Rowland Hussey Macy adopted a red star as his symbol of success, dating back to his days as a sailor.
First-day sales totaled $11.06 but by the end of the first full year, sales grossed approximately $85,000.
By 1877, R.H. Macy & Co. had become a full-fledged department store occupying the ground space of 11 adjacent buildings in Manhattan.