Sheepshead Bay now has Backstage access.
Macy’s Backstage celebrated its grand opening at the Loehmann’s Seaport Plaza on Emmons Avenue on Sept. 2, and the retailer couldn’t have found a better spot for the new franchise, according to Macy’s spokesperson Elina Kazan.
“We were looking at going into very unique and diverse neighborhoods,” she said. “Sheepshead Bay certainly fits the bill.”
The new franchise’s long-awaited grand opening between E. 21st and Dooley streets was accompanied by great fanfare — including a marching band — before Macy’s Backstage executives and Assemblyman Steven Cymbrowitz (D–Sheepshead Bay) cut the ribbon on the new retail spot.
Inside, a live DJ kept shoppers pumped for sweet deals, and the first 100 shoppers received complimentary $10 gift cards.
Macy’s Backstage is a new discount counterpart to Macy’s mid-range department stores, which have seen a decline in sales over the past few years.
The new store will offer a scaled-down selection of the retailer’s typical wares, including clothes, fragrances, jewelry, and cosmetics, within a more modest space of about half the size of a football field — tiny compared to Macy’s mammoth, block-long flagship store in Manhattan.
But Macy’s Backstage distinguishes itself from other discount retailers with a suite of novel amenities for shoppers, including phone charging stations, mobile check-out devices, and a café located in the store.
The Sheepshead Bay franchise is one of six opening around New York and New Jersey, which altogether will be a pilot program to determine if the retail strategy is worth further investment, according to Kazan, who added that based on the day’s events, things were looking good.
“We saw an incredibly positive response from the neighborhood today,” she said. “We really think we have successful start.”
