Name Game

Federated Department Stores Inc. is planning to change the name of all 184 regional department stores in its five-chain group to the Macy’s nameplate early next year. Federated is the parent company of 239 Macy’s stores, as well as Burdines- Macy’s in Florida, Bon-Macy’s in the Pacific Northwest, Goldsmith’s-Macy’s in Tennessee, Lazarus-Macy’s in the Midwest and Rich’s-Macy’s in the Southeast. Federated executives said using the single name increases the company’s ability to develop exclusive merchandising arrangements with vendors and expand its own private brands, including INC, Tasso Elba, the Hotel Collection, Alfani and Charter Club.