be peaceable and dignified in the spirit of Marshall Field's.
• Please do not obstruct traffic.
• Please do not stand in or block the street.
• Check this web site for last minute news or Subscribe to our e-newsletter at subscribe@fieldsfanschicago.org for the latest updates.

PRESS RELEASE

FieldsFansChicago.org
Announces Protest Rally
on September 9, 2007
in Support of the Return of Chicago's Icon,
Marshall Field's

(CHICAGO--August 26, 2007)

What:
Protest Rally in support of the return of Marshall Field's.

Where:
"Under the Great Marshall Field's Clock"
at the corner of State & Washington.

When:
1:00 PM until 2:30 PM,
Sunday, September 9, 2007.


On Sept. 9, 2006. all "Marshall Field's" stores were converted to "Macy's," including the iconic Marshall Field's flagship store on State Street.  

On that very sad day, hundreds of Field's supporters converged at State and Washington under the Great Marshall Field's clock to demonstrate that Chicago--indeed, the world--wants Marshall Field's, not Macy's.

One year later, on Sun., Sept. 9, 2007, supporters of Marshall Field's will again meet under the Great Marshall Field's clock to demonstrate that more than ever, we want Marshall Field's.

For the past year, a grassroots boycott has been in effect against Macy's and Bloomingdale's stores. The business community has since noted a significant decline in sales at Chicago-area Macy's while sales at Macy's competitors have significantly increased. Macy's most recent quarter showed a 77% decline in profits. This demonstrates the effectiveness of this boycott, showing that Chicagoans have a deep resistance to the loss of the Marshall Field's name, Marshall Field's way of doing business, and Marshall Field's significantly higher levels of quality merchandise and service.

Contrary to Macy's promises, the change from Field's has been much more than simply a name change. Tourists have less reason to come to Chicago to shop because there are Macy's everywhere. Newspaper and magazine columnists have noted the reduction in the quality of merchandise at Macy's stores that were formerly Field's. More recently Macy's has announced that it is relocating hundreds of warehouse jobs out of the city of Chicago.

In the past year, the grassroots organization FieldsFansChicago.org has sponsored multiple efforts in support of the return of Marshall Field's. FieldsFansChicago.org's efforts have included two additional major protests under the Marshall Field's Great Clock. The second protest was a special 1890s-themed protest on "Black Friday," Nov. 24, 2006. The third and most recent protest was on May 6, 2007, to drive home the message to Macy's executives, management and shareholders that Marshall Field's must be resurrected to regain profits.

Since last fall, Field's Fans have so far distributed over 66,000 leaflets on State Street, at civic events and elsewhere reminding Chicagoans that Field's can indeed come back as the result of a sustained customer boycott of Macy's. Over 63,000 lapel stickers and pin-on buttons that say "Keep It Marshall Field's," "Marshall Field's Forever, " and "I Want My Marshall Field's" have been distributed to Field's Fans worldwide. Thousands of bumper stickers that say "Field's Is Chicago/Boycott Macy's" have also been distributed. These activities have received international media attention, with coverage by Reuters, Associated Press, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, New York Post, CBS Sunday Morning, WGN, National Public Radio, Chicago Public Radio, the local and national television news reports of ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC, and more.

FieldsFansChicago.org organizers steadfastly maintain, "As we continue our grassroots efforts to bring back Marshall Field's in all its glory, it is good to keep in mind that in corporate America, anything can happen. After seven years as part of Daimler, Chrysler is again an independent American auto company. 'AT&T' became 'Cingular' only to reverse course back to 'AT&T.' Great brands, like the Ford Taurus, can be resurrected. And CEOs can admit they've lost touch with giving their customers the experience they really want, as the CEO of Starbuck's recently did. With the widespread perception that Marshall Field's loss is a huge corporate blunder, we look unflinchingly to the future and keep emphasizing that although Field's is gone for now, it can indeed come back--just as Coke did when consumers rejected New Coke. It is only a matter of time until those visionary business and civic leaders with the needed clout come forward to do what needs to be done."

For further information, contact Jim McKay of FieldsFansChicago.org at jjmckay@fieldsfanschicago.org

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