3 Reasons Bankruptcies Could Pick Up Later This Year — and What Retailers Are at Risk

Footwear News

Over the past few months, a ramped-up COVID-19 vaccination program, federal fiscal stimulus and pent-up consumer demand have led retailers to see improved foot traffic and sales trends, with an increasing number reporting better-than-expected quarterly financial results. But experts have suggested that not all companies are in the clear — and some might just be on the way to the chopping block later this year. . . . more

Gap turnaround gaining traction

CSA

Gap Inc.’s turnaround efforts appear to be gaining ground based on its first-quarter results. . . . more

Dollar General sales fall; on track to open 1,050 stores

CSA

Dollar General reported better-than-expected first-quarter earnings and sales as stimulus checks gave a boost to revenue. . . . more

American Eagle in store expansion for Aerie, spin-off brand

CSA

American Eagle Outfitters passed the $1 billion mark in first-quarter revenue as business accelerated across its brands. Revenue rose 17% to $1.03 billion in the quarter ended May 1, compared to $0.89 billion in the first quarter of 2019. . . . more

CVS handing out prizes for COVID-19 vaccinations

WHDH
CVS Health is tempting people who are hesitant to get the Covid-19 vaccine with lavish prizes — some of which were forbidden just a year ago. . . . more

Best Buy sales jump with across nearly all categories; momentum continues into Q2

CSA
Best Buy Co. reported a better-than-expected first quarter as consumers continued to spend on electronics for their homes. . . . more

Walmart Marketplace offers new two-day delivery option

CSA

Sellers on the Walmart Marketplace third-party e-commerce platform can analyze, track and fulfill orders with a cloud-based logistics solution. . . . more

Pandemic shopping behaviors that will stick — and those that won’t

Supermarket News
We’ve had more than a year to speculate about what the “next normal” will look like — that is, how will consumer shopping for CPGs change once the pandemic recedes and people are able to more freely go about their lives?. . . more

Nordstrom Reiterates Outlook, But Earnings Fall Short of Expectations

Footwear News

Shares of Nordstrom Inc. are down in after-hours trading after the company posted earnings that fell short of expectations, but the retailer reiterated its outlook for the full year. . . . more

Chuck E. Cheese debuts mobile app and rewards program

Restaurant Dive
Chuck E. Cheese has debuted a new mobile app and rewards program as part of its Summer of Fun event running from Memorial Day through Labor Day, according to a company press release. . . . more

Vietnamese coffee chain has designs on the U.S.

CSA

One of Vietnam's most popular coffee brands is looking to build a brick-and-mortar presence in the United States. . . . more

ShopRite parent puts customer at center of merchandising

CSA

The nation’s largest retailer-owned cooperative is ensuring its merchandising decisions enhance the customer experience. . . . more

Wilson Sporting Goods to open its first stores

CSA
Wilson Sporting Goods Co. is expanding its game, moving from the court to lifestyle apparel — and physical retail. . . . more

An upscale indoor mini golf spot is coming to the Seaport

Boston.com

The Seaport, already home to several high-end clubs, is about to get some upscale golf clubs as well. . . . more

7-Eleven selling 300 stores to three separate buyers

CSA

7-Eleven is selling 293 Speedway and 7-Eleven stores are part of a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission. . . . more

Check out Panera Bread’s new neighborhood bakery-inspired store design

CSA

Panera Bread is moving its in-store bakery ovens to center stage. . . . more

Ross Stores in comeback

CSA
Ross Stores reported Q1 earnings and sales that topped Street estimates with comp sales that beat pre-pandemic levels. . . . more

If you own a mall, you also own a warehouse

CSA

Malls have always existed to bring together a multitude of inventories in support of commerce. They’re in convenient locations, sitting on major roads and highways and maintain parking lots, loading docks, and back-of-house storage as vital parts of their blueprint. . . . more

Tuesday Morning to be relisted

CSA

Tuesday Morning's efforts to get back on track continue with its return to the Nasdaq. . . . more

Foot Locker to eliminate Footaction banner; will close, convert stores

CSA

Foot Locker reported a strong first quarter that beat estimates and said it is repositioning its store fleet to focus on its iconic banners. . . . more

Shake Shack, Fogo de Chao and More: Burlington Mall Adds New Eateries in Sears Space

NBC Boston
The Burlington Mall will soon unveil a major makeover of a former Sears anchor store with some big-name and new-to-the-area restaurants. . . . more

Why Eastbay turned to video to drive engagement during the pandemic

Retail Dive

High school sports wasn't exactly the place to be last year. . . . more

Facebook to launch live shopping on its platform

CSA

Facebook is expanding its “Live Shopping” offering with a new promotion scheduled for Fridays this summer. . . . more

Macy’s Wants to Expand Into Toys, Pets + More New Categories — Why Analysts Think It Might Be Too Ambitious

Footwear News

Amid the COVID-19 health crisis, merchandise like toys, pet care and housewares saw a surge in sales as consumers worked and played from home. And it’s no surprise Macy’s is looking to expand into those categories — but some analysts think the move might be a little too ambitious for the challenged chain. . . . more

Shoe Carnival Beats on Earnings, With Loyalty Program and Store Sales Seeing Big Gains

Footwear News

Shoe Carnival Inc. posted a huge quarterly profit and sales beat as its loyalty program and in-store business made solid gains. . . . more

Rebound at stores energizes Target’s first quarter

Supermarket News
In its fiscal 2021 first quarter, Target Corp. vaulted over pandemic-driven results a year ago, doubling its net and comparable sales growth and topping Wall Street’s earnings-per-share estimate by more than a dollar. . . . more

Where is Macy's going?

Retail Dive

Macy's calmed a lot of investor feathers this week with a first quarter performance that beat most expectations and a plan to rehabilitate its faltering business. . . . more

Largest Orangetheory Fitness Franchisee Acquires 24 More Locations

Plain Vanilla Shell

Honors Holdings was already the largest Orangetheory Fitness franchisee in the system. The company has just acquired 24 more locations across six states, in markets like Las Vegas, New York City, and the Washington, DC metro area. The multi-unit operator now has 102 Orangetheory Fitness locations in its portfolio. . . . more

Online grocery sales shrink 10% in April

Supermarket News
U.S. online grocery sales continued their rollercoaster ride of recent months as the market totaled $8.4 billion in April, down 10% from March, the latest Brick Meets Click/Mercatus Grocery Shopping Survey showed. . . . more

Yum ramps up transformation with new tech deals. How will they impact marketing?

Restaurant Dive
Changes are afoot at Yum Brands as the owner of KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut hits the gas on a transformation strategy that has grown more pressing due to needs driven by the coronavirus pandemic. . . . more

Costco strengthens position atop wholesale club sector

Retail Dive
Costco commanded 55.4% of visits to wholesale clubs in March, more than 3 percentage points above the retailer's market share during the same month in 2020, according to data released by Placer.ai. . . . more

CBRE forms team to help malls reposition themselves

CSA

Malls are filling emptied anchor spaces and parking areas with everything from apartment complexes to medical facilities to casinos, but it can be difficult to decide which option’s the correct one for a specific property. . . . more

At Home sale in jeopardy

CSA

A big roadblock has appeared in the sale of At Home Group to a private-equity company. . . . more

The retailers dropping mask requirements include ...

CSA

CVS Health is the latest big retailer to drop its mask requirement for fully vaccinated customers. . . . more

Macy’s surprises with Q1 profit, beat estimates

CSA

Macy’s outperformed expectations across all three of its brands — Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s and Bluemercury — and swung to a profit in the first quarter as shoppers returned to its stores. . . . more

The rise of curbside pickup: Best practices for retailers

Retail Dive
On April 21st, The Wall Street Journal reported that Walmart, the largest retailer in the world by sales, had started to wind down operations of the large, automated pickup towers the company had previously installed at over 1,500 outlets across North America. . . . more

Ollie’s opens milestone store; taps Christmas Tree Shops vet as COO

CSA

Ollie’s Bargain Outlet Inc. keeps expanding its footprint and entering new markets. . . . more

Dillard’s back in the black; doubles capital spending

CSA

Dillard’s started off its fiscal year on a positive note. . . . more

H&M testing rental service — with a twist

CSA

H&M has launched its first — and a unique — rental service in the United States. . . . more

Former Burlington space at New Jersey Mall to become a fulfillment center

CSA
Tenants such as Dick’s, Boscov’s, Aeropostale, and Victoria’s Secret at Cumberland Mall in Vineland, N.J., may soon find delivery of their online orders moving out faster and easier. . . . more

Whole Foods has 40 stores in its pipeline; announces organizational changes

CSA

Whole Foods Market remains committed to growing its store footprint even as online grocery sales continue to surge. . . . more

Meijer Opens New Supercenters In Ohio And Indiana

The Shelby Report

Meijer has opened three new supercenters across the Midwest, Meijer President and CEO Rick Keyes announced May 13. . . . more

Macy's reveals Herald Square revitalization plan

Retail Dive

Macy's may be rethinking its overall store strategy, but on Monday the company revealed plans regarding the renewal of its flagship location at Herald Square in New York City, according to a press release sent to Retail Dive. . . . more

Consumers more confident about shopping in-store

CSA

Consumer confidence about shopping in stores is on the rise. . . . more

Rite Aid obtains further assistance in same-day delivery

CSA

Rite Aid is adding DoorDash as an on-demand delivery partner for non-prescription health, convenience, and wellness essentials. . . . more

Paper Source to be acquired by Barnes & Noble parent company

CSA

A British private equity firm is making another U.S. acquisition. . . . more

COVID-19 dampens retail theft losses, not criminal greed

CSA

Even as temporary store closures due to the pandemic cut down on total retail theft incidents and losses, thieves stole more per incident. . . . more

L Brands spinning off Victoria’s Secret, Bath & Body Works into two companies

CSA
L Brands has opted to spin off Victoria’s Secret rather than sell it. . . . more

Towels For $4? Bed Bath & Beyond Launches Low-Price Brand To Compete With Amazon, Target

CBS Boston
Bed Bath & Beyond has decided it’s too expensive for some shoppers. It’s trying to change that. . . . more

GameStop upgraded as it raises cash for turnaround and pays off debt

Retail Dive
S&P Global Ratings upgraded GameStop's corporate credit rating, from B- to B, and gave the company a stable outlook based on "our expectation for better operating performance" and lower leverage levels, analysts said in a release. . . . more

Canada Goose to open its first-ever U.S. ‘snow room’ at South Coast Plaza store

CSA

Canada Goose is bringing the snow to Southern California. . . . more

Party City narrows loss, gives upbeat outlook

CSA

Party City Holdco reported a smaller-than-expected first-quarter loss and sales that beat estimates even as social gatherings remained constricted. . . . more

At Home acquired for $2.8 billion

CSA

At Home Group Inc. is going private. . . . more

Live from New York – it’s Amazon palm-based payment

CSA

Amazon has introduced its newest contactless payment method to shoppers in America’s most populated city. . . . more

Chipotle to hike pay, offer referral bonuses amid restaurant labor crunch

CSA

Chipotle Mexican Grill is increasing wages and adding new bonuses as it looks to hire 20,000 employees across the U.S. to support its peak season and staff the estimated 200 locations it plans to open this year. . . . more

Giant Co. Announces Plans For 4 New Stores In Philadelphia By 2023

Plain Vanilla Shell

Carlisle, Pennsylvania-based the Giant Co. has announced plans to open four new stores in Philadelphia, including a 32,000-square-foot Giant Heirloom Market at 801 Market St. in the Fashion District, over the next two years. . . . more

Target offers coupons for those receiving COVID shots

Supermarket News

Target Corp. is serving up some savings to incentivize customers and employees to get their COVID-19 vaccination. . . . more

Five Guys franchisee opens the chain's first US ghost kitchen

Restaurant Dive
Encore Restaurants LLC, the largest Five Guys franchisee in the U.S., opened a digital-only Five Guys location in Garland, Texas on May 1. The delivery-only restaurant, located inside a Revolving Kitchen facility, was developed by the franchisee and will bring its total U.S. store count to 109. . . . more

Owner of Lids acquires South Moon Under

Retail Dive
Fashion boutique South Moon Under is being acquired by Ames Watson, a private investment firm that acquired hat specialist Lids from Genesco in 2019 .. . . more

Maui’s largest mall struggles to survive

CSA

Queen Ka’ahumanu Center, the largest mall on the Hawaiian island of Maui for 50 years, may be facing its demise, according to a report on the news site Maui Now. . . . more

Report: Circle K offers a drink a day – for a monthly fee

CSA
Convenience-store retailer Circle K is  rolling out a new beverage subscription offering called “Sip & Save.”. . . more

Puttshack looks to expand with new financing

CSA

An entertainment concept that combines tech-infused mini-golf with food and drink is set to grow at “a rapid pace.” . . . more

Office Depot parent to split into two companies as Staples pursues acquisition

CSA

Staples’ years-long pursuit of Office Depot may be inching closer to becoming a reality. . . . more

Walgreens offers delivery in less than two hours

Supermarket News

Walgreens has expanded its on-demand delivery options to include less-than-two-hour service for retail products. . . . more

Saladworks sees path to 'hundreds' more locations inside grocery stores

Restaurant Dive
Fast-casual chain Saladworks aims to open "hundreds" of locations inside grocery stores over the next few years, said Kelly Roddy, CEO of parent company WOWorks, in an interview. . . . more

Tailored Brands taps retail veterans for uphill turnaround

Retail Dive
Still financially wobbly months after emerging from bankruptcy and searching for a new direction in an especially volatile apparel market, Tailored Brands, which runs Men's Wearhouse, Jos. A. Bank, Moores Clothing for Men and K&G Fashion Superstore, on Monday announced the hire of three executives from outside the company. . . . more

What's next for Destination XL after last year's calamity in menswear?

Retail Dive
By the first week of February 2020, warning lights were flashing for executives of big-and-tall apparel seller Destination XL Group. CEO Harvey Kanter had seen the effects of the SARS outbreak in Southeast Asia and other countries nearly two decades ago. As a new coronavirus outbreak began last year, Kanter could see signals of a major event building as he spoke with overseas business contacts. . . . more

Brookfield gives three malls back to banks

CSA

As part of a $6.5 billion deal that will make it a private company, Brookfield Property Partners returned three malls to their creditors, according to a report from KCP Research. . . . more

Dick’s Sporting Goods to open new off-price concept

CSA

Dick’s Sporting Goods continues to expand its national footprint, introduce new store concepts and upgrade existing ones. . . . more

Pandora Will Stop Using Mined Diamonds In Its Jewelry

CBS Boston
Pandora produces more jewelry than any other company in the world. And on Tuesday, it announced a major change: It won’t use any more mined diamonds in its products. . . . more

McDonald's Q1 bolstered by chicken sandwich, marketing investments

Restaurant Dive

McDonald's announced Thursday that its Q1 2021 same-store sales rose 13.6% from last year. The chain generated nearly $1.5 billion in digital sales for the period through its app, kiosks and delivery, U.S. President Joe Erlinger said during an investor call. . . . more

Lowe's launches curated home decor series

Retail Dive

Coinciding with its 100th year in business, Lowe's on Monday unveiled "Lowe's House of Curators," a series of curations by designers and other influential names. . . . more

Macy’s brings wine out of the cellar to your door

CSA

Macy’s is replacing its Macy’s Wine Cellar online subscription program with a new online wine store. . . . more

Kroger enters Walmart, Amazon airspace with drone pilot

CSA

Kroger is preparing to offer grocery delivery via autonomous drones, with a targeted twist.  . . . more

Walgreens to roll out mobile vaccination clinics

CSA

Walgreens is stepping up its COVID-19 vaccination effort. . . . more

Publix sales growth cools off a bit in Q1

CSA

Publix Supermarkets increased sales in the first quarter but its growth moderated compared to the early pandemic-fueled surges of last year. . . . more

David’s Bridal gets $70 million loan

CSA

David's Bridal has closed on a $70 million term loan provided by CPPIB Credit Investments Inc., a subsidiary of Canada Pension Plan Investment Board. . . . more

7-Eleven expands foodservice push with dual-restaurant store

Supermarket News

Convenience-store retailer 7-Eleven Inc. has expanding its foodservice presence with a new store in Manassas, Va., that includes two restaurant brands. . . . more

Publix, Save Mart, Price Chopper launch SNAP EBT for Instacart orders

Supermarket News

Publix Super Markets, The Save Mart Companies and Price Chopper/Market 32 have partnered with Instacart to enable Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants to directly pay for online grocery orders through electronic benefit transfer (EBT). . . . more

Walmart launches global effort to provide India COVID-19 aid

CSA

Walmart is mobilizing its global resources to expand support for COVID-19 relief efforts in India as the country struggles with a devastating second wave of the virus. . . . more

Restaurant Revitalization Fund promises relief, but may require fast action

Restaurant Dive

Almost immediately after the launch of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the expansion of the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program to counter the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) was swamped with applications from struggling business owners. Interest in the programs exceeded — by a wide margin — the SBA’s resources, and initial funding ran out within weeks. . . . more

Target has opened 12 stores so far this year — here are the locations

CSA

Target Corp. is off to a running start with its 2021 store expansion. . . . more

‘That’s Our Lifeline’: Restaurants Prepare For Outdoor Dining On Moody Street In Waltham

CBS Boston

The wind was howling, toppling over traffic barriers and planters along Moody Street in Waltham Friday evening. . . . more

L.L. Bean Opening New Stores In Central Massachusetts, Southern New Hampshire

CBS Boston
L.L. Bean is opening seven new stores in 2021. The 108-year-old Maine-based outdoor retailer is adding three stores in the northeast and four in Canada. . . . more