Macy's 90th anniversary parade

[Silver]

That made me look into how long the business has been around.

It has only been known as Macys since 2004. It was formerly known as R. H. Macy & Co., which has been around for 158 years, since 1858.

When bread was a penny back then, what did things cost at that store? Was it always an expensive retail store?

[Autumnlicious]

Using the inflation calculator, $200 in 1913 is over $4.7k now.

Assuming you pay $85 per shopping run like I do, that would amount to roughly $3.5 in 1913. This would be for several meats, plenty of milk, water, bread and assorted vegetables. I would infer that prices for groceries would be in the 1-5 cents range on average per item.

Put another way, if by end of day you were paid one dollar in 1913, it would be like receiving $23.

Inflation and automation are strange and wonderous.

[vorlon13]

I note corn prices from 1819 to now are essentially unchanged


Go FARMERS !!!!

YEA !!!!

Showing everyone else how to purchase everything for inflated prices but still selling commodities at prices from almost 200 years ago !!!!!

[vorlon13]

Might be good for the country if for a month every year, everyone gets paid the equivalent of the minimum wage from 200 years ago. And that's just wages, we'll leave prices for everything unchanged.

Might result in a greater appreciation of today's farmers !

[Crossless2.0]

Might be good for the country if for a month every year, everyone gets paid the equivalent of the minimum wage from 200 years ago.

Well, 200 years ago, the minimum "wage" involved offal, boiled greens, and no trip to the whipping post -- if you 'behaved'. If you were really lucky, your family might not be sold that month.

It would definitely result in a greater appreciation of today's farmers!

[abaris]

A 1st class ticket on the Titanic would go for $50.000 today. A penny was something in 1858, but I don't know what they sold in 1858 and how pricey it was.

According to their history, they were a dry good department store.

https://macysinc.com/about-us/macysinc-h...fault.aspx

[vorlon13]

no shit !


I buy everything I use at retail prices, and I sell everything I sell at wholesale.

That trick is fucking impressive, not counting the flat commodity prices for 2 centuries.

[ApeNotKillApe]

£3.50? Back in my day that would've bought seven cars.