Anonymous photos may show pieces of Macy’s holiday star
Oct 13, 2019, 7:17 PM | Updated: Oct 14, 2019, 8:15 am
(Anonymous photo sent to Feliks)
(Anonymous photo sent to Feliks)
A loyal KIRO Radio listener shared photos taken earlier this week that appear to show pieces of the old Bon Marché/Macy’s holiday star stashed on the roof of the downtown Seattle department store.
One image appears to show the assembly that holds the center lightbulb of the star, next to a central piece that would hold the arms of the star (which are made from metal tubes). Other photos appear to show long strings of incandescent bulbs, which may also be part of the star, or which may just be regular holiday lights for the sides of the building. Not visible in any of the images are the metal tubes that formed the body of the star.
It’s believed that the star has been stored between holiday seasons on the roof of the building for decades, and a Google Earth image from May 2018 appears to show the complete star on the roof, including the metal tubes. Why those metal tubes are no longer visible is unclear.
Macy’s announced earlier this month that the downtown Seattle store will close early next year and that the old holiday star—a local tradition since the 1950s—was in disrepair and would not be displayed this year. The new owner of the building, who has still not been identified, would next year display some kind of re-imagined star, Macy’s said.
Macy’s has repeatedly declined to answer questions about the current whereabouts of the star, and to share more specific information about its condition. Several KIRO Radio listeners have wondered if repair (rather than replacement or re-imagining) might be possible, and if this repair could happen in time for this year’s final Macy’s holiday season in downtown Seattle.
