Forever 21's U.S. operating company on Sunday filed for bankruptcy for the second time in six years and said it would wind down its domestic operations, hurt by mounting online competition in the fast-fashion sector and weak mall traffic, reports Reuters. It blamed the situation on higher costs and companies taking advantage of duty-free treatment…
Kristina Stidham
Ross Stores announced Monday it opened 16 Ross Dress for Less and three dd's Discounts stores in 14 states in March, reports USA TODAY. According to the discount retailer, these new locations are part of the company's plans to add approximately 90 new stores in 2025, made up of 80 Ross and 10 dd's Discounts…
As news of Forever 21 store closings trickle in across the country, the apparel retailer is set to lay off over 350 employees from its Los Angeles corporate office, which it also plans to close, reports USA TODAY. Layoffs are expected to begin on April 21, according to a Feb. 14-dated WARN notice, which is…
Fabrics retail chain Joann will shutter all of its approximately 800 locations after failing to find a buyer that would keep its stores open, reports CNBC. In January, the retailer filed for Chapter 11 protection for the second time in a year, saying that inventory shortages had forced it to back into bankruptcy. In a…
Total Retail's sister brand, Women in Retail Leadership Circle (WIRLC), is thrilled to once again partner with Shoptalk to offer the WIRLC community and Shoptalk attendees alike a unique experience at this year’s show in Las Vegas! The Women in Retail Pavilion, located inside Shoptalk’s exhibit hall at booth 2232, will once again be THE…
Nike has signed a new “long term” partnership with Kim Kardashian’s shapewear company SKIMS to launch a new line of activewear, reports CNBC. The new brand, dubbed NikeSKIMS, will include apparel, footwear and accessories. It will debut its initial collection this spring, with a global rollout planned for 2026. It's not yet clear what exactly…
Bankrupt specialty retailer Party City has found a buyer, reports NJBiz.com. During a Feb. 6 auction, party goods supplier New Amscan PC LLC emerged as the tentative winner for most of Party City’s intellectual property (IP) and related wholesale operating intangible assets, as well as “a significant portion” of the brand’s real estate lease portfolio.…
Amazon.com has tapped Whole Foods CEO Jason Buechel to oversee its sprawling grocery business, the company announced Monday. Buechel became CEO of Whole Foods in 2022 after co-founder John Mackey retired from the company. In his expanded role leading Amazon’s grocery business, Buechel will succeed Tony Hoggett, who left Amazon last October to join Wonder,…
In this episode of Retail Right Now, Total Retail's Joe Keenan and Kristina Stidham discuss trends and insights from the 2025 National Retail Federation Big Show, held in New York City from Jan. 12-14. Keenan shares the key themes discussed during the event; the growing implementation of artificial intelligence in retail; concerns over potential new…
While at the 2025 National Retail Federation Big Show, held in New York City from Jan. 12-14, Total Retail's Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan sat down with Kelly Pedersen, partner and global retail lead at PwC. In this video interview, Pedersen shares his analysis of the key themes and trends that emerged during the 2024 holiday shopping…
A union representing thousands of Costco employees voted to authorize a strike, paving the way for a work stoppage if the labor group and retailer do not reach an agreement, reports CNBC. Costco Teamsters, the union with 18,000 employees for the retailer nationwide, said 85 percent of members voted to approve the action. The current…
In this episode of Retail Right Now, Marie Albiges and Joe Keenan discuss Total Retail’s recently released Top 50 Tips of 2024 report. This annual report is a curation of the top insights and best practices published across Total Retail’s various content channels in the previous year. This resource offers actionable tips that focus upon…
Big Lots has concluded its sale agreement with investment firm Gordon Brothers Retail Partners, securing the brand's future and several jobs, reports Yahoo Finance. The two parties entered into agreement for the deal late in 2024. This strategic move allows privately owned retailer Variety Wholesalers to take over numerous store outlets, ranging from 200 to…
The January 2025 Women in Retail and Total Retail Virtual Exchange features engaging and informative interviews with Jeff Yurcisin, CEO of Grove Collaborative, and Katherine Finder, Chief Merchandising Officer of Anthropologie Home, URBN. Sponsored by Box and Searchspring.
November retail sales grew at a faster pace than Wall Street analysts had expected, reflecting continued resilience in the American consumer and indicating that the holiday shopping season in the U.S. is off to a strong start, reports Yahoo Finance. Retail sales rose 0.7 percent in November. Economists had expected a 0.6 percent rise in…
