Presented by Macy’s: CG’s newest resident joins in holiday cheer
Published 12:10 am Thursday, November 6, 2025
CHINA GROVE — When the temperature drops and the holiday season begins, one brand rises to the top of everyone’s minds — Macy’s.
The iconic department store etched its way into America’s heart through the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, which began 101 years ago in New York City. Following the China Grove Town Council meeting on Tuesday, a new branded tradition is coming to Rowan County.
“When you think about Christmas, nobody does Christmas like Macy’s does,” Mayor Rodney Phillips said.
Phillips officially announced that all of the town’s Christmas activities would be “presented by Macy’s” for the next three years.
“They will have a huge footprint at the Christmas parade,” Phillips said although he kept the details under wraps. “You will have to come and see it is going to be phenomenal.”
China Grove has a slate of holiday happenings, including Christmas in the Grove.
“It will be really different this year and we will be able to do some things that have not been able to be done,” Phillips said.
The mayor credited Alisa Stone, senior director and facility leader at Macy’s with the partnership.
“There has been a lot of work by (Alisa) to make this happen,” he said. “The last four months you have been working on it continuously.”
Phillips thanked China Grove Town Manager Franklin Gover, Parks and Recreation Director Jill Sellers, Downtown Business Development Manager Landrie Hess and attorney Tom Brooke for all their work to make the Macy’s Christmas tie-in a reality.
“They pulled it all together to make it happen,” Phillips said.
The mayor indicated that the community-wide partnership with Macy’s was one of those life moments you don’t want to miss out on.
“Every once in a while something happens in life that changes you forever,” Phillips said. “It transforms who you are and what you are. It does not happen once, or twice in a lifetime. Maybe three times if you are lucky, but it does not happen very often. If you are not paying attention, you may miss it.
“This is what happened with us with Macy’s thanks to a lot of hard work by people in this room.”
Notably, however, Phillips expanded saying that it is not usually something that happens, but someone.
“We were blessed when Alisa came to us 15 months ago and said ‘I want Macy’s to be the best partner that China Grove has ever had,’” Phillips said. “…Those words are easy to say. They are darn hard to do.”
To recognize the beneficial nature of that partnership, Phillips offered Stone a trinket of the town’s appreciation — a key to the town — inside a Macy’s box.
“When I decided I was coming to Macy’s it was because I was going to get the freedom to do what I needed to in the community and here we are,” Stone said on Tuesday. “Every time I talk to my boss about the work, it starts with what is happening with Macy’s in the community. I think we are up to 14 partners now that we are supporting in one way or another and that list continues to grow.”
Community partnerships are not the only lists getting longer. The payroll at Macy’s is too.
“We are over 600 (employees) now,” Stone said. “We are heading towards 825-850 within a couple of weeks.”
Those employment opportunities are making an impact.
“I can honestly say that half of the folks I interviewed are telling me they are currently unemployed,” Stone said. “If I take that to heart, there are going to be more children with gifts under the tree (this year) because they have a paycheck coming from Macy’s as well.
“We are making sure we have the right footprint in the community.”
