Claire’s scales back store closures to 300 following $140M buyout offer

The bankrupt mall chain had moved to shutter 700 locations and was mulling the liquidation of its entire 1,500-store fleet in North America.

Staples to bring optical centers to stores through Now Optics partnership

Through the tie-up, Stanton Optical will offer eye exams, prescription lenses and more in five of the office retailer’s locations.

Regional off-pricer Gabe’s under new ownership, avoids bankruptcy

A group of lenders has taken over the retailer, a deal with buy-in from vendors and landlords that has significantly reduced its debt.

Sycamore Partners closes Walgreens acquisition, splits retailer into 5 companies

Mike Motz has been named the CEO of Walgreens. He was formerly the chief executive of Staples U.S. Retail, a Sycamore portfolio company.

Nike to lay off less than 1% of corporate team

The cuts come after CEO Elliott Hill unveiled a strategy a few months ago to realign the company’s teams around key sports.

Tariffs cast a shadow over Gap Inc.’s progress

With renewed cultural relevance at Gap and Q2 strength at its biggest brands, the retailer “should remain in growth territory” this year, according to GlobalData.

Ulta raises full-year sales outlook amid category resilience

The beauty retailer saw Q2 net sales increase 9.3% with growth across both mass and prestige beauty.

Dollar General revenue grows, but tariffs begin impacting prices

The retailer, which noted shrink improvements helped Q2 gross profit, reported growth with consumers across income brackets.

Dick’s sales growth continues apace in Q2

The retailer raised its full-year guidance ahead of its planned merger with Foot Locker, which reported a 2.4% sales decline in the quarter.

3 ways tariffs are impacting retailers

From pulling forward inventory to enacting cost increases, here are ways retailers are taking a hit from levies going into the second half of the year.

‘We are firmly in growth mode’: Victoria’s Secret CEO

The company beat Q2 expectations despite hits from tariffs and a major data breach.

American Eagle’s Travis Kelce collab extends celebrity-led marketing streak

The retailer is linking with the NFL star and freshly minted fiancé to Taylor Swift on a Tru Kolors capsule collection after weathering a media firestorm.

Walmart, Target tout AI plans

The two retail giants are capitalizing on sustained investment in their technology foundations even as they face economic headwinds.

Kohl’s pins recovery hopes on private label

Despite top- and bottom-line declines, the department store beat its own expectations in Q2 and said various initiatives are bearing fruit.

Walmart ties marketplace to stores, debuts AI seller tools

The retailer is piloting brick-and-mortar access to online sellers and reducing some fees for top selling products ahead of the holidays.

Foot Locker shareholders approve Dick’s Sporting Goods acquisition

Dick’s Sporting Goods said Tuesday the deal has received all regulatory approvals and should close Sept. 8.

Updated Aug. 26, 2025

Macy’s partners with Amazon for retail ads ahead of holiday season

The retailer will pilot Amazon Retail Ads Service, which allows the tech giant to serve as a third-party provider of ad-serving capabilities.

Consumer confidence dips on anxiety about jobs, income

The average 12-month expectation for inflation jumped to 6.2% this month from 5.7% in July, the Conference Board found in a consumer survey.

Walmart’s booming ad business provides ‘flexibility’ amid tariff impact

Continued momentum for retail media offerings like Connect is helping drive profits and will remain “obviously key,” executives said.

Mass beauty outpaces prestige in the first half of 2025

Fragrance was the fastest-growing category in the mass channel, with dollar sales up 17%.

Retailers double down on AI despite reliability concerns

Over half of retailers expect most customer interactions will be handled by AI within five years, according to a Monday.com survey.

The Weekly Closeout: Bed Bath & Beyond battles California and Guess to go private

Executive Chairman Marcus Lemonis said the home retailer won’t open stores in the state, while the fashion company cut a deal with Authentic Brands Group. 

Lululemon names AI exec to improve product innovation, speed

The brand's CIO is departing the company while Ranju Das takes on a newly formed chief AI and technology officer position. 

David’s Bridal launches AI to help couples manage wedding tasks

Pearl Planner features a built-in chat assistant, adaptable task boards and dynamic timelines to help users centralize planning with real-time updates.

Trump says furniture tariffs coming in next 50 days

The president said his administration is conducting an investigation into the sector just days after applying steel and aluminum levies on various household appliances.