Tractor Supply hits store milestone — with plans to continue rapid growth

CSA

Tractor Supply Company is moving full speed ahead into the new year. . . . more

Athleta taps Alicia Keys to create capsule collection

Retail Dive
As it expands its digital and in-store offerings, Athleta has enlisted Alicia Keys to create a capsule collection and serve as a mentor for Athleta's Power of She Fund grant program, according to a Tuesday press release. . . . more

Should retailers be investing in the metaverse?

Retail Dive
Almost every big technological innovation has its skeptics. Smartphones and social media were no exception. . . . more

Pet treat sales near $10 billion in U.S.

Supermarket News

U.S. retail sales of dog and cat treats were expected to reach $9.87 billion by the end of 2021, after two years of double-digit increases, according to Packaged Facts’ Pet Treats and Chews in the U.S. report. . . . more

Private brands outpace national counterparts in new products

Supermarket News

Though new product introductions plunged across the CPG sector with the onset of COVID-19, private label has rebounded in various categories while national brands have continued to decline, according to digital marketing and media firm Catalina. . . . more

Retail expert warns recession just ‘around the corner'

Fox Business
During an interview on "Mornings with Maria" retail expert Burt Flickinger explained how the increase of items returned at retail stores combined with inflation could potentially lead to a recession in the near future. . . . more

Home Depot names new CEO

CSA

The chief operating officer of Home Depot is getting a new job. . . . more

Lowe’s to open in-store Petco shops

CSA

Lowe’s is looking beyond home improvement and appliances. . . . more

Kohl's acknowledges takeover interest

Retail Dive
Kohl's on Monday acknowledged "that it has received letters expressing interest" in taking it over, following reports over the weekend that two financial firms are preparing bids. . . . more

First Look: Wilson Sporting Goods celebrates sports, play at NYC flagship

CSA

Wilson Sporting Goods Co. wants customers to play and shop at its new flagship in New York City. . . . more

Tropical Smoothie Cafe Considers Going Public

QSR

Coming off a record year, Tropical Smoothie Cafe is reportedly planning to go public later in 2022, according to Bloomberg. . . . more

Wing It On! Begins 2022 with Big Growth Plans

QSR
After a year of key triumphs to further cement its place as one of the most exciting chicken concepts in its category, North Carolina-based Wing It On! . . . more

Noodles & Company Pushing Unit Growth in 2022, Says CFO

Franchise Times
After five years of continuously losing units, from 532 locations in 2016 down to 454 locations in 2020, Noodles & Company is set to make a comeback. . . . more

BJ’s Wholesale on a roll with new store openings

CSA

BJ’s Wholesale Club continues to expand its footprint. . . . more

Gordon Ramsay’s new Boston restaurant opens inside Mandarin Oriental Monday

MassLive

Gordon Ramsay’s new Boston restaurant opens inside the Mandarin Oriental on Monday. . . . more

Market Basket ‘Stole The Number 3 Position From Trader Joe’s’ In New Grocery Retailer Rankings

CBS Boston
Massachusetts-based Market Basket is moving up in a new ranking of America’s best grocery retailers.. . . more

Marco’s Pizza on fast track for expansion

CSA

Marco’s Pizza’s store pipeline is robust as it looks to expand nationwide. . . . more

Friendly's eyes fast-casual model for the chain's reinvention

BBJ

The new Friendly’s Café in Massachusetts might serve as a template for Friendly’s growth. . . . more

The Painted Burro Plans to Open in the Former Border Cafe Space in Cambridge's Harvard Square

Boston Restaurant Talk

A group of Mexican restaurants appears to be expanding to a new location, and it would be taking over an iconic space in Cambridge. . . . more

Mall owner leased more space in 2021 than it did in the previous five years

CSA

If malls are dying, why are so many new tenants taking space in them? . . . more

Batteries Plus to open 55 stores in 2022

CSA

The nation’s largest battery, light bulb, key fob and phone repair franchise is on a roll. . . . more

An ice cream chain without freezers eyes national expansion

CSA

Ever been to a convenience store without refrigerators? A pizza shop without an oven? An ice cream store without freezers? . . . more

Planet Fitness to buy franchisee Sunshine Fitness in $800 million deal

Fox Business

Planet Fitness has agreed to acquire its franchisee Sunshine Fitness Growth Holdings in a cash and stock transaction valued at $800 million. . . . more

Chipotle, KFC and Donatos ring in 2022 with plant-based launches

Restaurant Dive
The first full week of 2022 has featured several plant-based menu launches across the restaurant industry. . . . more

Big Lots plans to add 500 new stores

Retail Dive

Detailing its long term ambitions, discounter Big Lots said that it could open 500 net stores, or more, in the coming years. . . . more

Macy’s to close six namesake stores, one Bloomingdale’s outlets in Q1

CSA
Macy’s revealed the list of a handful of stores that it will close this year. . . . more

ShopRite unveils pickup pods at New York store

CSA

ShopRite is the first grocer on the East Coast to utilize a new automated pickup solution. . . . more

Foxtrot Market to accelerate store expansion with new funding

CSA

Flush with new capital, Foxtrot Market plans to open 50 new stores in the next two years. . . . more

Grocery turns in strong retail sales performance for December

Supermarket News
Grocery sales climbed more than 8% in December and more than doubled that growth rate on a two-year stack, according to national retail sales tracker MasterCard SpendingPulse. . . . more

Sweetgreen launches Sweetpass subscription

Restaurant Dive

Sweetgreen is piloting Sweetpass, a subscription service that offers customers a discount of $3 on meals every day for a month. The service costs $10 and is available for purchase between Jan. 3 to Jan. 16, according to a statement emailed to Restaurant Dive. . . . more

Starbucks workers at Arizona store to hold union vote

Fox Business

A Starbucks location in Arizona could be the next to have workers unionize after being granted a request to hold an election. . . . more

Arby's new sandwich is so spicy it comes with a free shake

CNN Business
Basically every fast food chain has a spicy sandwich on sale, but Arby's version is so hot that it includes a fire retardant. . . . more

How Macy’s set out to conquer the department store business — and lost

Retail Dive
In 1990, Macy's was hardly the chain it is today. That year, four of the top 10 U.S. retailers on McKinsey & Company's list were department store companies, but Macy’s wasn’t one of them. . . . more

The retailer with the best omnichannel customer service is…

CSA

The largest retailer-owned hardware cooperative in the world took the top spot in a ranking of retailers with the best omnichannel overall customer service, discovery and purchase. . . . more

Report: GameStop to launch NFT marketplace

CSA

GameStop is reportedly planning to enter the Web 3.0 space with moves into non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and cryptocurrency. . . . more

Shoplifting is surging across America with dangerous and costly consequences

CNN Business
Retailers have always been vulnerable to shoplifting. But the emergence of coordinated and organized robberies at high-value stores, even during shopping hours, has the industry on edge. . . . more

Best Buy launches first-ever influencer program

CSA

The leading U.S. consumer electronics retailer is partnering with a major tech influencer. . . . more

Bed Bath & Beyond is closing 37 stores in 19 states

Boston Fox25

Bed, Bath & Beyond has announced it will close 37 stores, most by the end of February, USA Today is reporting. . . . more

Taco Bell selling $10-a-month taco subscription service

New York Post

Taco Tuesday is every day. Taco Bell has announced a new service that will allow their biggest fans to score a taco a day for 30 consecutive days for the price of $10 — that’s three tacos for every dollar.  . . . more

The Container Store acquires Closet Works for $21.5M

Retail Dive
The Container Store on Monday announced it acquired home storage and closet organization company Closet Works for $21.5 million. The deal closed Dec. 30. . . . more

BJ’s Wholesale Club expands in New York

CSA

BJ’s Wholesale Club is opening its first location of the new year. . . . more

Target launches its first home storage brand

CSA

Target Corp. has added another category to its growing portfolio of owned brands. . . . more

Walmart expanding grocery delivery inside customer homes to 30 million homes

CSA

Walmart is significantly scaling up its delivery service that allows it to enter a customer’s home or garage to deliver groceries and other purchases or pick up returns. . . . more

Macy’s reportedly cuts store hours amid COVID surge, staffing problems

CSA

Macy’s has temporarily shortened the hours its stores are open for business in January — but not by that much. . . . more

Chick-fil-A Opens Its First Boston Restaurant On Boylston Street

CBS Boston
Boston’s first Chick-fil-A officially opened early Wednesday morning, about ten years after its first attempt to bring a restaurant to the city. . . . more

Bed Bath & Beyond’s wedding registry business slips, as Amazon and Target attract engaged couples ahead of anticipated wedding boom

CNBC Business

More engaged couples are skipping Bed Bath & Beyond and signing up for wedding registries at Amazon and Target instead, according to a recent survey by Baird. . . . more

IKEA to raise prices this year

Fox Business

Furniture giant IKEA is raising its prices by an average of 9% in 2022 due to the ongoing global supply chain disruptions. . . . more

Little Caesars raises price of famous $5 pizza for first time in 25 years

Fox Business

The pizza chain Little Caesars is bumping the price of its famous Hot-N-Ready pizza above $5 for the first time in a quarter-century, according to reports. . . . more

7 restaurant trends that will define 2022

Restaurant Dive
Though many of the market forces that shaped the restaurant industry in 2021 were closely linked to disruption from the pandemic's onset in 2020, the new year will bring new challenges — and opportunities. . . . more

Best Buy joins Walmart, Target with in-house media company

CSA

The leading U.S. consumer electronics retailer is taking its targeted advertising activities to a new level. . . . more

Wow Wow Hawaiian Lemonade is One to Watch in 2022

QSR

Tim Weiderhoft, Wow Wow Hawaiian Lemonade’s CEO, predicts his brand will nearly double in size by the end of 2022, and to him, that’s just being modest. . . . more

Victoria’s Secret talks strong holiday sales; in stock buyback plan

CSA

Victoria’s Secret’s first holiday flying solo is trending positive. . . . more

The Supply Side: Store openings in 2021 nearly double closures

TB&P
Remember when retail stores were considered a thing of the past? Not anymore, according to Coresight Research, who said: “for the first time in four years, U.S. retailers will open more brick-and-mortar stores than they will close.”. . . more