Brick-and-Mortar

Halfway through 2026, retail organizations are facing a familiar but intensified reality: customer expectations continue to rise while frontline employees are being asked to do more with less certainty, tighter labor models, and constant operational change. Hiring challenges, retention concerns, and manager burnout have pressured retail organizations for years. However, leading organizations are responding differently.…

Dick's Sporting Goods announced a partnership to expand Lids shops to 100 Dick’s stores nationwide, the company said in a press release on Monday. The collaboration is currently available in 46 stores across states such as California, Colorado, New York, and Texas. It’s expected to reach 100 stores by late summer 2026. “Our athletes are increasingly…

“How’s the shopping center business going?” It’s a question I hear often as I travel across the country. And more often than not, people outside of our industry expect a very specific answer shaped by years of headlines about store closures and the rise of e-commerce. But that narrative is very different from what we're…

In episode 507 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Charlie Beer, chief operating officer at Naturepedic, the leading certified organic mattress and bedding company. Naturepedic was started over 20 years ago when the founder rejected conventional crib mattresses containing industrial foam and chemicals, leading to better products like organic cotton (0:55). Since then,…

The opening months of 2026 have seen several well-known retailers, including Eddie Bauer, Macy’s, and Saks Fifth Avenue, announce plans to close portions of their brick-and-mortar portfolios. While headlines may frame these moves as a shift toward online-first operations, the reality is far more strategic (and optimistic) in many cases. Retailers are thoughtfully reshaping their…

Retail has always been a human-centered business. Every sale, return, upsell and resolution depends on an employee’s ability to read emotion, respond appropriately, and guide a customer through an experience that feels both personal and efficient. As customer expectations rise, competitive advantage in retail is no longer defined by operational efficiency alone, but by how…

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…

In episode 506 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Kathy Gagliano, executive vice president of merchandising at Books-A-Million, the second largest bookstore retailer operating more than 220 stores in the United States. The discussion begins with the history of the company, dating all the way back to 1917 (0:55). According to Gagliano, the…

Staples and Party City announced Tuesday a strategic partnership bringing Party City inside more than 700 Staples locations nationwide and on Staples.com, with plans to expand to additional stores by the end of 2026. The collaboration brings Party City’s selection of balloons, décor and party supplies together with Staples same-day print and marketing services. Customers…

Physical retail is fracturing into specialized formats. Some locations function as micro-distribution centers processing online orders. Others prioritize in-person engagement and product discovery. The shift isn't cosmetic. It reflects a fundamental change in why shoppers visit stores at all. Instant availability has become the baseline, and retailers are reconfiguring entire networks to match that expectation.…