One of New York’s most recognizable landmarks is getting a facelift.
The historic Macy’s location at Herald Square recently began exterior renovations to remove the iconic red shopping bag sign that adorned the southeast corner of the store, which famously takes up an entire city block.
Rising several stories tall, the giant red sign had been a fabric of the city’s retail skyline for more than 60 years before crews began the removal process last week.
Macy’s Herald Square location, before and after photos of the sign removal. (Getty Images)
The absence of the red-and-white shopping bag reveals a bit of history: a reported holdout building dating back to the early 1900s.
It’s not clear how long it will be before the department store is sporting a new exterior.