Victoria’s Secret Tests a Blueprint for the Future of Pink with a Cozy, Glossy New Store
Victoria’s Secret debuted a new Pink flagship on Manhattan’s Soho “Tween Row,” marking the brand’s first store designed by creative director Adam Selman. The boutique features a glossy pink cottage façade and playful, low‑key interiors aimed at 18‑24‑year‑old Gen Z and Gen Alpha shoppers. Selman says the concept is meant to separate Pink from its “little‑sister” perception and create a distinct, irreverent identity. If successful, the store could become a template for future Pink locations.
Five Guys Store Closures: See a List of Doomed Locations in Several States for 2026 so Far
Five Guys is closing at least 14 restaurants in the first half of 2026, affecting locations in California, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Georgia and Nebraska. The closures come despite the chain’s overall footprint expanding, as it added 37 stores in 2024...
A New Erewhon Competitor Just Opened in West Hollywood with No Marketing or Social Media. It’s Counting on You to...
Laurel Supply, a new high‑end grocery store, opened directly across from Erewhon in West Hollywood. The owners of the neighboring Laurel Hardware launched it without a press release or social‑media campaign, banking on the shop’s striking design and organic word‑of‑mouth....
Applebee’s Store Closures: See an Updated List of Locations that a Bankrupt Franchisee Wants to Shutter
NRPF Group Two, a franchisee operating roughly 50 Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill + Bar locations in Florida, Georgia and Alabama, has filed for Chapter 11 protection and now seeks court approval to reject the leases on five additional restaurants—four in Florida and one in...
Lululemon Needs Its ‘Gap’ Moment
Lululemon’s board ended its CEO search in April, appointing Nike veteran Heidi O’Neill after Calvin McDonald’s abrupt departure. Shares fell more than 5% on the announcement, reflecting investor doubts about applying Nike’s playbook to an athleisure brand facing slowing growth....
Wendy’s Is Closing Hundreds of Stores: See an Updated List of Locations Where the Chain Is Shuttering the Most
Wendy’s is accelerating its turnaround by shuttering roughly 200 U.S. restaurants since September 2025, bringing the chain’s footprint down to 5,675 locations. The closures, announced in a November 2025 investor call, began in the fourth quarter of that year and...
Beard Papa’s, Emack & Bolio’s, and Other NYC Retailers Are Using These Plug-In Batteries to Slash Power Costs
David Energy, a New York‑based startup, is installing free plug‑in battery units in retailers such as Beard Papa’s and Emack & Bolio’s. The batteries charge during off‑peak hours when electricity is cheap and discharge during peak periods, keeping freezers and lights running while...
Smokey Bones Just Closed All of Its Stores: See a List of Doomed Locations
Smokey Bones Bar & Fire Grill, a 30‑year‑old casual‑dining BBQ chain, shut down all of its locations on April 28, 2026. The closures follow Chapter 11 bankruptcy filings by its direct owner Twin Hospitality Group and parent company FAT Brands. Customers and employees...
Customers Blindsided as Wren Kitchens Abruptly Shutters Showrooms and Home Depot Studios After Chapter 7 Bankruptcy
Wren Kitchens, the U.K.-based custom kitchen maker, filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in Delaware on April 24, instantly shutting all U.S. showrooms and its Home Depot studio locations. The abrupt closure affects 15 standalone retail stores and dozens of in‑store studios across the...
Bed Bath & Beyond to the Moon? Why the Retailer Is Getting a Major Stock Boost Today, Despite a Lack...
Bed Bath & Beyond’s shares surged this morning following the release of its fiscal Q1 2026 results, despite reporting a quarterly loss. The retailer, now owned by Overstock’s parent Beyond Inc., is pursuing a multi‑brand turnaround that includes reopening stores, such as...
Pizza Hut Is Closing Hundreds of Restaurants: See an Updated List of Doomed Locations for 2026
Yum Brands is accelerating its "Hut Forward" turnaround by closing roughly 250 underperforming Pizza Hut restaurants in the United States, with more than 50 sites already shuttered according to a Fast Company analysis. The closures are slated for completion by...
Independent Bookstore Day: Bookshop.org Founder on How Small Retailers Are Taking on Amazon
Independent Bookstore Day returns on April 25, highlighting a surge in small‑shop resilience. Founder Andy Hunter of Bookshop.org notes a 70% increase in U.S. independent bookstores over the past six years, reversing a two‑decade decline. The pandemic and rising cost‑of‑living...
Lowe’s Faces Pressure to Cut Ties with Flock Safety as AI Surveillance Data Raises Serious Privacy Concerns
Retail giant Lowe’s Home Improvement is under mounting pressure to end its contract with surveillance firm Flock Safety, which supplies AI‑driven cameras, drones and automated license‑plate readers at its stores. Recent reporting revealed that Flock’s data has been accessed by...
Don’t Look Now, Amazon. Walmart Is Coming for Your Customers
Walmart has quietly transformed into a digital powerhouse, leveraging its Walmart+ subscription to offer free two‑day shipping and a rapidly expanding same‑day delivery network. The retailer’s marketplace sales grew faster than Amazon’s U.S. third‑party volume in Q1 2024, while grocery...
Yesway IPO: Stock Price Will Be Closely Watched Today as the Convenience Store Chain Makes Its Nasdaq Debut
Yesway Inc., the owner of the Yesway and Allsup’s convenience store chains, debuted on Nasdaq on Wednesday under the ticker YSWY. The Texas‑based retailer operates 448 stores across nine western states, with a footprint entirely west of the Mississippi. Its...