By AP/KWMU
Cincinnati – Federated Department Stores says that it will close a computer data center in St. Louis and reduce operations at a center in Lorain, Ohio. The moves will eliminate 290 positions.
Most of the 195 employees in St. Louis will have the option of moving to Federated's systems operation in Duluth, Georgia.
Federated acquired the data centers when it bought St. Louis-based May Department Stores last year. The cuts will be phased in over the first six months of 2007.
Federated has more than 850 department stores in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Guam and Puerto Rico under the names of Macy's and Bloomingdale's.