Rowland Hussey Macy founded Macy's in New York City in 1851 after experiencing unsuccessful attempts at opening other stores. The original store was located on the corner of 14th Street and 6th Avenue.

Macy's, one of the oldest and largest department stores in the United States, was established in 1858. It has become an iconic symbol of American retail.

In 1862, Macy's created the concept of the retail Santa.

In 1864, the company established the practice of elaborately decorated holiday windows that are still popular today, giving rise to the idea of 'window shopping'.

R. H. Macy, the founder of Macy's, passed away in 1877. After his death, the Macy family continued to run the business until 1885.

In 1885, the Straus family took ownership of Macy's from the Macy family.

In 1895, the Straus brothers, Isidor and Nathan, acquired Macy's from the Macy family, renaming it 'R. H. Macy & Co.'

In 1902, Macy's flagship store relocated to Herald Square at 34th Street and Broadway, offering a steam wagonette to transport customers from 14th Street to 34th Street. The store expanded through new construction, eventually occupying a large block in the area.

Isidor Straus, co-owner of Macy's, tragically passed away at the age of 67 in the sinking of the Titanic along with his wife, Ida.

Macy's established the enduring tradition of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1924, which has become an iconic event in American culture.

In 1947, Macy's gained cultural significance by being featured as a key location in the classic film 'Miracle on 34th Street', solidifying its place in popular culture.

In 1948, employees were seen wrapping gifts at Macy's department store, showcasing the holiday spirit and customer service of the iconic retailer.

Since 1976, Macy's has been sponsoring New York City's annual Fourth of July fireworks display.

The Macy's Herald Square building was designated as a National Historic Landmark and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

Starting in 1983, Macy's New York began opening stores beyond its traditional New York City-Long Island trade area, with locations in Aventura, Florida, Houston, New Orleans, and Dallas. This expansion marked a strategic shift in Macy's retail footprint.

In 1986, Edward Finkelstein, Chairman & CEO of R. H. Macy & Co., Inc., orchestrated a leveraged buy-out of the company. This event marked a significant corporate restructuring within Macy's.

In 1988, Macy's engaged in a takeover battle for Federated Department Stores, Inc., which it lost to Canada's Campeau Corporation. This event had implications for the future direction of Macy's.

On January 27, 1992, R. H. Macy & Co., Inc., filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. This marked a challenging period for the company, leading to significant restructuring efforts.

In May 1993, Macy's revealed plans to launch TV Macy's, a home shopping channel, in collaboration with Don Hewitt, Thomas Leahy, and Cablevision.

On December 19, 1994, R. H. Macy & Co. merged with Federated Department Stores, leading to the relocation of Macy's headquarters to Cincinnati, Ohio.

In 1997, Macy's entered the online market by launching its e-commerce website to take advantage of the internet boom.

In 2000, Macy's organized a spectacular fireworks display above the Manhattan skyline.

In 2001, Federated dissolved its Stern's division in the New York metropolitan area and purchased the Liberty House chain, integrating it with Macy's West.

In July 2003, New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer initiated an investigation into Macy's private policing system following reports of unlawful tactics such as ethnic profiling and handcuffing detainees.

Federated Department Stores announced the acquisition of May Department Stores for $11 billion in cash and stock, creating the nation's largest department store chain.

On March 6, 2005, several Macy's affiliated stores were renamed simply as 'Macy's', with different divisions established for different regions.

On July 28, 2005, Federated revealed plans to rebrand 330 regional department stores owned by the May Company to the Macy's nameplate.

The merger between Federated Department Stores and May Department Stores was finalized on August 30, 2005, after an assurance agreement with several Attorneys General.

Federated announced its intention to divest May Company's Lord & Taylor division by the end of 2006, closing and converting several locations.

On February 1, 2006, Macy's East took over the operational control of Filene's, Strawbridge's, Kaufmann's, and Hecht's stores, which were later rebranded under the Macy's name.

On June 6, 2006, Macy's Boston store faced controversy for removing mannequins and a web address promoting Boston's gay pride celebration, following pressure from a local group opposed to same-sex marriage.

Macy's announced the sale of Lord & Taylor to NRDC Equity Partners for US$1.2 billion in June 2006, completing the transaction in October 2006.

Former May Company store names like Famous-Barr, Filene's, Foley's, and others were switched to the Macy's masthead by Federated, resulting in some malls having two Macy's stores.

The bridal and formal unit of Federated, including David's Bridal and After Hours Formalwear, was sold to Leonard Green & Partners and Men's Wearhouse respectively.

On February 27, 2007, Federated announced that its board of directors would propose changing the company's name to Macy's Group, Inc.

By March 28, 2007, Federated revised its plans for the new name, deciding to eventually become Macy's, Inc.

During the company's annual meeting on May 18, 2007, Federated shareholders approved the revised proposal to change the company's name to Macy's, Inc.

On June 1, 2007, Federated Department Stores officially changed its corporate name to Macy's, Inc. This change was approved by shareholders on May 18, 2007, marking a significant transition for the company.

On February 6, 2008, Macy's announced a new localization strategy known as 'My Macy's' and plans to shed 2,550 jobs.

On February 2, 2009, Macy's announced the elimination of 7,000 jobs, or 4% of its workforce, as part of a major restructuring.

In 2012, Macy's initiated the first full renovation of its iconic Herald Square flagship store at a reported cost of $400 million. The renovation project raised controversy over the balance between contemporary design and authentic restoration.

On October 14, 2013, Macy's Inc. announced the decision to open most of their stores for the first time on Thanksgiving Day 2013, breaking a long-standing tradition of 155 years. This move joined the ranks of retailers who created Gray Thursday the year before.

On October 28, 2014, Macy's, Inc. announced an agreement with Al Tayer Group LLC to open the first Macy's store overseas in Abu Dhabi. This marked a significant milestone in Macy's global expansion strategy, positioning the company in the international retail market.

On July 13, 2015, Macy's announced the sale of the former flagship store of Kaufmann's in Downtown Pittsburgh for redevelopment, closing the location after 128 years.

On September 9, 2015, Macy's announced the closure of 35 to 40 under-performing stores by early 2016, as part of cost-saving measures.

During the holiday season in 2015, Macy's experienced same store sales declines of 5.2% in November and December, which are typically busy months.

On August 11, 2016, Macy's announced the closure of 100 stores in early 2017, expecting to save $550 million a year and cut more than 10,000 jobs.

In early January 2017, the value of Macy's shares fell 14%, marking its biggest drop in seven months.

In February 2017, the Hudson's Bay Company made an overture to Macy's for a potential takeover of the struggling department store.

In May 2018, Macy's acquired the experiential concept Story, enhancing its retail offerings.

In June 2018, Macy's introduced a new concept called Story, a rotating pop-up shop within its stores, as part of an effort to attract more customers amidst the changing retail landscape.

In November 2018, Macy's announced plans to test smaller 'neighborhood' stores to reduce costs and enhance the customer experience.

On August 14, 2019, Macy's shares hit $15.82, which was their lowest since February 2010.

In February 2020, Macy's revealed a significant restructuring plan that included shutting down 125 stores and laying off 2,000 employees. The aim was to streamline operations and reduce costs.

In August 2021, Macy's announced a partnership with Toys 'R' Us to open toy shops in Macy's stores, starting in 2022.

In November 2021, Macy's announced the launch of its digital marketplace, set to debut in the second half of 2022. Macy's partnered with AlixPartners and Mirakl for this initiative.

Macy's rejected a buyout bid due to a perceived lack of value and decided to close 150 stores over the next three years in an effort to improve sales. The company also planned to revamp its merchandise selection and enhance the shopping experience both in-store and online.

On December 4, 2023, a stabbing occurred at Macy's Flagship store in Philadelphia, resulting in the death of a 27-year-old security guard.

Macy's is making ongoing efforts to recover from recent challenges.