NEW MACY'S DEBUTS SATURDAY CANOGA PARK ROBINSONS-MAY CLOSES DOORS 9 P.M. TODAY.

Byline: JULIA M. SCOTT Staff Writer

The transformation is nearly complete.

The hulking building at the north end of the Westfield Topanga mall in Canoga Park still bears the Robinsons-May name, but everything inside is Macy's.

Over the past few months, teams of designers and visual artists have spruced up the lighting and walkways, installed new carpeting, and planned where each rack of apparel will stand.

The department store will close for the last time as a Robinsons-May at 9 p.m. today and, after a thorough scrub-down, open at 10 a.m. Saturday as Macy's.

The official switch happens an hour earlier than opening time, when workers will pull down the Robinsons-May banner to reveal red Macy's lettering fixed to the outside of the 230,000-square-foot store.

But in truth, if you look closely you can already see the red letters poking out.

``It is always a little sad to see the passing of a retail name,'' said Milinda Martin, a Macy's spokeswoman and former Robinsons-May employee. ``We know that some customers will feel this way about seeing the Robinsons-May name disappear.

``We hope they will visit us at Macy's and see the same familiar faces and friendly shopping environment.''

Federated Department Stores, which owns Macy's, bought the May Department store chain in February. More than 400 stores owned by the May Co., operating as Filene's, Hecht's and Foley's, will be renamed as Macy's along with the Canoga Park store Saturday.

Robinsons-May in North Hollywood and Valencia will also switch this weekend.

The first 500 customers will receive a $10 gift card and there will also be a jukebox dance contest, Martin said.

The Canoga Park store originally opened in the 1960s as The May Co. and was rebranded as a Robinsons-May in 1994, Martin said.

The new Macy's store will join those in Burbank, Glendale, Sherman Oaks, Woodland Hills, Northridge, Simi Valley and Thousand Oaks.

The Topanga store will join two other Macy's down the street in Woodland Hills at the Westfield Promenade.

One sells women's fashions and the other offers menswear and furniture.

The change comes at the tail end of a $500 million expansion and renovation of the Westfield Topanga mall, which is set to open a new wing Oct. 6.

The Macy's store has a spacious look and brighter lighting.

There is at least one new make-up counter and the shoe section is larger.

Certain Robinsons-May lines, like Valerie Stevens and i.e., have been replaced with the Macy's brands Alfani, Charter Club and INC. When customers purchase an item, sales associates place them into bags with the Macy's logo -- a bright red star.

Shoppers this week had mixed opinions about the switch.

Laura Penescu didn't notice the upgraded decor but did spot higher numbers on the price tags.

``I'm surprised the prices are higher,'' said Penescu, 60, of Reseda, as she walked out with a bottle of Opium perfume. She said she won't shop there as often.

The new Macy's still stocks the casual travel clothes Patricia Mueller, 73, of Sherman Oaks, prefers.

``Robinsons-May was a very good store for this area,'' Mueller said. ``Good style, good prices.''

But with the items she looks for still in stock, Mueller said she won't miss anything.

julia.scott(at)dailynews.com

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Photo:

(color) At the Westfield Topanga mall, Macy's new sign awaits draping for its ceremonial unveiling Saturday morning, while the old Robinsons-May store sports a temporary sign.

Tina Burch/Staff Photographer