Retail Stores

For small businesses with brick-and-mortar stores, foot traffic is (almost) everything. That’s bad news for both rural towns and small business hubs like San Francisco or New York, which haven't yet recovered to pre-pandemic foot traffic levels. With fewer people walking along city streets and a seasonal dip in sales after the holidays, small retailers…

Nearly every retailer is heavily investing in improving their online and in-store channels. However, not every retailer is considering the scenarios in which online channels are being used in a retail store. In fact, nearly half (46 percent) of global in-store shoppers reported using a smartphone to enhance their most recent shopping journey. Despite this…

In episode 440 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Ariela Nerubay, executive vice president and chief marketing officer at Curacao, a department store chain and retail lender that services underserved U.S. communities on the West Coast. Listen in as Nerubay provides an overview of the company (0:50), discusses the services and products provided…

Retail sales showed a strong beginning for the year in January, nearly matching December’s busy holiday spending and rising significantly year-over-year, according to the CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor, powered by Affinity Solutions, released today by the National Retail Federation (NRF). Total retail sales were up 2.34 percent unadjusted YoY in January, according to the Retail Monitor.…

In episode 439 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Alissa Ahlman, chief merchandising officer, home segment at Franchise Group, Inc., a world-class franchising platform for a diverse collection of market-leading and emerging brands, including American Freight, a retail furniture chain. Listen in as Ahlman provides an overview of both companies (0:45), how the…

In episode 438 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Jarett Levan, president and CEO of BBX Capital, a diversified holding company and parent of IT'SUGAR, the largest specialty candy retailer in the U.S. Listen in as Levan provides an overview of IT'SUGAR (1:00), discusses its brick-and-mortar locations (2:30), and how it's balancing its e-commerce…

Walmart plans to build or convert more than 150 large-format stores over the next five years, it announced on Wednesday. Some of the locations will be expanded from a smaller location into a Supercenter with a full range of groceries and merchandise, but the majority will be new stores, Josh Havens, a company spokesman, said.…

Valentine’s Day spending on significant others is expected to reach a record $14.2 billion this year, according to the annual survey released by the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics. Overall, consumers plan to spend $25.8 billion to celebrate Valentine’s Day, on par with last year’s spending and the third highest in the…

Retail layoffs are hitting especially hard recently. Macy’s is laying off about 3.5 percent of its total headcount, which amounts to roughly 2,350 employees, and the iconic department store is closing five locations. Also last week, online furniture seller Wayfair said it is cutting about 1,650 jobs, or 13 percent of its global workforce. The Wall…

In a keynote presentation at the ICR Conference in Orlando, FL earlier this month, Jim Conroy, chief executive officer of Boot Barn, detailed four growth strategies the retailer is focused on in 2024. Boot Barn, the nation's leading lifestyle retailer of western and work-related footwear, apparel and accessories, is one of the fastest-growing companies in the…