Dive Brief:

• Macy's Inc. announced Tuesday that it will debut its off-price business, Macy's Backstage, this fall with four pilot stores. 
• The New York City area locations will be smaller than regular Macy's stores, averaging around 30,000 square-feet. 
• Backstage stores will stock clearance goods from Macy's department stores, as well as discount merchandise from brands made exclusively for the off-price stores. 

Dive Insight:

While Macy's hinted at a discount store concept this January as part of its overall restructuring plan, details remained scarce until now. The move is seen as way to help the retailer enter the growing area of off-price chains and compete with TJX, the parent company of T.J. Maxx and Marshalls.  

"Backstage is a new retail concept that the Macy’s team has built from scratch over the past six months. It will be an exciting shopping experience supported with compelling marketing, both traditional and mobile,” Macy's chief innovation and business development officer​ Peter Sachse said. “As with all of Macy’s innovations, we will test and learn to see what resonates most with customers so we can adjust before rolling out additional locations."