Comments on: sears tower name change? hear from the owner –

By: Sears Tower

Sears Tower — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 22:42:09 +0000

Sears Tower will always be called Sears Tower to Chicagoans! Marshall Fields is Marshall Fields. The Chicago thing is that outsiders, who buy our shops or buildings don’t know we don’t like changing what is old and good about our city, we like our great Chicago history. Sears Tower is Sears Tower no matter who buys it or tries to change the name. It is part of our history. It’s a done deal. Chicagoans will always call it The Sears Tower!

By: macdude72

macdude72 — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 12:14:09 +0000

Cool story, Billy. I signed the petition on http://www.itsthesearstower.com/ and suggested incorporating the word Chicago into the name, as a compromise.

I mean seriously, Macy’s is still referred to as the Marshal Fields Building. US Cellular Field is Comiskey Park (not Sox Park?!?), and the only Chicago “icon” whose name change seems to have passed unnoticed was when the Standard Oil Building changed to the Aon Building. But, really, it took me years to realize that they were one and the same!

My suggestion was the Chicago Willis Tower. It gives Chicagoans something to be proud of and attached to (because, hey – he’s right – Sears has all but disappeared, and is now more associated with Hoffman Estates than the city), and gives the client their name, not only associated with an awesome building, but directly with this awesome city.

By: DavidAnthony

DavidAnthony — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 02:12:18 +0000

The guy bought the building, he can name it whatever he damn well pleases. In many ways, Chicago is STILL just another city in the midwest, with small-town thinking. Chicago is lucky I didn’t buy the building. I’d have renamed it “Hector and Sonia’s Chimichanga Bar & Tower” and put a spinning Burrito on top that lit up green every night!

By: ShauntaGarth

ShauntaGarth — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 19:06:22 +0000

It is sad that sears tower will be renamed but when it comes down to it, in this economy nostalgia means nothing. Its all about the money =) Regardless of what the name people will always call it the sears tower.

By: mvigan

mvigan — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 18:14:13 +0000

Awesome blog Billy!! Crazy Harvard story. Marshall Fields to Macy’s, Comiskey to the Cell, we should be used to this. Moinian’s explanation makes sense and was time to move forward.

By: toopster

toopster — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 17:42:25 +0000

Hmmm… Heard of Sears. I would guess most people in Chicago (and the world) have. Never heard of Willis. For such an international powerhouse, strange no one knows of it EXCEPT for maybe in the corporate business world. I don’t think people shop at Sears because the tower is named after them and I don’t think people will be more likely to do business with Willis because their name is now on it. Very sad…

By: JoeBrady

JoeBrady — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 17:13:46 +0000

JoeBrady says:
Your comment is awaiting moderation.

March 13, 2009 at 10:13 am
In the spirit of “feed mayonaise to tuna”, you should produce t-shirts with the Sears Tower in the background and the famous quote “Watchu Talkn’ about Willis?” front and center

Chicagoans will call Sears Tower Sears Tower just like they call Sox Park Sox Park (does it have another name?)

By: JoeBrady

JoeBrady — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 17:13:00 +0000

In the spirit of “feed mayonaise to tuna”, you should produce t-shirts with the Sears Tower in the background and the famous quote “Watchu Talkn’ about Willis?” front and center

Chicagoans will call Sears Tower Sears Tower just like they call Sox Park Sox Park (does it have another name?)