Federated Department Stores said yesterday that it may lay off as many as 6,200 employees and convert 62 Marshall Field’s stores to Macy’s, as part of its ongoing acquisition of the May Department Stores Company.
Federated, which also operates the Bloomingdale’s chain, said it plans to sell the Bridal Group specialty store division that it acquired from May, which includes 245 David’s Bridal shops, 454 After Hours Formalwear shops, and 11 Priscilla of Boston stores.
Still to be decided is the fate of Lord & Taylor, which has been trying to attract a more upscale shopper under Chief Executive Jane Elfers. Federated said that it would study Lord & Taylor for the remainder of this year and make a decision about its future in early 2006.
Terry Lundgren, the chief executive of Federated, told The Post that by expanding Macy’s from coast to coast, Federated would now be in a unique position to focus on national advertising, and increase spending on television spots.
Of the potential layoffs, 4,500 will come from divisional headquarters and 1,700 from May’s corporate office and the May Merchandising Group, which oversaw the company’s private label. Federated said it was trying to place as many of those employees as possible in other jobs at the company.