Macy's Invents Street Names on New Store Maps

I'm glad I had my camera with me today when Plankmaker and I took a shortcut through the soon-to-be "Macy's on State Street". All this week, workers have been busily installing new awnings outside the store and information maps within. Trouble is, no one actually proofread the new store maps before posting them throughout the store.

Ever heard of Wabash "Street", Washington "Avenue", or Randolph "Avenue"? Neither have I. But as the photos below show, that's how Macy's has labeled the store's surrounding streets on its newly installed store information maps:

While that's not a critical faux pas, it's certainly embarrassing and not the best way to try to prove to Chicago locals that the Gotham retailer is taking its move to State Street seriously. I mean, I'm a newcomer from New York, too, and when I got here I had no trouble learning the difference between Wabash Avenue and Washington and Randolph streets.

I wanted to tell someone in authority about the errors on the new maps. I figured I'd just head to the information counter. As I was standing in front of one of the new wayfinding maps, anyway, I looked to the map to point me in the right direction. Although the information counter is in the center of the ground floor, as you can see, the map was silent on the issue:

Imagine that: a store information map that doesn't list the location of the store's information counter. When I finally found it, I fought the urge to ask whether the mapping moron recently fired by the CTA had found a new home at Federated.

While I appreciate Macy's interest in doing business in the Loop--and let's face it, who else has pockets deep enough to finally make a modern success out of Marshall Field's hangar-sized former home?--if they really want to impress Chicago shoppers, a good start would be showing that they know a.) where their store is located, and b.) what's located where within it.

At least the new awnings correctly say "Macy's on State Street". Though the next time you walk by one, you may want to check for telltale signs of Wite-Out.