St. Louis leaders were surprised Wednesday by the news that Macy’s was folding the tent on its Midwest division, and eliminating 850 jobs downtown. The company’s realignment plans were a shock to Minneapolis, too, the Star-Tribune reports. The announcement of 950 job cuts up north coincided with a big civic meeting:

Meanwhile, a very different scene was unfolding several blocks away at the Minneapolis Hilton, where the Minneapolis Downtown Council, which promotes downtown businesses, was holding its annual meeting, and apparently no one was aware of Macy’s announcement. A small cheer erupted in the ballroom when images of the Macy’s Holidazzle parade flashed on the big screens behind the stage.

“Macy’s was a one-company entertainment bonanza last year,” declared Sam Grabarski, president and CEO of the council.

Yet at the center of the ballroom, a table reserved for Macy’s executives was conspicuously empty. Plates of bib (sic) lettuce salad and chocolate raspberry cake lay untouched next to a “Macy’s North” sign.

I’ll have more thoughts about the Macy’s announcement in tomorrow’s column.