L. S. Ayres

L. S. Ayres & Co. was a department store chain based in Indianapolis, IN, founded in 1872 by Lyman S. Ayres. From 1972 L. S. Ayres was owned by the Associated Dry Goods. Co. based in NY, up until 1986 when it merged with The May Department Stores Company. The flagship store which had opened in 1905 closed down along with other under-performing locations, and integrated its operations into May's St. Louis operated chain Famous-Barr in 1991. The store was later acquired along with all of May's other chains by Macy's, Inc. on August 30, 2005. The store was later consolidated into the newly formed Macy's Midwest division, and on September 9, 2006 the L. S. Ayres name was retired in favor of Macy's.