FOLEY’S HISTORY

1900:

Foley Bros. Dry Goods Co. is founded near Buffalo Bayou

1945:

Federated Department Stores purchases Foley’s

1947:

Foley’s opens its downtown Houston department store, billed as a “store of the future,” at 1100 Main, with an opening day crowd of 20,000 people.

1949:

Led by Santa Claus riding his sleigh through downtown to the new store, Foley’s launches its annual Thanksgiving Day Parade. Foley’s would spearhead the local tradition for 44 years.

1961:

First suburban location opens at Sharpstown Mall. Foley’s would later extend its suburban footprint anchoring malls.

1988:

Campeau Corp. acquires Federated, and the Foley’s division is sold to May Department Stores. May closes four stores, lays off 800 employees and begins a $200 million plan to build new stores and upgrade older ones. At this time, there are 11 Foley’s department stores in the Houston area and one warehouse store.

2003:

Foley’s opens at the Galleria.

2005:

Federated purchases May Department Stores, acquiring 330 stores nationwide for $11 billion. Sixty-nine of those stores are Foley’s. The change closes Foley’s regional headquarters and cuts 1,200 corporate jobs there.

2006:

To unify its regional brands under one banner, Federated changes Foley’s name to Macy’s.

2013:

The 10-story Macy’s (former Foley’s) downtown department store on Main Street closes and the building soon after is demolished in 10 seconds.