The Bon Marche, which hasn’t really been locally owned since the previous Great Depression but is still thought of as a Northwest institution, is having the “Macy’s” brand stuck onto its name by the parent company. Some think it’s a first step into merging the whole Bon operation into the Macy’s bureaucracy; eliminating local buyers, local ad designers, etc. That would be a stupid business move, but it also wouldn’t be a surprising move in today’s consolidation-mania.

DUMBER NEWS: The current Great Depression II is taking its toll on another Seattle favorite. Sorry Charlie’s restaurant and piano bar on lower Queen Anne just might close next month. Truly great cities are not merely made of penne pollo and baba gnoush, but on slippery omelets and 6-9 a.m. happy hours and sad-faced crooners leading besotted adults in one more round of “Volare.”