10 Stores That No Longer Exist in Maine but We Wish Still Did

Seacoast Current

Maine businesses come and go as the times change, but almost every one who grew up in this state has fond memories of stores they or their parents used to shop out that are no longer around. . . . more

More Americans took on holiday debt this season, owing an average $1,249

CNBC Business

More Americans got into the spirit this holiday, even if it meant spending more than they could afford.. . . more

Albertsons pilots AI-driven salad bars

Retail Dive
Albertsons is piloting artificial intelligence-driven salad bars in six East Coast supermarkets through a partnership with European food technology company Picadeli, according to a press release. . . more

First Look: Lovepop store opens at Disneyland Resort

CSA

Lovepop has added another location to its retail portfolio. . . . more

Who’s In, Who’s Out: Shifting buying habits of Gen Z

CSA
Global online fast-fashion retailers dominate Gen Z pandemic shopping, displacing such traditional favorites as Urban Outfitters. . . more

Nordstrom’s 10 biggest milestones of 2021

CSA

Nordstrom is wrapping up a busy 2021, during which it celebrated its 120th anniversary and launched a number of new initiatives. . . . more

Iconic Harvard Square Flower Shop Closing After 104 Years In Business

CBS Boston
An iconic Harvard Square flower shop is permanently closing its doors after 104 years in business, citing in part challenges caused by the “daunting” COVID pandemic. . . . more

Cultivating consumer loyalty amidst supply chain challenges

Retail Dive
Brand loyalty is increasingly fragile. Since the beginning of the pandemic, three-quarters of consumers in the United States have switched brands, products, stores or buying methods, reports McKinsey. As retailers strive to woo shoppers into a long-term relationship, supply chain hiccups can sabotage those efforts — but it doesn't have to. . . more

Fast Casual Restaurants Exit the Pandemic Positioned for Growth

QSR

Many segments of the restaurant industry are still struggling with the after-effects of the pandemic. However, fast casual brands may have emerged stronger than ever. It may sound surprising that after the difficulties the restaurant industry faced during the height of the pandemic, we would be saying this is a good time to invest—but it is. . . . more

Crumbl Cookies to open its 326th store in four years

CSA

Two cousins from Utah who struggled for years before landing upon the milk chocolate chip cookie recipe that made their cookie shop one of the fastest-growing in the country will open their 326th store at The Levee District in East Peoria. It will be their fourth location in Illinois and their first in the central region of the state. . . . more

CVS and Walgreens to limit the number of at-home Covid tests you can buy after surge in demand

CNN Business
The two largest pharmaceutical chain stores in the US -- CVS Health and Walgreens -- are limiting the number of at-home Covid kits customers can buy due to huge demand. . . more

Can this year's department store recovery last?

Retail Dive

Department stores were already a decade deep into their decline when the pandemic upended normal life, exacerbating years-long trends that are also hurting the traditional malls they anchor. . . . more

Office Depot offers free omnichannel services for last-minute shoppers

CSA

Office Depot is gearing up for a surge of panicked customers finishing their holiday shopping in the final days before Christmas. . . . more

‘Cult Classic’ Cookies Now Available in Newington, New Hampshire

Seacoast Current

Knowing that Crumbl Cookies just opened right down the street from where I live has sent my taste buds into a frenzy! I do fear for my waistline but we are in the Winter months and that is what baggy sweaters are for. . . . more

Wayfair to launch brick & mortar for AllModern and Joss & Main at MarketStreet Lynnfield, Legacy Place and Burlington Mall

NEREJ
Wayfair Inc. will open its next brick-and-mortar retail stores in the coming year, bringing two of its specialty retail brands to life in 2022 with three stores located in Massachusetts. . . more

COVID Is Surging Again in NYC — What Does This Mean for Retail?

Footwear News

With COVID-19 cases on the rise across the U.S., the path toward recovery across the retail landscape could be in flux. . . . more

Nordstrom reportedly hires AlixPartners to review possible Rack spinoff

CNBC Business
Nordstrom has tapped the consulting group AlixPartners to help it review a potential spinoff of its off-price Nordstrom Rack business, according to a report from Bloomberg. . . more

Drugstore chain Rite Aid to close at least 63 stores in the coming months

CNBC Business
Drugstore chain Rite Aid said Tuesday it plans to shutter at least 63 stores as it reassesses how many locations it needs in the United States. . . more

Authentic Brands expands Reebok to over 2.8K stores in deal with JD Group

Retail Dive
Reebok is expanding under soon-to-be owner Authentic Brands Group. The brand conglomerate on Monday announced a partnership between Reebok and JD Group that will see the athletics brand in more than 2,850 stores. . . more

Report: Most restaurant customers don't want to wait more than 5 minutes for their order

Restaurant Dive
A report from Oracle finds that increased off-premise business at restaurants is impacting customer expectations for speed of service. . . . more

Starbucks says it will negotiate with workers forming a union in Buffalo, New York

CNBC Business

Starbucks plans to negotiate in good faith with workers at its Elmwood store in Buffalo, New York, the company said Monday, days after the employees’ votes to form the coffee chain’s first U.S. union were certified. . . . more

Sears owner plans to sell its corporate HQ

Retail Dive
Sears and Kmart owner Transformco plans to put its corporate campus near Chicago on the real estate market next year, according to local media reports and confirmed for Retail Dive by Kevin Kramer, director of economic development for Hoffman Estates, where the campus is located. . . . more

Online resale retailer debuting pop-up shop

CSA

Mercari, an online marketplace for buying and selling secondhand items, will launch its first-ever experiential pop-up shop in time for the New Year. . . . more

Target going down-to-the-wire with Christmas online orders

CSA

Target Corp. is reaching out to last-minute holiday shoppers. . . . more

Forever 21 enters metaverse with Roblox store

CSA

Forever 21 is the newest retail player on the popular Roblox gaming platform. . . . more

J.C. Penney launches same-day delivery in time for holidays

CSA

The J.C. Penney Co. Inc. is expanding upon its omnichannel fulfillment options. . . . more

Life Alive cafe and yoga school will collaborate, opening sites in Harvard Square and South End

Cambridge Day
The Life Alive Organic Cafe in Central Square and Down Under School of Yoga, which has a site in Porter Square, have combined and will open a 100-seat cafe and yoga studio at 22 JFK St., Harvard Square. . . . more

Aron of KeyPoint Partners brokers two retail sales transactions

NEREJ
Vice president of investment sales for KeyPoint Partners, Jonathan Aron, represented the buyer in the purchase of a Dollar General store at 1122 Burnside Ave. . . . more

Chipotle opening second digital-only store concept

CSA

Chipotle Mexican Grill is launching a new format called “Chipotlane Digital Kitchen” in Ohio. . . . more

Supply chain issues impacting pharmacies: What to know

Fox Business
The Federal Reserve reported Wednesday that many parts of the country were hit by supply chain disruptions and labor shortages in November. . . . more

Strip centers outpacing traditional malls as physical retail recovers

Retail Dive

The commercial property values of open-air strip centers, which rose 13% since before the pandemic, are drastically outpacing traditional malls, where values edged up 1%, according to a report from Green Street. . . . more

Survey: Holiday shoppers aren’t done yet

CSA

A new survey from Klarna reveals that many consumers have not yet even come close to finishing their holiday shopping. . . . more

Moorestown Mall attains approval to add multifamily housing

CSA

Excavators will soon dig in at Moorestown Mall in New Jersey as owner PREIT won unappealable approval for it to add multifamily housing there. The company also received a mortgage loan extension to redevelop its Woodland Mall in Michigan. . . . more

New Kelly’s Roast Beef Location Planned In New Hampshire

CBS Boston
Kelly’s Roast Beef could be headed over the border. The Salem, New Hampshire Planning Board is meeting on Dec. 14 to discuss proposals for a restaurant and drive-thru on South Broadway. . . . more

2021 Was the 'Year of Acquisitions' for Restaurants—Will it Continue?

QSR
After evaluating pandemic performance throughout the strangest year on record for restaurants, 2021 has turned into the “Year of Acquisitions.” According to a Duff & Phelps report, Q2 2021 was the strongest period since 2015 in terms of the number of deals for the food and beverage space. . . more

Neiman Marcus looks at plan to split into 3 separate businesses: report

Fox Business

Neiman Marcus is exploring a plan that would divide the luxury retail chain into three different businesses. . . . more

More Saladworks restaurants open in Giant supermarkets

Supermarket News
Under a partnership unveiled last year, The Giant Company has added WOWorks restaurant locations under the Saladworks and Frutta Bowls banners in four more supermarkets. . . more

Costco is adding pickup lockers to more stores

Retail Dive
Costco plans to have pickup lockers in more than 200 of its U.S. retail locations by the end of 2022 — more than twice the number of stores where it currently operates the self-service offerings — Chief Financial Officer Richard Galanti said during the retailer's earnings call on Thursday for its fiscal first quarter, which ended Nov. 21. . . . more

Dick’s Sporting Goods launches omnichannel ‘buy now pay later’ payment

CSA

Dick’s Sporting Goods is joining an increasingly crowded playing field of retailers enabling customers to divide their payments into four interest-free installments. . . . more

JLL: Demand for grocery-anchored centers highest in two decades

CSA

Last week during the RECon show in Las Vegas, global real estate services firm JLL issued a report showing that grocery-anchored neighborhood centers—despite acting as retail’s essential core during the height of the pandemic—had vacancy rates averaging 7.4% in the second quarter. That was higher than the mall sector’s 7.2% rate. . . . more

Christmas Tree Shops will use new name, updated concept at new Holyoke location

MassLive
Christmas Tree Shops plans to open a new store in the Holyoke Crossing plaza in April with a new and less seasonally specific name. . . . more

November online grocery sales hit $8.6 billion, up 6% from year ago

Supermarket News
The U.S. online grocery market generated $8.6 billion in sales during November, reported the Brick Meets Click/Mercatus Grocery Shopping Survey, marking a 6% sales gain over last year’s $8.1 billion. . . more

Focus Brands accelerates non-traditional growth

Restaurant Dive
Focus Brands, parent company of Auntie Anne's, Carvel, Cinnabon, Jamba, McAlister's Deli, Moe's Southwest Grill and Schlotsky's, is accelerating its non-traditional unit growth and has 313 such units in the pipeline, according to a press release. . . more

Study: Bath & Body Works, Ace Hardware among retailers with best reputations

CSA
Customer service can make — or break — the shopping experience. . . more

True Religion breaks Cyber Week sales record

CSA
True Religion had its largest e-commerce volume week ever during Cyber Week (Nov. 25-30). . . . more

'Diet' soda is disappearing from store shelves

CNN Business
As you make your way through the soda aisle, you may notice a lot less of the word "diet" than you used to. . . . more

Pacsun introduces same-day delivery in time for holidays

CSA
Pacsun is joining the ranks of retailers offering same-day delivery. . . more

Forever 21 lands at J.C. Penney

CSA

J.C. Penney is targeting a young, on-trend fashion audience with the newest addition to its brand portfolio. . . . more

Club channels, online retailers may have the edge in grocery in 2022

Supermarket News

During the recent SN Analysts Roundtable, Supermarket News spoke with Rupesh Parikh, grocery analyst at Oppenheimer, about the challenges the industry faced in 2021 and where he sees the grocery channel heading in 2022. . . . more

CVS could soon be your doctor in big health care push

Fox Business

CVS Health is the local drugstore for many, and now the chain wants to be your doctor as well. . . . more

Torrid braces for rising costs and ongoing pandemic uncertainty after mixed Q3

Retail Dive
Benefiting from apparel demand but dogged by supply chain issues, Torrid on Wednesday reported a mixed Q3. . . . more

Report: Starbucks workers at Buffalo store unionize

CSA

Starbucks reportedly now has one U.S. corporate store which is unionized. . . . more

Boston's first Chick-fil-A to open in coming weeks, company says

WCVB
Construction continues on what will become Boston's first Chick-fil-A restaurant, centered in the heart of the city. . . . more

Nike To Stop Selling Sneakers At Popular Shoe Chain

CBS Boston
You won’t be able to buy Nike sneakers and apparel at one of America’s largest shoe store chains in 2022.  . . more

Saugus Barnes & Noble To Close In January

CBS Boston
The Barnes & Noble on Route 1 in Saugus is closing up shop for good this upcoming January. . . . more

GameStop reports mixed Q3 amid bulked-up inventory

CSA

GameStop retailer reported mixed third-quarter earnings, showing a larger-than-expected quarterly loss and sales that were above estimates. . . . more

Furniture e-commerce giant Wayfair will get back into brick and mortar

Boston Globe
Wayfair is trying its hand again at brick and mortar retail.
The Boston-based e-commerce giant announced on Tuesday that it will open three storefronts in Greater Boston in the coming year, showcasing designs from two of its in-house brands. An AllModern store will open at MarketStreet Lynnfield and Legacy Place in Dedham. And a Joss & Main shop will open in the Burlington Mall. The company says it plans to open stores for all five of its brands in the next two years. . . . more

Nordstrom leverages pack and hold inventory to mitigate supply chain risk

CSA
Nordstrom is increasing its use of pack and hold inventory "by a factor of two times to three times" at its Rack subsidiary as it expects macro supply chain disruptions to persist into 2022, CEO Erik Nordstrom said on the company's Q3 earnings call. . . . more

JLL: ‘Retail’s recovery is going faster than anyone imagined’

CSA

Retail rents are rising with strip centers and neighborhood centers posting the biggest increases, Class C malls are suffering with average vacancy rates topping 12%, and retailers are expanding to markets where the most people are going, places like Las Vegas, Orlando, and Atlanta. . . . more

As Christmas Nears, Holiday Shopping Is Set Break Records, Despite Supply Chain Worries

Footwear News
While Thanksgiving and Black Friday 2021 are now in the past, the shopping season has yet to conclude. . . more

Why Dollar Tree's price hike to $1.25 could be 'one of the worst decisions in retail history'

CNN Business
In 1986, three retail veterans opened a chain of stores in the southeast named Only $1.00. . . . more

5 Tips to Navigating Supply Chain Disruptions

QSR
In early November, the National Restaurant Association sent a letter to President Biden regarding the dire situation the COVID-19 pandemic has created for the restaurant industry. In the letter, the Association addressed how increasing costs and limited supplies are restricting the industry’s ability to function. . . more

Ahold Delhaize USA adds more Instacart virtual c-stores

Supermarket News

All Ahold Delhaize USA supermarket chains — Stop & Shop, Giant Food, Giant/Martin’s, Food Lion and Hannaford — now provide 30-minute delivery of convenience-oriented products via Instacart. . . . more

Regional grocer extends on-demand assortment

CSA
Giant Food is launching a new online marketplace called “Ship2Me,” which adds tens of thousands of new items for in-store pickup and online delivery. . . more

Shake Shack to open first drive-thru location

Restaurant Dive
Shake Shack will open its first-ever drive-thru location on Dec. 6 in Maple Grove, Minnesota. . . . more

Burger King to simplify menu to boost drive-thru times

Restaurant Dive
Burger King is planning to simplify its menu and remove some products that have become too complicated to build in order to improve drive-thru times, José Cil, CEO of parent company Restaurant Brands International, said on Wednesday during the Morgan Stanley Virtual Global Consumer & Retail Conference. . . . more

Retail sales reached pre-pandemic levels before December, says NPD

CSA

The U.S. retail industry had largely recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic even before the start of December. . . . more

Jack in the Box buys Del Taco in $575 million deal

CNBC Business

Jack in the Box is buying Del Taco, the second-largest Mexican fast-food chain in the U.S., in a deal valued at roughly $575 million. . . . more

Should retailers like Kohl's and Macy's break themselves up?

CNN Business
For years, the future of the department store has been in doubt, as shoppers abandon malls and instead opt to scoop up dresses, appliances and accessories online. . . . more

Toymaker Ty air ships products for the holidays to avoid port congestion

Retail Dive

Ty Inc. is air shipping its products for the holidays to avoid port congestion, and the toy manufacturer has already financed 283 cargo flights into the U.S. since October, according to a news release on Monday. . . . more

CVS enters digital health partnership with Microsoft

CSA

CVS Health is embarking on a new partnership with Microsoft to create innovative solutions to help consumers improve their health. . . . more

Big Lots outlook downbeat amid supply chain headwinds

CSA

Big Lots reported third-quarter results that beat analysts’ forecasts but warned that it expects supply chain challenges to continue to weigh on gross margins. . . . more

Lids expands store footprint with its first stores in Europe

CSA

Lids is expanding internationally with the opening of its first standalone stores in Europe. . . . more

Shoe Carnival acquires Shoe Station for $67 million

CSA

Shoe Carnival has expanded its footprint via an acquisition. . . . more

Office use proposed for former Lord & Taylor Burlington Mall space

Daily Times Chronicle
BURLINGTON - The currently vacant Lord & Taylor space could be getting in on the renovation act that has been taking place at Burlington Mall for the past two years. . . . more

Ulta Beauty tops expectations as beauty business rebounds

CSA
Ulta Beauty reported better-than-expected third-quarter results with comp sales that topped pre-pandemic levels.. . . more

American Freight Awards Two New Locations In Texas And Louisiana

CSA
American Freight, a leading furniture, mattress and appliance retailer, is awarding John and Llaura Jenkins with two franchise locations in Longview, Texas and northwestern Louisiana, adding to the company’s growing nationwide footprint of more than 300 stores. . . . more

Five Below in strong Q3; holiday off to ‘strong start’

CSA
Five Below reported third-quarter results that beat Wall Street expectations despite a “challenging” supply chain environment. The teen and tween value retailer reported that its earnings totaled $24.2 million, or $0.43 a share, in the quarter ended Oct. 30, compared with $20.4 million, or $0.36 a share, in the year-ago period. Analysts had expected earnings per share of $0.29. . . . more

Toys ‘R’ Us to open global flagship at American Dream

CSA
Toys “R” Us is making a big move in its U.S. retail comeback — just in time for the holidays.
The iconic toy retailer will open a flagship — the first in the United States under its new owners — in mid-December at American Dream, the massive, three million sq.-ft.-plus entertainment and retail center in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The two-level, 20,000-sq.-ft. store will feature a modern design with signature elements that have long been associated with the retailer, including its mascot, Geoffrey the Giraffe.. . . more

Dollar General to open 1,110 stores in 2022; plans international expansion

CSA
Dollar General unveiled aggressive expansion plans that includes its first stores outside of the U.S. and the acceleration of the rollout of its more upscale Popshelf store concept.
The discounter’s 2022 real estate plans include 1,110 new stores — including its first stores in Idaho, its 47th state — and 1,750 remodels. Dollar General will also open its first international stores, with plans to open up to 10 locations in Mexico. . . more

Twin Peaks Signs Grand Slam Deal to Bring 10 Lodges to Philadelphia

CSA
Los Angeles, CA (RestaurantNews.com) FAT (Fresh. Authentic. Tasty.) Brands Inc., parent company of Twin Peaks Restaurant and 14 other restaurant concepts, today announced a 10-store franchise development agreement with Moussa Haidar and Tom Pisula to bring its rugged lodge atmosphere to Philadelphia. . . . more

NRF holiday recap: In-store shopping up, online down; average spend falls YOY

CSA.com
Approximately 104.9 million people shopped in stores from Thanksgiving Day through Cyber Monday, up from 92.3 million in 2020, according to the annual survey by the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics. The overall number of online shoppers decreased to 127.8 million from 145.4 million last year.  . . . more

Velvet Taco sold to Leonard Green & Partners

NRN.com
Fast-casual restaurant chain Velvet Taco has been sold to private equity firm Leonard Green & Partners L.P., former majority owner L Catterton, another private equity firm, said Tuesday.. . . more

Hwy 55 Seeks Operating Partners for Stand-Alone Stores; 20 Planned for 2021-22

RestaurantNews.com
Mt. Olive, NC Hwy 55, a small-town Americana burger chain based in eastern North Carolina, is growing up. This year marks the launch of a multi-year expansion plan that will shift its locations, previously housed in shopping centers, to innovative free standing models.. . . more

Pollo Campero will triple US footprint in 5 years

Fast Casual.com
Only 80 of Pollo Campero's 350 global locations are in the U.S., but the 50-year-old brand born in Guatemala is on a mission to increase its presence in the States to 250 by 2026.. . . more