The Romance of a Great Store

Behind the counters of Macy's, Edward Hungerford finds a whole working world of buyers, clerks, delivery systems and careful price comparisons. His account traces the business from Rowland Hussey Macy's Nantucket background and early attempts at shopkeeping to its place in New York's commercial life. Divided into Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow, the book combines the store's history with an explanation of its daily organization and plans for growth.

The practical details give this company portrait its particular interest. Staff investigate a shopper's claim that another store charges less, test fabrics for quality and compare the speed of deliveries across the city. Hungerford presents these routines as evidence of fair dealing and efficient management, writing with open affection for the institution and its employees. Readers interested in retail history can see how a large department store described its responsibilities to customers and organized the labor behind each sale.