Zion's Co-operative Mercantile Institution

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Image:ZCMI Center from Church Plaza.jpg Founded in 1868, Zion's Co-operative Mercantile Institution or ZCMI was one of the first department stores in the United States. Based in Salt Lake City, Utah, it quickly became a household name in the community. In its more recent history throughout the 1980s and 1990s ZCMI operated stores in most major communities across Utah, including Salt Lake City, West Valley City, Sandy, Holladay, Orem, St. George, Ogden, Layton, Logan and two stores in Idaho. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was a significant influence in the company, retaining a majority interest in ZCMI until its eventual sale.

In December 1999, as a result of negative profit results for two consecutive years along with mounting economic and social pressures, ZCMI was sold to the May Department Stores Company. ZCMI was operated under its original name as a part of May's Portland, Oregon-based Meier & Frank division until April 2002, when the stores adopted the Meier & Frank name. By August 2003, the stores were further consolidated within May into the company's Los Angeles, California division, Robinsons-May, though retaining the Meier & Frank nameplate.

May Department Stores was acquired by Federated Department Stores in September 2005, with most store locations to be converted to Macy's by the end of 2006.

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