BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) – The Filene’s department store that anchors the Burlington Town Center Mall became a Macy’s department store on Saturday.

The change comes 13 months after Macy’s parent company, Federated Department Stores Inc. of Cincinnati, bought May Department Stores Col., which operated Filene’s, for $11.9 billion. About 450 Filene’s and other chain department stores made the switch on Saturday.

“Macy’s won the war. Federated bought out the May company,” said the manager of the Burlington Macy’s Mathew Chabot.

Last year’s deal created a retail company with more than 1,000 stores and $30 billion in annual sales. The deal marked the end of chains such as Filene’s and Marshall Field’s.

The change is more than just the sign on the building.

“Our merchandising will continue to evolve through April of next year,” Chabot said. “Macy’s feels very optimistic about this market. We’re the only Macy’s for 150 miles.”

Burlington Town Center management hope the change will draw new shoppers.

“It’s an improvement,” said mall Marketing Director Casey Baker. “Not to say we needed an improvement over Filene’s, but I think more customers will want to see what Macy’s is all about.”