Joe Keenan

Carter’s announced that Sharon Price John, a veteran children’s consumer and retail executive, will become chief executive officer and president and join the board effective June 15, 2026, following her 13-year tenure leading Build-A-Bear Workshop through a profitability-focused transformation. In connection with her appointment, Douglas C. Palladini departed as CEO, president, and director effective April…

H&M launched on Tuesday on Nordstrom Marketplace, expanding the brand's reach and marking its first launch on a curated retail marketplace in the U.S. H&M is making its marketplace debut with a curated selection of womenswear, menswear and childrenswear, alongside the brand’s activewear line, H&M Move. The offering is expected to be refreshed regularly with new seasonal…

Ace Hardware, the world's largest hardware cooperative, has launched Hey ARMA, an artificial intelligence-powered assistant designed to support its nationwide in-store associates with real-time information and guidance. Operated through a handheld device, Hey ARMA provides associates with quick access to product knowledge, project advice, and recommendations, helping them to focus on solving customer problems and…

Nike announced a new round of layoffs last week affecting approximately 1,400 employees across the organization, mostly concentrated in its technology department. In a note from COO Venkatesh Alagirisamy, Nike said the layoffs were part of its broader “Win Now” turnaround strategy aiming to reshape its technology team, modernize its Air manufacturing, move some of…

The retail industry has entered a new era, one in which fragmented omnichannel strategies are no longer enough to meet rising consumer expectations and mounting operational pressures. According to Manhattan Associates’ latest report, Unified Commerce Powers Future Retail Success, the retailers pulling ahead are those that have moved beyond omnichannel and embraced unified commerce: a…

Apple said on Monday that John Ternus is succeeding Tim Cook as CEO, with Cook assuming the role of executive chairman on Sept. 1. Ternus, a senior vice president of hardware engineering, will join Apple’s board of directors when he becomes CEO. Apple’s non-executive chairman Arthur Levinson will become the iPhone-maker’s lead independent director on…

In episode 505 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Tim Parr, founder of Caddis, a cultural lifestyle and eyewear brand boldly celebrating the 40-plus community. Parr shares that he launched Caddis after seeing a cultural and marketing void around aging consumers (3:30). He argues Gen X and older customers are overlooked despite significant…

David's Bridal has launched Shopify's Agentic Storefronts across ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot, further cementing its reputation as the leading artificial intelligence-powered marketplace, media network, and planning ecosystem for life's most meaningful celebrations. The move unlocks a new, high-growth commerce channel where products are discovered, recommended, and purchased through AI conversations. David's is among the first…

Bed Bath & Beyond has entered into a definitive merger agreement to buy The Container Store in a transaction valued at $150 million. In a regulatory filing, the retailer said its newly created subsidiary, Falcon Merger Sub, will be merged into The Container Store, leaving the latter as a wholly owned unit of Bed Bath…

In episode 504 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Matt Navarro, global president of Stanley 1913, the iconic global lifestyle brand synonymous with premium food and beverage innovation, operated by PMI WW Brands. The discussion begins with talk about Stanley's evolution into a global lifestyle brand (2:00). Navarro explains Stanley's strategy to diversify…