It’s been another week with far more retail news than there is time in the day. Below, we break down some things you may have missed during the week, and what we’re still thinking about.
From fall-themed products to Primark opening another store, here’s our closeout for the week.
What you may have missed
Wolverine eliminates a role
Footwear and apparel company Wolverine World Wide eliminated the position of active group president as of Monday. As a result, Susie Kuhn left the company, and her duties have been distributed throughout the organization, according to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Kuhn was first appointed to the position in October 2024. She led brand strategies, go-to-market plans and oversaw commercial performance of the active group, which includes the Merrell, Saucony, Sweaty Betty and Chaco brands. She came to the company from Foot Locker, where she was the president of Europe, Middle East and Africa.
In the company’s most recent quarter, the active group reported a revenue increase of 9.3% to $388.4 million. Second quarter total revenue was up 6.8% to $506.4 million.
Primark deepens US presence with Georgia store opening
Irish apparel retailer Primark is pushing ahead with its U.S. expansion efforts with the opening of a store in Augusta, Georgia.
The store — which marks the retailer’s second location in Georgia after it debuted a store in Lawrenceville earlier this month — opened on Thursday at the Augusta Mall. The location brings Primark’s U.S. footprint to 48 stores.
"Primark is excited to have such a busy month in Georgia as it opens not one but two new stores in the state,” Kevin Tulip, president of Primark U.S., said in a statement. “We know that Primark's outstanding value is more important than ever to today's consumers, and we're looking forward to welcoming customers in the culturally rich and historic city of Augusta."
The latest store openings are part of the retailer’s broader expansion efforts across the U.S., which is helping to fuel growth at the company. Primark’s sales in the U.S. have grown 14% so far this year and 16% in the third quarter alone.
Retail therapy
The spooky items nobody asked for
Fall officially began this week, which means brands are pushing out their fall-themed products in full force. While some companies have gone the safe route of leaning on trusty pumpkin spice or rolling out Halloween-themed sweet treats, others have ventured into borderline repulsive territory.
Hidden Valley Ranch this week introduced Spooky Ranch, “a spooky black twist to the iconic creamy formula.” The product gets its deep hue from fruit juice and cocoa powder and comes in a glow-in-the-dark bottle. Spooky Ranch retails for around $4 and is available exclusively at Walmart.
But the fun doesn’t stop there. Cup Noodles also released its own spooky flavor this week: Vampire Noodles. The product, which features garlic and chicken flavors, turns a bright red color when hot water is added.
To coincide with the launch, Cup Noodles teamed up with Titan Casket to create a custom collector casket, which features a Cup Noodle emblem, an embroidered head panel and maroon finish. Consumers can enter Cup Noodles’ sweepstakes for a chance to win the specialty casket or they can purchase it directly from Titan Caskets for about $4,000.
What we’re still thinking about
40th
That’s the anniversary J. Crew is celebrating of its Barn Jacket, according to a company press release. The apparel company photographed 160 people across New York City, Los Angeles, Boston, Chicago and Austin, Texas, in a campaign to highlight the outerwear.
“For 40 years, the Barn Jacket has moved across wardrobes, generations and communities without ever feeling fixed in one place or moment,” Chief Marketing Officer Julia Collier said in a statement. “This campaign celebrates that enduring relevance and the many people who continue to carry it forward."
The apparel retailer’s 2026 Barn Jacket has 29 styles across women’s, men’s and kids, is priced from $98 to $898 and can be found on the J. Crew website and in select stores.
What we’re watching
Should Capri sell Michael Kors?
Michael Kors has become a thorn in the side of luxury conglomerate Capri Holdings. In its most recent quarter, the brand’s sales fell over 7% and operating income plummeted.
Any momentum there is over and the strategy is unclear, Joaquín Nieves Uría, chief financial officer at El Corte Inglés, Europe’s largest department store, told Wells Fargo last week. Those analysts, led by Ike Boruchow, earlier this month recorded waning brand heat at Michael Kors, with social media mentions declining.
It doesn’t help that sales of new handbags are sluggish, unlikely to return to “healthy, mid-single-digit sales growth,” according to research last month from UBS analysts. Fashion trends have changed since the 1995-to-2010 heyday, and resale has probably hurt, they said. What can Capri do about this? Investors are apparently interested in acquiring Michael Kors, according to a report this week from Women's Wear Daily citing unnamed sources.
Capri didn’t immediately return Retail Dive’s request for comment. At the end of last year, Capri sold Versace to Prada for over $1 billion; the company also owns Jimmy Choo.
