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Macy's to open at Apache Mall(Post-Bulletin (Rochester, MN) (KRT) Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Aug. 16--Changes under way at one of Apache Mall's major tenants will peak Sept. 9, when Marshall Field's leaves the Rochester retail scene and Macy's marks its grand opening. Frequent shoppers might have noticed changes at Marshall Field's in recent weeks: Aisles have been widened, several new clothing, linens and houseware brands have been brought in, Macy's gift cards have been put on sale, and Macy's credit cards have arrived in the mail. Contractors started pulling down the exterior Marshall Field's signs last week and replacing them with Macy's signs, a job that might be spaced out over another week or so, according to store manager Eric Ofori-Atta. Marshall Field's banners will cover the exterior Macy's signs until Sept. 8, said Natalie Bushaw, a spokeswoman for Minneapolis-based administrative office Macy's North, a division of Federated Department Stores Inc. Retail giant Federated acquired Marshall Field's last year and announced plans to convert all 63 stores to the Macy's nameplate on Sept. 9. "For the most part, we're in a really good position to have the Rochester store transitioned to becoming a Macy's," Bushaw said. Bushaw said the first 500 customers at Macy's grand opening at Apache Mall will receive a $10 Macy's gift card. A $1,000 gift card will be given at random to a customer who spends the $10 gift card on Sept. 9. Macy's One Day Sales will be the equivalent of Marshall Field's 13-Hour Sales, said Macy's North public relations manager Jennifer McNamara. She said Macy's multiple-day sales will start mid-week and run until Sunday, a departure from Marshall Field's practice of Sunday-through-Saturday sales. Macy's prices are comparable to Marshall Field's, according to Bushaw, but Marshall Field's shopper Mary Van Heuklom of Rochester is wary of Macy's coming to town. "I don't like it," Van Heuklom said. "Somehow, I feel that they're a little high-end for here, maybe." Natalie Kocer of Rochester didn't seem as concerned about the change. "It doesn't bother me," she said as she entered Marshall Field's while shopping last week. "I think they're pretty comparable. Macy's is a new name to me, and Marshall Field's is an old name." Dayton's, which then-owner Target Corp. changed to Marshall Field's in 2001, first opened in Rochester in 1954 at South Broadway and Second Street. Bushaw said no jobs will be cut at the Rochester store because of the transition. Macy's brands Here's a look at the new private brands Macy's is featuring at Apache Mall, all of which are created by and sold exclusively at Macy's, according to spokeswoman Natalie Bushaw. Descriptions are courtesy of Macy's: Fashion -- INC International Concepts: Delivers up-to-the-minute, trend-right sportswear designed to add freshness and fun to women's wardrobes. Cutting-edge, off-the-runway trends are captured and delivered in high-profile, affordably priced clothes for the young sophisticated woman who wants to be noticed. -- INC International Concepts Menswear: Offers cleanly designed, forward-looking clothing. Cool, understated suit separates, knits and T-shirts are designed to mix and match for maximum versatility. -- American Rag: Consists of casual clothes with a strong denim base, aimed at the teen market. Designed to be fresh, approachable and unique in spirit, appealing to young men and women. -- Style&co.: Designed for the busy woman with a breezy forward sense of style. Versatile collection of wearable separates features coordinating pieces that transition from home to work to weekend. -- Greendog: A comprehensive brand of children's play and school clothes. -- Charter Club: Offers all-American style in separates. It is designed for the woman who appreciates a clean put-together look with the right balance of classic style and comfort. -- Club Room: Features classics for weekend or business-casual occasions and tailored suiting for the career oriented professional. -- Alfani for him: Offers updated classics. -- Alfani for her: A career-oriented brand that offers interchangeable separates and seasonless suits. -- First Impressions: A brand of classic clothing for newborns and infants, with an emphasis on special occasion dressing. -- JM Collection: A ready-to-wear brand offers a generous fit. Easy to wear and designed to mix and match. -- Material London: Up-to-date take on timeless menswear traditions. The collection is designed to be stylishly forward, not trendy; blend of the classic and the contemporary. Tasso Elba: European-inspired menswear that is characterized by luxury fabrics and tailoring. Designed for the more traditional customer. Home Charter Club Home: Bedding, bath and table linens. Tools of the Trade: A line of cookware designed to provide high performance at a reasonable price. Hotel Collection: A luxury collection that evokes the cool, clean-lined style of a world-class hotel or spa. Quality bedding, bath, tabletop and barware. Style&co bedding and bath: Creates a decorative home with clean lines, style and mix-and-match ease. The Cellar: Offers up-to-date tableware and decorative housewares for both indoor and outdoor entertaining. How Marshall Field's private brands compare to Macy's: -- Field Gear in women's ready-to-wear is comparable to Charter Club and Style&co. -- Field Gear in men's is comparable to Club Room. -- Marshall Field's in men's is comparable to Tasso Elba. -- Gene Meyer is comparable to INC and Material London. -- Marshall Field's in infants is comparable to First Impressions. -- Field Gear in children's is comparable to Greendog. -- Marshall Field's Hotel is comparable to Macy's Hotel Collection. -- Field Gear in textiles is comparable to Charter Club. Popular events at the downtown Minneapolis store -- The Marshall Field's annual Holiday Auditorium show will continue at the downtown Minneapolis store. This year's theme is Mary Poppins and the show will run from Nov. 11-Dec. 31 in the eighth-floor auditorium. -- The annual spring flower show continues. Next year's show will be March 24-April 7. On the Web More information is available at fields.com, macys.com and fds.com. 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