First, Chicago lost Marshall Field’s. Now, Macy’s is in decline. ‘It almost makes me cry.’

I grew up in Hammond, Indiana, during the 1950s and ‘60s and loved it. Hammond was a great town then. I moved away in 1974, and now live in Boise, Idaho, but still miss my hometown. One of the perks was living so close to Chicago and spending a lot of time there, sometimes riding the South Shore train.

A favorite destination was Marshall Field’s on State Street. I loved all the things that people fondly remember, especially around Christmas. I was very saddened to hear when Macy’s took over the Field’s store in 2006. I and many others predicted what would eventually happen. I was back in Chicago for work about 10 years ago and visited the store. I was disappointed but not surprised. I was happy that I could still buy a box of Frangos at that time.

A few days ago, I read about the closing of the candy counter. Then I found Lynn Becker’s Feb. 1 essay about all the other changes over the past years, including selling off the top seven floors for offices (“The long decline of Macy’s in Chicago, now a shell of a once-great department store”).

It almost makes me cry. I have so many wonderful childhood memories of Marshall Field’s and downtown Chicago in general. I’m bringing my girlfriend to Chicago this spring. She’s never been there. There is now one more iconic location I can no longer show her.

Thank you, Lynn, for your essay.

David M. Habben, Boise, Idaho

Macy’s still has something to offer

Lynn Becker, I think we are both of a certain age. I think we both remember Macy’s as Marshall Field’s in its heyday. But ... Macy’s is OK! It’s keeping up with the online shopping, post-Covid times.

I walk through Macy’s two to five times a week on the way back from St. Peter’s Church and the Harold Washington Library. I get a thrill seeing the immaculate store with an endless array of goodies.

I enjoyed having lunch in the Walnut Room at Christmas, as did many. I loved the ornaments on 7 and Santa Claus in the kids department. It’s one of the last remaining grande dames of retail. Let’s embrace. Shells are for turtles. And oh, yes, Frango mints abound throughout the entire store. Lighten up and enjoy! I do.

Felicia Carparelli, the Loop

Cut back on plastics

More than 430 million tons of plastic are produced worldwide every year, according to the United Nations. These plastics break down into microscopic particles, 110,000 to 400,000 of which were found by scientists in a liter of bottled water. Much of the plastic seems to be coming from the plastic bottles. A researcher found more than 100 cancer-causing chemicals, which can enter human cells, in these nanoplastics.

Plastic particles end up in oceans, lakes, rivers and groundwater with unknown health effects. To protect against potentially adverse health effects, we should drastically cut back on plastic use and production.

Richard Barsanti, Western Springs