Verifying reports that first began circulating three weeks ago, luxury department store chain Nordstrom (Seattle) says it is exploring taking the company private at the behest of founding family members Erik and Pete Nordstrom, its CEO and President, respectively. As part of the Nordstrom board’s most recent evaluation of its operations, it authorized the exploration of possible avenues to enhance shareholder value. During this process, the two Nordstroms “notified the Board of their interest in pursuing a potential transaction pursuant to which Nordstrom would become a private company,” the r ..read more

The Balmain Beach Club has temporarily landed at Neiman Marcus (Dallas). Debuting in 10 stores, online and through remote selling channels, the 14-piece collection of ready-to-wear and handbags is inspired by the French Riviera. The collection is complemented by a full-scale installation in the retailer’s Dallas NorthPark store. From now through May 5, customers can access a sumptuous beachfront clubhouse complete with black and white striped umbrellas, lounge chairs, an ivy-covered pergola and visual details using the Balmain archive print. “Through the distinctive creative lens of Olivier Ro ..read more

Lisa Rachielles Manager, Global Retail Design, New Balance Age: 35 Favorite Animal: My dog, Dallas Favorite TV Show: “Arrested Development” WHY LISA? With 10 years of retail design experience – a little more than five of those being spent at New Balance – Lisa has worked on notable projects like the retailer’s Global Factory Outlet. In addition to serving as a mentor within New Balance, Lisa is exploring new avenues of communication: Recently she spoke at the Retail Design Institute’s New England Chapter event, “Real Life Retail.” “I am truly amazed at Lisa’s ability to stay up to date with t ..read more

Pizza chain Little Caesars (Detroit) said it has signed several new multi-unit development agreements to expand its presence across the U.S. As part of these deal signings, Little Caesars will open more than 30 new restaurants throughout San Diego, Memphis, Tampa, Raleigh, N.C., Minneapolis-St. Paul, San Antonio and Eugene, Ore. In addition, Little Caesars said it plans to grow its footprint across the U.S. with its newest restaurant prototype – Little Caesars PODs. Featuring a design that’s built offsite, PODs have a quicker construction timeline than most traditional restaurants. “The growth ..read more

Register here for “‘Re-Sparkling’ Retail: Using Store Design to Build Trust, Faith and Brand Loyalty” on April 23 at 2 pm EST. In a landscape where retail design often falls short of its potential, senior management is often reluctant to stray from data-driven decisions that often stifle creativity. Data plays a crucial role in mitigating risk, but it can’t address ever-changing consumer expectations. So, how can we empower and inspire senior leaders to see design as an investment for future retail growth? This session, led by retail design expert Ian Johnston from Quinine Design, explores how ..read more

The National Retail Federation reported last December that 85 percent of small businesses said they experienced retail theft at least once a year and that nearly 80 percent of retailers reported that organized retail theft was a higher concern in 2023 than in 2022. Now, a new report by marketing agency NP Digital reveals how deeply retailers across the board are affected by retail theft.  The report found that 70 percent of retailers surveyed said retail theft is a major concern for them in 2024 and have a plan against it; of those retailers, 20 percent were clothing stores and 19 pe ..read more

Continuing February’s gains, retail sales and wages were up in March, according to the CNBC/Nation Retail Federation Retail Monitor.  March’s retail sales totaled a .36 percent increase month over month and were up 2.72 percent year over year in March. February increased .4 percent month over month and 2.7 percent year over year in February.  “As inflation for goods levels off, March’s data demonstrates steady spending by value-focused consumers who continue to benefit from a strong labor market and real wage gains,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said in the release of the repor ..read more

Joy Dayaw Design PM, MG2 Age: 33 Favorite TV Show: “The Sopranos” Favorite Video Game: “Mortal Kombat” WHY JOY? In her role as Design PM, Joy wears many hats and oversees a diverse team that delivers experiential retail and F&B projects. In addition to preparing proposals for new projects, Joy also executes contracts, tracks the financial performance of projects and maintains project schedules. Some recent store designs under her belt include Brilliant Earth, Vyne Wine Shop and Evergreens. “She has a sixth sense for understanding customer flow and designing the customer journey and layout ..read more

GREAT CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE (CX) drives revenue growth in the retail world. But who gets the credit for the great experience and increased sales? At the corporate level, you have savvy marketing, sales, product, and (if you’re really savvy) CX teams and metrics, all of which lead to credit given to leaders. But what about the customer-facing employees? Those who interact with consumers day in and day out? Customer-facing employees play a critical role in the CX. As consumers ourselves, this may seem like a no-brainer: A single interaction with an employee can make or break our experience, regard ..read more

(PRESS RELEASE) MONTCLAIR, NJ – The newest standards of in-store merchandising displays have been set. During a live awards ceremony at Shop! MarketPlace in Cincinnati on April 10, Shop! Association announced the winners of the 2024 Outstanding Merchandising Achievement (OMA) Awards. As the retail industry’s most prestigious and longest-running awards contest, the OMA Awards recognize excellence in merchandise displays across various product-and-retail-based categories. “The OMA Award winners show our industry that with a passion to push the boundaries of what is possible, groundbreaking merch ..read more