#retail

#retail

The New Museum Store has reopened and is now more than twice its previous size, featuring artist-collaboration pieces and unique products like bodega-themed charms and specialty chocolates.

Ali's store, Fly Vape, is located in Cheetham Hill, Manchester, an area that has become a surprising hub for the vaping industry, housing over 50 outlets specializing in vaping products.

"When you're a public company, your scorecard is your stock price, and that has a lot to do with the results you generate. If the investment community doesn't think very highly of department stores, which they don't, your multiple goes down."

Haeyoung Cha's Nonfiction brand, known for its delicate perfumes and minimalist design, opened its first North American flagship in New York's Lower East Side.

"We ultimately felt we lacked product-market fit and decided to hard pivot," Raju said of the first, unsuccessful idea. "In this process, we had exposure to brands' back offices and the chaos that was selling in retail, ultimately leading us to start Glimpse as it is today."

Colin Walsh, Glossier's new chief executive, stated that the closures are necessary to focus on a 'true expression of where this brand has been and where it needs to go.'

Business Insider reported on Monday that nearly 200 Eddie Bauer locations in the US and Canada are expected to close after the operating entity behind the stores failed to find a buyer during its Chapter 11 restructuring.

Bob's Discount Furniture, a Connecticut-based furniture retailer backed by Bain Capital, is putting it all on the table. The company is going public, with shares expected to begin trading on Thursday, February 5, after being priced at $17. The retailer raised $331 million in its initial public offering (IPO). Shares will trade on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the symbol BOBS.

The need for effective reputation management has never been more acute, with brands in the public eye more than ever and social media giving consumers a voice to vent their frustrations. Catherine Turner explores what savvy brands are doing to protect their reputation, deal with stumbling blocks, and live up to the expectations of an unforgiving public. The recent travails of two of the world's biggest retailers highlight the extremes faced by businesses in a world of online reputation management.

"While it encouraging to see insolvency rates decrease, we know that big name brands are struggling and the outlook for 2026 is far from rosy. Retailers and hospitality businesses who had hoped for more support from the Autumn Budget are now facing increased uncertainty. It seems as though the New Year may already see another Government U-turn, this time backing down on plans to scrap business rates relief for pubs that has been in force since the pandemic."

Overall, Primark's sales growth in the period was below our previous expectations and we now expect Primark's sales growth in the first half of 2026 to be in the low single digits.

Last year, tariffs kicked in at their highest rate since the Great Depression, with the United States' effective tariff rate hitting above 17% in August. The beginning of the year started with chaos, as, seemingly every week, there was an announcement of some new tariff that would be levied against China or Mexico or Canada. Then came "Liberation Day," when President Donald Trump issued " reciprocal tariffs" on more than 180 countries and territories.

For industries built on rigid schedules and office walls, Gen Z's flight toward flexibility isn't just a trend; it's a tectonic shift that threatens to leave traditional careers gathering dust. It's no secret that Gen Z is shaking up the workforce with their unique perspective on work, life, and everything in between. From their preference for digital interactions to their demand for work-life balance, this generation is steering away from careers that once seemed stable and go-to options.