Stores Weekly

What’s hot in retailing is what’s different, and there’s no lack of differentiation among the businesses in STORES Magazine’s annual list of the fastest-growing retailers. From meal kits to niche supermarkets, these companies find innovative ways to bring the right products to the right customers.

Visit http://stores.org/2017/08/01/hot-100-retailers/ to view the full article online.

With a model based on selling fine, customized jewelry online at steep discounts, James Allen’s sales have tripled over the past three years, reaching close to $300 million. Millennials account for 90 percent of customers, says Oded Edelman, co-founder and CEO of the jeweler’s parent company R2Net. “It’s a big deal to post a picture on social media that no one else has.”

Visit http://stores.org/2017/07/31/diamond-in-the-retail-rough/ to view the full article online.

The Tile Shop saw year-over-year same-store sales growth of 5 percent during the first quarter, evidence of the company’s careful growth into a destination for homeowners and professional builders and designers alike. President and CEO Chris Homeister says its employees are a big part of its success. “We want to hire people with strong convictions of service to customers.”

Visit http://stores.org/2017/08/01/experience-thats-set-stone-chris-homeister/ to view the full article online.

Vehicles crash into stores 60 times daily, according to the Storefront Safety Council, causing some 500 fatalities and massive property damage. U.S professional sports leagues require stadiums to install protective measures like crash barriers; convenience stores Wawa and Cumberland Farms have redesigned parking lots with safety in mind.

Visit http://stores.org/2017/08/01/where-safety-and-security-meet/ to view the full article online.

Mime et moi has created a single shoe with numerous interchangeable heel heights and shapes. A recent Kickstarter campaign for the company’s #myheroes collection brought in more than $230,00 with a week left, considerably more than the original $110,000 goal.

Visit http://stores.org/2017/08/02/kick-off-heels-swap/ to view the full article online.

The busiest day for consumers to search back-to-school discounts via mobile last year was August 14, per Yahoo’s research. Overall, online back-to-school shopping has increased more than 75 percent over the last five years.

Visit http://stores.org/2017/08/02/keeping-back-school-hand/ to view the full article online.

The digital edition of STORES includes must-read pieces, including the articles featured here. Read the current issue and browse the archives for issues you may have missed.

Visit https://www.naylornetwork.com/nrf-nwl/articles/index.asp?aid=454620&issueID=56506 to view the full article online.

Sarween Salih started S3 Active as a pop-up shop in the back of the gym where she led classes, sourcing stylish athletic-leisure products from 10 different brands, and soon had the opportunity to set up a pop-up shop in Washington, D.C. On this week’s episode of NRF’s Retail Gets Real podcast, Salih discusses how following her passion led to her own small business and how she plans to grow in the future.

Visit https://nrf.com/news/s3-actives-journey-pop-permanent-storefront to view the full article online.

Patagonia, Nike, Uniqlo, Cole Haan, Lowe’s, ModCloth, eBay, J Brand, Crate and Barrel and REI are just some of the brands attending Shop.org, to be held September 25-27 in Los Angeles. Shop.org is the ecommerce conference for those who want to stand out and stay relevant in today’s retail environment.

Visit http://shop.org/2017-attending-companies to view the full article online.

NRF and IBM’s “Gen Z Brand Relationships” report, the second in a three-part global study, explores how brands can build strong relationships with Generation Z consumers. The study, based on a global survey of more than 15,000 Gen Z members between the ages of 13 and 21 as well as interviews with 20 senior executives, looks at how the group interacts with brands and each other, as well as their expectations and desires.

Visit https://nrf.com/resources/retail-library/gen-z-brand-relationships to view the full article online.

Allpoint, the largest surcharge-free ATM network with 55,000 ATMs worldwide, announced the addition of Kroger grocery stores in the Atlanta metropolitan area — approximately 125 locations. Allpoint Network is a wholly owned subsidiary of Cardtronics.

 

Accruent, a provider of software and services that enable organizations to shape, drive, manage and control their physical assets, announced that Aero OpCo LLC (“Aéropostale”) has selected Accruent’s lease administration software as it prepares for changes to the lease accounting standards from the Financial Accounting Standards Board.

 

Adidas has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its CCM ice hockey brand to a newly formed affiliate of Birch Hill Equity Partners. The transaction, which is subject to customary closing conditions, is expected to be completed during the third quarter of 2017.

 

Beyond Meat announced that the Beyond Burger will be available within the meat case at more than 600 Kroger-owned stores. The expansion into Kroger marks a more than tripled distribution growth of the Beyond Burger within two months’ time and reflects an increased demand for plant-based protein among mainstream consumers.

 

Oracle announced that ABC Fine Wine & Spirits has upgraded the Oracle Retail Xstore Point-of-Service with the help of SkillNet Solutions. ABC Fine Wine & Spirits differentiates their shopping experience with a superior product assortment, outstanding service and competitive pricing by empowering its associates with modern and intuitive tools. ABC Fine Wine & Spirits operates 130 stores across Florida, selling beer, wine, spirits, cigars and gourmet food items.

 

March Networks, a global provider of intelligent IP video solutions, and EZUniverse, a provider of cloud-based retail data analytics, announced a strategic partnership and the launch of a new cloud-based video and retail data analytics service for the quick service restaurant and fast casual market. The new service combines March Networks’ industry-leading enterprise video with 360iQ, the advanced retail analytics platform from EZUniverse.

 

Digital intelligence firm New Relic Inc. announced that Ocado, the world’s largest dedicated online grocery retailer, turned to the New Relic Digital Intelligence Platform for improved visibility into systems and collaboration within teams. Since adopting New Relic, Ocado has been able to confidently migrate and scale their infrastructure in the cloud, ensure they provide superior customer experiences and improve the performance within their automated warehouses.

 

TraQtion, a leading provider of cloud-based quality and compliance software, is now used by Dunkin’ Brands, the parent company of Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin-Robbins, to help strengthen its food and beverage supply chain and ensure compliance across more than 8,700 points of distribution in more than 60 countries.