Two major American industries are in crisis. American manufacturers no longer dominate the world auto market and many department stores are in financial turmoil. There are striking parallels in the decisions leading to the decline of these two industries. Based on Detroit's experience, we look into the future of department store retailing. Fortunately, while department stores have mirrored the mistakes of others, they can also adopt the survival techniques which are helping U.S. care manufacturers reach for success.