The Jones Store
| Company type | Department store chain |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail |
| Founded | 1887 |
| Founder | J. Logan Jones |
| Defunct | 2006 |
| Fate | Rebranded as Macy's |
| Headquarters | Kansas City , United States |
Area served | Kansas City region, United States |
| Parent | May Department Stores (later), Mercantile Stores Company (earlier) |
The Jones Store Company was a department store chain headquartered in the Kansas City region of the United States, previously managed by Mercantile Stores Company and later by May Department Stores, which was based in St. Louis.
History
Established in 1887 by J. Logan Jones, the business began as an 800-square-foot retail outlet in Stafford, Kansas. In 1895, it expanded to Kansas City with a new store situated at the intersection of 6th and Main. By 1902, Jones had leased a seven-story building spanning 500,000 square feet and occupying an entire block at 12th Street and Main, directly across from Bernheimer Bros. & Co.
Following a bankruptcy filing in 1910, the store was purchased by investors from New York. In 1919, these new proprietors acquired merchandise from Bernheimer Brothers.
Despite many retailers relocating from downtown, the flagship location continued operations until January 1998; the structure was eventually torn down in 2005.
During the early 1960s, The Jones Store became part of Mercantile Stores Company. After Mercantile's acquisition by Dillard's, May Department Stores obtained The Jones Store in 1998 and incorporated it into its Famous-Barr division. Federated Department Stores then acquired May in August 2005, and on February 1, 2006, The Jones Store was merged into Federated's Macy's Midwest division.
The Jones Store brand was discontinued on September 9, 2006, when all locations were rebranded as Macy's. This marked Macy's second entry into the Kansas City market after divesting its original stores to Dillard's in 1985. Original store sites included Downtown Kansas City, Bannister Mall, Blue Ridge Mall, Metro North Mall, Oak Park Mall, Independence Center, Metcalf South Shopping Center, Town Center Plaza, Prairie Village Shopping Center, and West Ridge Mall.