This file photo from Monday Oct. 17, 2016, shows shoppers and pedestrians in a crosswalk near a giant billboard next to Macy's flagship department store in Herald Square in New York. Macy's has filed a lawsuit against the company that owns the billboard, fighting to prevent Amazon from taking over the advertising space that carried Macy's name for almost 60 years. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews, File)
Macy's has filed a lawsuit against the company that owns the giant billboard next to its flagship Manhattan store, fighting to prevent Amazon from taking over the advertising space that carried Macy's name for almost 60 years.
In the lawsuit, filed last week in state Supreme Court in Manhattan, the department store retailer said there has been a restrictive covenant in place since 1963 barring the billboard space from being used by any Macy's competitor.
But Macy's said that when it tried to negotiate a lease renewal this year, the billboard's owners, the Kaufman Organization, told them they were in discussions with a “prominent online retailer," and there was “little doubt" that meant Amazon, according to the lawsuit.
Messages were left with the Kaufman Organization seeking comment. Amazon had no comment.
In the lawsuit, Macy's asked the judge for an injunction that would keep Kaufman from leasing the space to Amazon or any other competitor.
“The damages to Macy’s customer goodwill, image, reputation and brand, should a ‘prominent online retailer’ (especially, Amazon) advertise on the billboard are impossible to calculate," the company said in the lawsuit.
The lawsuit pointed out that the billboard is highly visible in its annual Thanksgiving Day parade, which is nationally televised.
Julie Bowen joins anchor Dave Briggs to discuss the What's App ad with a few Modern Family reunions, her most recent spooky role, Xiidra, and Happy Gilmore 2.
Welcome to the new age, where Big Tech runs AI on tiny nuclear plants! Plus, banks make bank, the best kind of cancel culture and the wealth gap explained.
CEO of Century 21 Real Estate, Mike Miedler, joins Cheddar to discuss the future of real estate in states that were affected by Hurricanes Helene & Milton.
Dylan Douglas, host of 'Young American with Dylan Douglas,' joins Cheddar to reveal how Gen Z is feeling about the election and what issues matter most to them.
Priceline CEO, Brett Keller, joins Cheddar to discuss the latest travel trends and how Hurricanes Helene & Milton have affected those flying south. Watch!
