
The 2020 COVID pandemic has affected us all, but the convenience store market has arguably seen a unique set of issues. Where many retailers and outlets have to figure out the best way to reopen, convenience stores find themselves in the sticky Venn diagram center of “necessary fuel stop” and “high traffic risk spot.” Convenience […]

Ulta Beauty and Target announced a partnership last Tuesday Nov 10. Starting in 2021, Ulta will start opening 1,000 square foot shops inside of Target stores around the country. In a post on Target.com, CEO Brian Cornell was quoted as saying, “We couldn’t be happier about bringing these two trusted brands together to redefine retail […]

Baked into the American DNA is an Italiano based concept: pizza. After innovators knead it, tossed it, topped it, the American pizza was born. Sure, hamburgers and hot dogs claim to be national foods, but more people celebrate a weekly pizza night (or two). Pizzarias proved to be more covid resistant than other restaurants. While […]

Despite being two of the least populated states in the nation, retailers are flocking to North Dakota and South Dakota for expansion. This year has been marred by the pandemic, but when retailers find a geographic area of need and a good fit for the state, they tend to move fast. Atomic Wings Famed for […]

Surges of coronavirus cases drove local municipalities to close all non-essential businesses. But as retailers began to reopen, it was clear which retailers were going to struggle to maintain a constant customer base. But not Quick Service Restaurants (QSR). Approximately 50 million Americans eat every day at more than 200,000 fast food restaurants. In a […]

Brick and mortar retail was already in a delicate balance in years past trying to tip the scales in their favor versus online retail. Required store closures in early spring as a result of a deadly virus blasted physical retail’s hope to restore fortune in its favor. To combat the brick and mortar crisis, retailers […]

Retail hardships are nothing new. But now, retailers in the food industry have a different story and are thriving amid the pandemic. We're sharing three businesses within the food industry expanding this year in New Hampshire. Tuscan Village Starting in 2019, Salem, New Hampshire, began building a 2.8 million square foot area for a mixed-use […]

The pandemic struck a lighting bolt through many aspects of daily routine, notably the workplace. Masses of the workforce transitioned to working from home. Many realized the wonderful benefits of working from home: No more commute, business attire substituted with always comfortable attire, and less money spent buying lunches. Coexisting with work-from-home doesn't free you […]

Last year's forecasts and trend reports proved no one had a crystal ball. COVID-19 knocked the wind out of plenty of healthy establishments who had big plans for the new year. While savvy business decisions and creative work-arounds have proven enough to save many brick-and-mortar businesses, some brands haven’t been so lucky. Store closures abound, and […]

Traditional Dollar General stores cater to a demographic with income less than $40,000 and are strategically placed in rural areas, not likely to have a large retailer, such as Walmart to contend with. Notable for bargain deals on basic needs, Dollar General thrived as an essential retailer, remaining open during the outbreak of the pandemic. […]

As an essential retailer for emergency home repairs, Home Depot and Lowe’s were allowed to stay open when most retail shut down for months. Essential home repairs were not the only beams holding up the home improvement stores. Stuck at home with the home becoming the one space for work, school, and living, consumers responded […]

Retail industry experts have promulgated the idea that the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns simply sped up the inevitable demise of shopping centers, malls and retailers that for years had struggled to survive. It also could be said that the health crisis has accelerated another trend that was gaining momentum: establishing last-mile e-commerce logistics hubs at […]