Born in 1822, Rowland Hussey Macy left home when he was 15, and went to work on the whaler, Emily Morgan. He once was lost at sea but found a star to guide him to shore and had a red star tattooed on his forearm as a reminder. Macy's Dry Goods original trademark emblem was a rooster, but was soon replaced with a red star, as a reminder of succes.

Despite four failures in the dry-goods business in Haverhill Massachusetts, including his first Macy's store, Macy moved from Boston to New York and opened another store in 1858.This one was an immediate success, bringing in $11.06 the first day. That's equal to $306.15 in today's market. The first years gross was $85,000.

Part of his success was through several innovations that he made. He made it a cash-only business, and he put prices on all his goods, doing away with the common practice of dickering. Along with this he purchased ads in newspapers, listing goods and their prices. He introduced the innovative new tea bag, and the money back guarantee.

Macy's was first to have a liquor license, the first to have a Santa Claus at Christmas. The idea of well-lit display windows to catch the attention of people walking by was also his idea.

The link is to an official Macy's webpage.

More Info: www.visitmacysusa.com