May Company Ohio

This article is about the retail chain. For the parent company, see The May Department Stores Company.

May Company Ohio

File:May Company Department Store OH Final Logo.png
File:May Company Building Cleveland April 2023.jpg Facade of the former main store in Cleveland (2023)
Company type	Division
Industry	Retail
Predecessors	E. R. Hull & Dutton Co. William Taylor Son & Co. O'Neil's
Founded	1899 (1899)
Founder	David May
Defunct	Template:End date and age
Fate	Rebranded under The May Department Stores Company
Successor	Kaufmann's
Headquarters	Cleveland, Ohio , United States
Products	Template:Flat list
Parent	The May Department Stores Company

May Company Ohio was a department store chain based in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. Its origins trace back to 1899 when David May acquired E. R. Hull & Dutton Co., subsequently renaming it May Company. The chain expanded further with David May's majority stake in William Taylor Son & Co. in 1939 and experienced suburban growth during the 1950s. In 1989, The May Department Stores Company integrated O'Neil's into the May Company Ohio brand, which itself was absorbed and rebranded as Kaufmann's by 1993.

History

The inception of the company dates to 1899 when David May, founder of the larger May Department Stores, purchased E. R. Hull & Dutton Co., located on Ontario Street in Cleveland, renaming it as May Company, Cleveland. In 1914, the company expanded by constructing a notable building on Euclid Avenue, positioned at the southeast corner of Public Square. This multi-story structure rises to 149 feet with eight floors; however, the seventh and eighth floors were additions completed in 1931. In 1939, May Company gained controlling interest in another Cleveland retailer, William Taylor Son & Co., which operated under its own name until 1961.

Suburban growth

The company's move into suburban markets commenced in the 1950s, beginning with the Sheffield Shopping Center in Lorain in 1953. This location originally operated as an O'Neil's store, a subsidiary of May Company, before transitioning to a May Company branch in 1967. Following this, Cedar-Center Plaza at Cedar and Warrensville Roads in University Heights opened in late 1956, locally referred to as "May's on the Heights." In 1960, a new outlet was established at Parmatown Mall in Parma, and another opened in 1961 at Southgate Shopping Center in Maple Heights, with the Southgate store initially launched by William Taylor & Son Co. in 1958. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, additional mall locations were introduced, including Great Lakes Mall (1964), Great Northern Mall (Ohio) in North Olmsted (1965), Randall Park Mall in North Randall (1976), Euclid Square Mall in Euclid (1977), and Sandusky Mall in Sandusky (1979).

Adjacent to the Cedar Center Store’s southern side, the company erected a nine-story warehouse—comprising six stories above ground and three basement levels—intended for furniture distribution servicing Cleveland’s east side. This red brick structure was architecturally designed to blend seamlessly with the existing expansive three-story store plus basement. Although utilized briefly, the warehouse remained vacant from 1960 until the University Heights store was demolished and reconstructed in 2002 under the Kaufmann's brand.

Focusing on mid- to upper-tier fashion apparel and home furnishings, the May Company positioned its pricing competitively at or below that of Cleveland market rivals Higbee's and Halle's. Notably, May Company pioneered the issuance of its own proprietary charge card among local department stores, announcing this innovation on July 16, 1966. This move marked a departure from participation in the Department Stores Charge Plate system—a metal card featuring notches for each member store and shared by retailers such as William Taylor Son & Co., Bailey's, Sterling-Lindner-Davis, The Higbee Company, and The Halle Bros. Co. Higbee's and Halle's maintained involvement with this collective system until they introduced their individual plastic charge cards in 1969; other participating stores had ceased operations by then.

Beyond retail offerings, the company gained recognition for sponsoring the Eagle Stamp program. Customers earned Eagle Stamps through purchases not only at The May Company but also at establishments like Pick-N-Pay Supermarkets, Leader Drug Stores, as well as selected gas stations and dry cleaners. Completed stamp booklets could be exchanged at May Company outlets for $3 credits toward merchandise acquisitions. This trading stamp initiative was managed by the May Company-owned Eagle Stamp Company based in St. Louis from its inception in 1903 until its conclusion in 1987.

Integration with O'Neil's and transition to Kaufmann's

File:Kaufmann's-May Company Transition Logo.png

Kaufmann's-May Company transition logo

In 1989, May Company Cleveland combined operations with O'Neil's, headquartered in Akron, resulting in the creation of May Company Ohio, as part of the May Department Stores initiative to streamline its regional department store divisions. Subsequently, on January 31, 1993, May Company Ohio was absorbed into Kaufmann's based in Pittsburgh, leading to the closure of its Downtown Cleveland location. A significant number of these former stores were converted into Macy's outlets by 2006.

May Company Cleveland building

Template:Infobox NRHP The May Company’s main building in Cleveland was recognized by being placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.

In late 2013, plans were revealed to convert the May Co building into a residential complex featuring over 350 apartments.

In 2017, Bedrock-Detroit—a real estate firm co-founded by Dan Gilbert—acquired the May Company Building located on Public Square for $12 million (~$Template:Format price adjusted for inflation). The company outlined intentions to transform the structure into a mixed-use development comprising 308 residential units, nearly 600 indoor parking spaces, retail establishments, as well as rooftop areas designated for recreation and green space accessible to residents. The comprehensive renovation project, budgeted at $140 million (~$Template:Format price in current dollars), was originally slated for completion in June 2020; however, progress has been postponed due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Redevelopment

In 2017, Bedrock, a real estate firm co-founded by Dan Gilbert, acquired the May Company Building located on Public Square for $12 million, initiating a comprehensive three-year renovation strategy. The redevelopment commenced with Bedrock’s $180 million investment to transform the building into 307 residential units, more than 540 interior parking spots, retail spaces, and various amenities. Renamed The May, the building officially reopened in late 2020.

The May now features nearly 80,000 square feet dedicated to commercial use, including a rooftop terrace spanning 12,000 square feet. The renovation preserved and revitalized original architectural elements such as frosted glass windows, exterior terra cotta details, interior column capitals, and the historic May Company pediment clock. Enhancements like a new open-air atrium, fitness center, and rooftop vantage points have facilitated the building’s adaptation to contemporary mixed-use purposes.

While modern upgrades were incorporated throughout the restoration, efforts were made to retain the nostalgic character reminiscent of The May’s history as an iconic department store. This blend of preservation and modernization caters to the expectations of current residents and visitors alike.

Since March 2020, The May has operated as a multifunctional property offering diverse options. Apartment sizes range from studios of approximately 570 square feet to three-bedroom units up to 1,413 square feet. Retail tenants on the ground floor include Cuyahoga Community College alongside other commercial establishments. The development also provides upscale living accommodations, indoor parking facilities, and convenient access to downtown Cleveland, positioning it as a central hub for numerous local activities.

See also

• List of defunct department stores of the United States
• List of department stores converted to Macy's