Robinsons-May
A former American department-store chain created by combining J. W. Robinson's and May Company California.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
Robinsons-May was an American department-store chain that operated primarily across Southern California, Arizona, and Nevada. The brand was created in 1993 when The May Department Stores Company consolidated two of its Southern California divisions: J. W. Robinson's and May Company California. Its name deliberately preserved the identities of both predecessor businesses, producing the distinctive double-barreled Robinsons-May name. The chain inherited a substantial regional retail history. May Company California traced its roots to A. Hamburger & Sons, a Los Angeles merchant founded in 1881 and acquired by May in 1923. J. W. Robinson's had been acquired by Associated Dry Goods in 1957; May Department Stores later obtained Associated Dry Goods in 1986, bringing Robinson's into the same corporate family. In 1989, after May dissolved its Goldwaters division, stores in the Phoenix metropolitan area and Las Vegas were allocated to the still-separate Robinson's and May Company California operations. Their eventual combination gave Robinsons-May a broader southwestern footprint than either predecessor had previously maintained. The business sold the conventional assortment associated with a full-line department store, including women's, men's, and children's apparel, accessories, footwear, cosmetics, fragrances, home furnishings, housewares, and other lifestyle merchandise. Its stores generally occupied major regional shopping centers and malls, serving customers seeking a broad, branded selection in a traditional department-store environment. The chain was positioned above discount retail and competed in the mid-market to moderately upscale department-store segment. Robinsons-May expanded its inherited territory during the 1990s. In 1997 it absorbed Tucson-area locations associated with Foley's, which themselves had descended from the former Levy's and Sanger-Harris operations. In 2002, Robinsons-May was consolidated administratively with Portland-based Meier & Frank. Meier & Frank retained its own store name, but its principal headquarters functions were merged into the Robinsons-May headquarters in North Hollywood. The brand's independent existence ended after Federated Department Stores acquired The May Department Stores Company. Beginning on August 30, 2005, operational control of Robinsons-May stores shifted to Macy's West, while Meier & Frank stores were transferred to Macy's Northwest. Federated subsequently evaluated the estate store by store. During 2006, most Robinsons-May locations were converted to Macy's or Bloomingdale's stores, relocated, or closed. Several prominent locations, including stores at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa and Fashion Valley in San Diego, were closed and redeveloped as Bloomingdale's stores, while other markets received Macy's conversions or relocations. The Robinsons-May signs were removed on September 9, 2006, ending the chain as an operating retail brand. The Robinsons-May trademark was acquired by Strategic Marks in 2012. The mark has been associated with possible future revival plans, but the department-store chain itself remains defunct and has not been restored as a national or regional operating business.
History
Robinsons-May emerged from the long-running Southern California operations of May Company California and J. W. Robinson's. May Company California began with May's 1923 acquisition of A. Hamburger & Sons, a Los Angeles retailer founded by Asher Hamburger in 1881. J. W. Robinson's followed a different corporate path: Associated Dry Goods acquired the chain in 1957, and May Department Stores acquired Associated Dry Goods in 1986. That transaction placed Robinson's and May Company California under common ownership. The two divisions initially remained separate. Their geographic scope changed in 1989 when May Department Stores dissolved its Goldwaters division, headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona. Goldwaters' Phoenix-area and Las Vegas stores were divided between J. W. Robinson's and May Company California. In 1993, May consolidated the two divisions and introduced the Robinsons-May name. The new chain retained May Company California's Los Angeles headquarters and operated in Southern California, Arizona, and Nevada. The consolidation continued during the following decade. In 1997, Robinsons-May absorbed Foley's stores in the Tucson area. Those locations represented the remnants of earlier Levy's and Sanger-Harris operations. In 2002, May further consolidated administrative functions by combining Robinsons-May with Meier & Frank, a Portland-based sister division. Meier & Frank continued to trade under its own name, although its main headquarters operations were merged into Robinsons-May's North Hollywood headquarters. The chain's corporate independence ended with Federated Department Stores' acquisition of The May Department Stores Company. On August 30, 2005, Macy's West took operational control of the Robinsons-May stores. Federated reviewed the portfolio in connection with its broader effort to rationalize the acquired department-store divisions and expand the Macy's and Bloomingdale's nameplates. Fifteen California stores were offered for sale under an agreement involving the California attorney general, although some remained with Federated when acceptable competing offers did not materialize. During 2006, the Robinsons-May identity was retired. Most locations became Macy's or Bloomingdale's stores, while others were closed or replaced by relocated stores. High-profile properties at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa and Fashion Valley Mall in San Diego were closed and refurbished for Bloomingdale's operations because Macy's already had stores in those centers. In Arizona and the Inland Empire, some existing Macy's stores moved into former Robinsons-May premises. The final Robinsons-May signs were removed on September 9, 2006. The trademark changed hands after the retail chain disappeared. Strategic Marks acquired the Robinsons-May mark in 2012 and has indicated an interest in a possible future revival. That trademark ownership does not represent a continuation of the former store chain, which remains defunct.
- 2012
Strategic Marks acquires the trademark
[1]Strategic Marks acquired the Robinsons-May trademark after the operating chain had ended.
- 2006
The Robinsons-May nameplate is retired
[1]Most stores were converted to Macy's or Bloomingdale's, relocated, or closed, and the signs were removed on September 9.
- 2005
Macy's West assumes operational control
[1]After Federated's acquisition of May Department Stores, Macy's West took operational control of Robinsons-May stores.
- 2002
Administrative consolidation with Meier & Frank
[1]Meier & Frank retained its store name but merged its principal headquarters functions into Robinsons-May's North Hollywood headquarters.
- 1997
Tucson-area Foley's stores are absorbed
[1]Robinsons-May took over Tucson-area locations associated with Foley's and its predecessor divisions.
- 1993
Robinsons-May is formed
[1]May combined J. W. Robinson's and May Company California under the Robinsons-May name.
- 1989
Goldwaters stores are redistributed
[1]After May dissolved Goldwaters, stores in the Phoenix metropolitan area and Las Vegas were allocated to Robinson's and May Company California.
- 1986
May acquires Associated Dry Goods
[1]May Department Stores acquired Associated Dry Goods and thereby gained ownership of J. W. Robinson's.
- 1957
J. W. Robinson's is acquired by Associated Dry Goods
[1]Associated Dry Goods acquired J. W. Robinson's, beginning the corporate chain that later brought the division into May Department Stores.
- 1923
May acquires A. Hamburger & Sons
[1]May acquired the Los Angeles retailer A. Hamburger & Sons, an important predecessor to May Company California.
Products and positioning
A regional, mid-market to moderately upscale full-line department store offering apparel, beauty products, and home merchandise through large mall-based stores.
Department-store merchandise
Apparel and accessories
Apparel was central to Robinsons-May's full-line department-store model. Stores carried women's, men's, and children's clothing, along with footwear, handbags, jewelry, and other accessories. The assortment was designed for broad mall-based shopping rather than a narrowly specialized fashion niche.
Cosmetics and personal care
Beauty merchandise
The chain's beauty departments included cosmetics, fragrances, and related personal-care merchandise. These products complemented its apparel business and reflected the conventional department-store format inherited from its Robinson's and May Company predecessors.
Home furnishings and housewares
Home merchandise
Robinsons-May also sold household merchandise, including home furnishings, bedding, housewares, and related domestic products. Home departments broadened the chain's role from an apparel retailer into a general-purpose shopping destination.
Brand decisions
2006
Retirement and conversion of the Robinsons-May nameplateStrategyBackground
Federated pursued a portfolio-wide integration after acquiring May Department Stores, emphasizing the Macy's and Bloomingdale's brands.
Action taken
Most Robinsons-May stores were converted to Macy's or Bloomingdale's, while selected properties were closed or replaced by relocated stores.
Aftermath
The Robinsons-May chain ceased operating under its own name, with signage removed on September 9, 2006.
2005
Transfer of store operations to Macy's WestM&ABackground
Federated Department Stores acquired The May Department Stores Company and began integrating the acquired regional department-store divisions.
Action taken
Macy's West assumed operational control of Robinsons-May stores on August 30, 2005, beginning the transition away from the Robinsons-May operating identity.
Aftermath
The stores were subsequently evaluated for sale, conversion, relocation, or closure, with most ultimately becoming Macy's or Bloomingdale's locations.
Recent events
- 2012
Strategic Marks acquires the Robinsons-May trademark[1]
M&A
Strategic Marks acquired the Robinsons-May trademark and has been associated with plans to potentially revive the name.
- 2006
Robinsons-May stores are converted, relocated, or closed[1]
M&A · Other
Most remaining stores were changed to Macy's or Bloomingdale's locations, relocated within their markets, or shut. Store signage was removed on September 9, 2006.
- 2005
Operational control of Robinsons-May stores shifts to Macy's West[1]
M&A · Leadership change
Following Federated Department Stores' acquisition of The May Department Stores Company, Macy's West assumed operational control of the Robinsons-May store portfolio.
Sources1 sources
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