Meier & Frank Take Over, Make Over ZCMI.

• Author: Voorhies, Janice Leavitt
• Position: Brief Article

Wasatch Front residents visiting the newly named Meier & Frank stores in search of arguably the best chocolate eclairs in the valley will have to keep looking. The new owner of the ZCMI stores, Meier & Frank, a St. Louisbased subsidiary of May Co., is focusing on its retail merchandise, and the former ZCMI bakery is just one casualty of its restructuring.

The $60 million remodeling project of the ZCMI stores is "progressing on schedule," according to Cheryl Hansen, vice president of public relations for Meier & Frank. Five store locations -- the downtown ZCMI Mall, Layton Hills, Cottonwood Mall, Valley Fair Mall and South Towne Center -- are being renovated to incorporate new open floor plans and appealing visual displays.

"We are pleased with the results thus far," Hansen says. The remodeling includes custom display cases, wood and marble flooring and enhanced lighting. The Meier & Frank changes include additional merchandise such as Meier & Frank's private-label apparel brands like Valerie Stevens and Brandini, and the Sun Country houseware line.

"Customers will also notice new product lines throughout the stores," says Hansen. "These changes bring the Utah Meier & Frank merchandise in line with our other Meier & Frank stores." Meier &amp...