Bye to the Buckeye

Marshall Field's, the department store division of Target Corp. (Minneapolis), announced that it has entered into an agreement to sell its two stores in Columbus, Ohio. The agreement calls for the Tuttle Crossing and City Center stores to be purchased by The May Department Stores Co. Closing of the transaction is expected to occur March 21, 2003.

“While it's difficult to make a decision like this, we believe this move will allow us to focus more intently on our stores that have a stronger presence in their respective markets,” says Linda Ahlers, Marshall Field's president. “We continue to invest in our stores, improving our level of service, injecting excitement into our merchandise assortment and making our store environments easier to shop.”

Employees at the two Marshall Field's stores will be offered jobs by May. The sale of Marshall Field's two Columbus stores includes the stores' fixtures and other equipment, but excludes the inventory.