- [Narrator] By the late 20th century, competition for retail dollars was fiercer than ever.

An economic downturn, and the rise of discount stores cut into sales.

- As a society, we chose to go to the places where the prices were lower, and so we get what we pay for.

It became almost impossible for legacy department stores like that to really survive.

(uptempo music) - [Narrator] Meanwhile, Marshall Field's spun through a revolving door of corporate ownership.

- We had all three names on the price tag, Dayton's, Marshall Field's, then Hudson's.

Chicago didn't like that.

- [Narrator] And slowly, some of Field's most beloved symbols were ham-handedly dismantled.

Production of the Frango mint was unceremoniously shift to Pittsburgh.

The iconic hunter green shopping bags were suddenly brown.

Field's fans howled at the changes.

- It's a bag, it's a price tag.

Who cares?

We did.

You know, it wasn't us anymore.

It was somebody in another city telling us how we were gonna shop, what we were gonna buy.

(uptempo music) - [Narrator] By the early 2000s, Marshall Field's was in many cities beyond Chicago.

At its height, more than 60 stores dotted the US and Field's latest owners, the Target May Company, wooed Field's fans back with an all out marketing blitz.

A splashy, sexy brand renaissance.

- Customer shopping habits were changing.

Downtown was changing.

You have to change.

We began to integrate specialty shops into the stores.

(light dramatic music) - [Narrator] But all the boutiques, bells and whistles couldn't stop what was coming.

Federated Department Stores bought out the Target May Company in January of 2005.

Federated owned Macy's, and rumors of a name change spread faster than the Chicago fire.

- So all of 2005, we're like, "Please God, you know, please."

- [Narrator] Federated made the announcement.

Marshall Field's would become Macy's and Chicago lost its collective mind.

- We used to come to Chicago just to go to this store.

I have ripped up my Macy's card.

- It was this gut-level reaction in Chicago.

- [Narrator] Federated CEO Terry Lundgren seemingly dismissed the outcry, saying "70% of shoppers said a name change didn't matter.

Only 5% said the name change was a terrible idea."

(bright uptempo music) In stark contrast to this claim, grassroots ground troops launched a Save Marshall Fields campaign, - And the petition was called Keep It Fields, and people flocked to it.

- For Chicagoans to hear that it wasn't just going to be new ownership but it was going to be Macy's felt like a personal insult.

- [Narrator] Some even leveled public warning shots.

- How stupid can one corporation be?

They don't understand that force-feeding a New York idea to Chicagoans is not good business.

- [Narrator] One of Chicago's most beloved champions, late film critic Roger Ebert, penned a scathing takedown.

"Don't Mess with Chicago and Don't mess with the name Marshall Field's.

You will generate rage beyond your wildest nightmares.

If you doubt me, Google the phrase, "The Chicago Way."

- For him, Marshall Field's was gonna be Marshall Field's forever, and the idea that, you know, Macy's were gonna come in and slap their name on it, he was ready to actually organize like an actual labor movement, if you will.

(chuckling) He actually said, you know, "We could all cut up our Marshall Field's charge cards."

And I'm like, "Ah, I don't know if this is the hill we wanna die on, Roger."

But it was completely sincere.

It was how he felt.

You know, he'd buttonhole you in between screenings to talk, "Can you believe Macy's?

Come on."

(light dramatic music) - [Narrator] Not even Roger Ebert could give Marshall Field's a Hollywood ending.

- [Group] Boycott Macy's!

Field's is Chicago!

- [Narrator] On September 9th, 2006, Macy's red star officially replaced the iconic Marshall Field's signature at stores across the country.

- [Group] Field's is Chicago!

- [Narrator] Thousands responded with anger, tears and more protests.

- It's really about civic pride and community.

We converged at State Street and we had our picket signs.

At that time, it was a cultural touchstone, and so it was amazing how many people showed up.

- It was part of Chicagoans' identity as a major American city because, look, this is a city that's got this great center of retail and fashion and commerce.

That's what hurt for a lot of Chicagoans.

(light dramatic music) - We expected it to be there forever.

We didn't know Macy's.

Chicagoans didn't shop at Macy's.

- One thing that I love about Chicago is how much people who are from Chicago love Chicago.

And so anytime that there's rapid change, there's going to be, you know, pushback because people love their city.