Macy's Star, a Tattoo Turned Icon

R.H. Macy

Rowland Hussey Macy, Sr. (1822 – 1877), founder of the R.H. Macy and Company, opened four dry goods stores, including the original store in downtown Haverhill, Massachusetts (1851) to serve the mill industry employees of the area. They all failed. Macy moved to New York City in 1858 and established “R.H Macy Dry Goods” at Sixth Avenue on the corner of 14th Street, north of other popular dry goods stores at that time. That one took off. The logo for the store included a star, which apparently represented a tattoo that Mr. Macy received when as teen he worked on a whaling ship. The Miracle on 34th Street happened years later when the huge store that still bears his name and star was opened.