The Oval Room will live on — sort of — in Edina.
The brands carried in the high-end women’s clothing department, a holdover from the days when the downtown Macy’s store was known as Dayton’s, are not included in the liquidation sales going on right now.
Rather, the merchandise from designer labels found only in select Macy’s such as Armani, Missoni, Max Mara, and St. John have been moved from the Nicollet Mall store to the Macy’s at Southdale Center, said Andrea Schwartz, a company spokeswoman.
The collection hasn’t been given a permanent home yet, but will likely get some special display space, she said. It’s not yet clear whether the name “Oval Room” will also transfer over, or if it will just be the brands themselves.
In addition, Macy’s archive, which had been on display on the 12th floor outside the Oak Grill and the Skyroom, is also slated to be moved over to Southdale for display. The collection includes artifacts such as the brass “Dayton’s” plaque that once adorned the outside of the store, handwritten notes from the founders of Dayton’s, old advertisements and other publications, and photos of the Oval Room from the 1950s and bridal display windows from the 1920s.
As for other historic memorabilia, Macy’s is offering some items as a donation to the Minnesota Historical Society such as holiday props and displays, relics from its annual flower and fashion shows, and some of the machinery and molds used in its candy kitchen.
Whatever items the historical society does not take and that Macy’s decides not to hold on to will be sold to the public as part of the liquidation sale, said Schwartz.
And for those of you who may be bemoaning the fact you didn’t make it to the Oak Grill before it closed last month, Schwartz noted that many of its signature dishes such as chicken pot pie and mandarin salad are also on the menu at Macy’s Lakeshore Grill restaurants at its stores at Ridgedale and Southdale.
Of course, you won’t get the same ambiance there, including that ornate fireplace, but it’s something.
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