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☆ Abandoned stores are coming back to life as pickleball courts, thanks to startups ready to cash in on the trend
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-12 | by ( Avery Hartmans | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Pickleball courts are taking over old big-box stores and mall anchor tenants. This Richmond Macy's, which is located inside Regency Square Mall, is just one of dozens of malls, former department stores, and former big-box stores across the country being turned into pickleball facilities. Laaser said former anchor tenants like Macy's are perfect for pickleball, since they're "basically just big boxes" sitting empty inside declining malls. There's a 'gold rush' on indoor pickleball courtsAn indoor pickleball facility operated by The Picklr inside an old Staples store. It's led to an explosion in companies that make pickleball equipment and, more recently, dedicated pickleball facilities.

Persons: —, Jon Laaser, Richmond, Laaser, pickleball, It's, Steve Kuhn, Major League Pickleball, Pickleball, Kuhn, Jorge Barragan, Barragan, There's, liquidators, it's, we've Organizations: Service, Staples, Sports & Fitness Industry Association, Major League, Party City Locations: Richmond , Virginia, Regency, Richmond, pickleball, Arizona Mills, Tempe , Arizona, Utah, Colorado

☆ Silvio Berlusconi, Italy's former showman leader, dies at 86
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-12 | by ( Valentina Di Donato Barbie Latza Nadeau Laura Smith-Spark Peter Wilkinson Antonia Mortensen Rob Picheta | Valentina Di Donato | Barbie Latza Nadeau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +18 min

Umberto Cicconi/Hulton Archive/Getty Images Berlusconi swims at a Tunisian beach in 1984. Umberto Cicconi/Hulton Archive/Getty Images Berlusconi leaves a 1985 news conference in Paris. Franco Origlia/Hulton Archive/Getty Images Berlusconi announced in November 1993 that he would be entering the world of politics. Franco Origlia/Hulton Archive/Getty Images Berlusconi waves while attending a European Council meeting in Corfu, Greece, in June 1994. Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images Berlusconi hands the Berlusconi Trophy to AC Milan's Massimo Ambrosini in August 2011.

Persons: Rome, Rome CNN — Silvio Berlusconi, Christ, ”, Berlusconi, Milan’s, Benito Mussolini, “ Il Cavaliere ”, Milan, Giorgia Meloni, Matteo Salvini, Silvio Berlusconi, Alessandra Benedetti, Eric Vandeville, Indro Montanelli, Umberto Cicconi, Italy's, Michel Clement, Francis Apesteguy, Veronica Lario, Franco Origlia, Langevin Jacques, Sygma, Cesare Previti, Pope John Paul II, Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Veronica, William Stevens, Barbara, Eleonora, Oscar Scalfaro, Patrick Hertzog, Romano Prodi, Alberto Pizzoli, Giuseppe Cacace, Gregorio Borgia, Associated Press Berlusconi, Vittorio Zunino Celotto, Massimo Ambrosini, Claudio Villa, Dan Kitwood, preliminarily, Filippo Monteforte, Alessia Pierdomenico, Remo Casilli, Reuters Berlusconi, Giuseppe Lami, Angelo Carconi, Emanuele Cremaschi, Tiziana Fabi, Luigi Brugnaro, Renato Brunetta, Piero Cruciatti, Hungary’s Viktor Orban, Britain’s Boris Johnson, Donald Trump, “ Berlusconi, ” Severgnini, ” Meloni, Claudia Greco, Prodi –, –, Berlusconi’s, Ignazio La Russa, “, Gianfranco Fini –, FILIPPO MONTEFORTE, Vladimir Putin, Volodymr Zelensky, Nobel, salesmanship ’, Jesus Christ, Severgnini, il, salesmanship, Francesca Pascale, Del, Pavarotti, ” Berlusconi, Marina, Carla Dall’Oglio, Luigi Organizations: Rome CNN, Milan’s San Raffaele, Forza Italia, Freedom, Italian, Getty, Canale, AC Milan, Berlusconi, Romano, Associated Press, Associated, Bloomberg, Reuters, Venice, Anadolu Agency, RAI, Media, Milano, Milan –, world’s, Forza Italia Party, Forza, soccer team, Northern League Party, European, Union coalition, Sporting, della, PM, “, ”, Del Monaco Locations: Milan, Paris, AFP, Naples, Italy, Rome, Corfu, Greece, Tatanto, Cannes, France, Italy's, Venice, Italy's Senate, Monza, Lombardy, ”, L’Aquila, Milan’s, Italian, Europe, Ukraine

☆ Nike is mending relationships with retailers as more brands recognize the constraints of direct-to-consumer models
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-11 | by ( Ashley Rodriguez | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Nike is striking new deals with retailers as brands realize the DTC model isn't all it's cracked up to be. Designer Brands, Macy's, and Foot Locker have each announced expanded relationships with Nike. But, more recently, Nike has expanded partnerships with retailers, including Macy's and DSW owner Designer Brands, the Wall Street Journal reported. In a May presentation, Daniel Heaf, vice president of Nike Direct, said, "People always ask me: Are you a direct business or a wholesale business? Nike's wholesale business grew faster than its direct business between September and November, showing it's still key to the overall business.

Persons: Locker, —, Brands, Macy's, Matt Friend, Daniel Heaf, it's, Simeon Siegel, Siegel Organizations: Nike, Brands, Service, Wall Street Journal, Adidas, BMO Capital Markets, DTC

☆ Walgreens unveils Chicago store with only two aisles and most products kept out of sight
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-09 | by ( Parija Kavilanz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

New York CNN —Walgreens just opened a redesigned store in a downtown Chicago neighborhood where most of the merchandise is intentionally kept out of sight. It’s not designed to deter theft, Walgreens says. The new Walgreens store now has only two aisles for shoppers to peruse for their everyday needs, such as over-the-counter medication, bath and body care supplies, batteries, Band-aids, and grab-and-go snacks. Those hidden products – including color cosmetics, beer, wine and spirits, hair color products and gift cards – can only be accessed for purchase through a kiosk system, also set up in the store. Illinois governor J.B. Pritzker signed a bill that went into effect Jan. 1 that’s designed to crack down on retail crime by raising penalties on retail theft statewide.

Persons: Walgreens, Robb Karr, J.B, Pritzker, ”, Karr, “, John Hassard, Robson, Hassard, Lululemon, “ We’re Organizations: New, New York CNN, Walgreens, Roosevelt, What’s, CNN, Walmart, Target, Illinois Retail Merchants Association, Walgreens ., Robson Forensic, National Retail Federation Locations: New York, Chicago, America, Walgreens . Illinois, Atlanta, harm’s, San Francisco

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Persons: You'll, That's, You've, It's, you've, you'll, We're, —, it's Organizations: Bank, Rewards, EV, U.S, Bank's, U.S . Bank, Business, Reading Chevron, US, Visa, Discover, Bank Cash, Quicksilver, Chevron, Gas, Department, Sporting, Travel, Cash, . Bank, Card, US Bank, Credit Cards, Card U.S, Go, Cards, Capital, US Bank Cash Locations: U.S

☆ JPMorgan's Matt Boss on department retail: Value-focused consumers holding back on discretionary
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-31 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

In this videoShare Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailJPMorgan's Matt Boss on department retail: Value-focused consumers holding back on discretionaryMatt Boss, JPMorgan retail and leisure analyst, joins 'Closing Bell' to discuss retail department stores ahead of their earnings.

Persons: Matt Boss Organizations: JPMorgan

☆ China's Douyin says has held early talks with Wanda on payments unit
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

HONG KONG, May 31 (Reuters) - ByteDance's short video app Douyin said on Wednesday that it has held preliminary talks with Dalian Wanda Group over the conglomerate's payments unit. Bloomberg reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter, that Wanda was in talks with prospective buyers include China's ByteDance to sell its digital payments licence for about 1 billion yuan ($144 million). A spokesperson for Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, declined to provide further comment beyond acknowledging the preliminary talks. Wanda bought its payments licence in 2014 from 99Bill in a deal that allowed visitors to Wanda's venues, from department stores to cinemas, to pay online. ($1 = 6.9121 Chinese yuan renminbi)Reporting by Josh Ye and Clare Jim in Hong KongOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Wanda, Wang Jianlin, ByteDance, Josh Ye, Clare Jim Organizations: Dalian Wanda Group, Bloomberg, Douyin, Zhuhai Wanda Commercial Management Group, Thomson Locations: HONG KONG, Hong Kong, 99Bill

☆ The collapse of the 'unremarkable middle' might be the best way to describe what's going wrong for retailers right now
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-30 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Stores like Bed Bath & Beyond are an "unremarkable middle," Dennis said on the Remarkable Retail podcast. Fewer middle-income consumers mean a shrinking shopper base for retailers that historically catered to the middle class, Retail Dive reported in 2019. "The apocalyptic part is really about the collapse of the unremarkable middle," Dennis said on the podcast. That's putting new pressure on the "unremarkable middle," Dennis said. "Economic pressure is going to reveal more fragility on the part of many retailers," Dennis added.

☆ The retail apocalypse left dead malls and shuttered big-box stores scattered across the US — now, pickleball is coming to the rescue
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-27 | by ( Avery Hartmans | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Pickleball courts are taking over old big-box stores and mall anchor tenants. This Richmond Macy's, which is located inside Regency Square Mall, is just one of dozens of malls, former department stores, and former big-box stores across the country being turned into pickleball facilities. The retail apocalypse that swept through brick-and-mortar stores over the last decade-plus left in its wake large, empty shells begging to be repurposed — now, entrepreneurial pickleball enthusiasts are coming to the rescue. Laaser said former anchor tenants like Macy's are perfect for pickleball, since they're "basically just big boxes" sitting empty inside declining malls. There's a 'gold rush' on indoor pickleball courtsAn indoor pickleball facility operated by The Picklr inside an old Staples store.

☆ The Dawn of a New ‘Century’
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Emma Grillo | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

About two hours after Century 21 reopened as Century 21 NYC in Lower Manhattan on Tuesday, the store’s point-of-sale system crashed. “This goes to show you that they should have never went out of business,” said Denise Danny, 58, from Staten Island. Ms. Danny, who had a shopping cart full of clothes, was standing in a line that had formed at a register on the department store’s second floor. At the time, Century 21 had 13 locations in four states. But arguably, none was as popular as its flagship location on Cortlandt Street in the Financial District, which was opened in 1961 by two cousins, Al Gindi and Samuel Gindi, who was known as Sonny.

☆ Sam Zell, 81, Tycoon Whose Big Newspaper Venture Went Bust, Dies
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Robert D. Mcfadden | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Nevertheless, in 2007, the Blackstone Group bought Mr. Zell’s firm — then known as Equity Office Properties Trust — for $39 billion. A Deal Comes With DebtLike many newspapers, the Tribune properties were hemorrhaging advertising revenues and readers to the internet. The company had been on the auction block for months when Mr. Zell — insisting that his interests were purely economic, not editorial — offered $34 a share in a complex transaction to take the company private under an employee stock-ownership plan. In that highly leveraged buyout, the debt was to be paid off almost entirely by cash generated by the company’s continuing operations. The new corporation was exempt from federal income taxes, and the debt was reduced by the sale of Newsday, the Cubs and Wrigley Field.

☆ Discount retail operator TJX shows it can deliver profits in a slowing economy
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( Zev Fima | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Of course, as management noted Wednesday, they were also able to put the right items in the right stores at the right time. The operating environment undoubtedly remains uncertain for the retail industry, with consumers increasingly cost conscious amid a slowing economy. Quarterly results Fiscal first-quarter SSS rose 3% year-over-year, matching the high end of the 2% to 3% guidance range management provided the prior quarter. That was driven by a 5% same-store-sales increase at Marmaxx, a 1% increase at TJX Canada and 4% advance at TJX International. On a constant currency basis, sales at TJX Canada were up 3% year-over-year, while sales at TJX International — which includes operations in Europe and Australia — were up 5% annually.

☆ As shoppers look for savings, Nordstrom hopes Rack stores can fuel its revival
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-12 | by ( Melissa Repko | In Melissa-Repko | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

The success or failure of the Nordstrom Rack turnaround effort could shape the company's future. Those chains such as T.J.Maxx , Ross Stores and Burlington Stores , have opened more stores and wooed new customers, driving higher foot traffic than Nordstrom Rack has seen. Nordstrom Rack stores outnumber the company's namesake stores, with 241 locations across the country, according to company filings. Nordstrom Rack stores accounted for more than 40% of new customers in 2022, CEO Erik Nordstrom said on the March earnings call. As it pins its growth hopes on the off-price locations, Nordstrom has turned Rack stores into e-commerce hubs, too.

☆ The real reasons stores are closing in big cities
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-12 | by ( Nathaniel Meyersohn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

These big chains and others have closed stores in major US cities recently, raising alarm about the future of retail in some of the country’s most prominent downtowns and business districts. How policymakers remake their downtowns — with retail as a crucial attraction — will be crucial to cities’ fiscal health and regional economies. People who are being employed in those stores are losing their jobs” because of crime, New York City Mayor Eric Adams, a Democrat, said in February. San Francisco lost around 6% of its retail establishments from 2019 to 2021, according to the think tank’s research. For example, chain-store closures in New York City have correlated to the products most frequently bought online.

☆ Get ready to pay up to $10 for making a return, as more companies charge fees for shipping an item back
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-11 | by ( Sindhu Sundar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

More retailers are charging customers for shipping and related fees for mailing back returns. Roughly 41% of companies charged such fees in 2022, an increase from 33% in 2021, according to a survey. It's becoming more common for customers returning products to shoulder shipping fees. Several major retailers have referenced shipping fees for returns, including H&M, which states that "Shipping and handling costs are not refundable." J.Crew notes on its website that customers shipping gift returns will see a $7.50 charge in their refund, while JCPenney states that shipping returns cost $8.

☆ In ‘Some Like It Hot,’ J. Harrison Ghee Brings Their Whole Self
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( Robin Pogrebin | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Ghee described the Tony nomination as “such a ride of emotions.”“I’m just starting to come down from it,” they said. As for having been nominated in a gendered category, Ghee said: “Wherever I am, I will show up as who I am. You’re welcome.’”Growing up in Fayetteville, N.C., Ghee was always drawn to the girls’ section of department stores and remembers pining for a lime green suit. “Why do girls get all the fun options?” Ghee recalled asking their mother. “There’s all the sparkle and the ruffle,” while the boys’ section has “khaki and navy and you get a vest if you want to be festive.”

May 8 (Reuters) - Tyson Foods Inc (TSN.N) shares plunged 16% to a three-year low on Monday as the U.S. meatpacker posted a surprise second-quarter loss and cut its full-year revenue forecast following a decline in prices for its beef and pork. CEO Donnie King, who is seeking to cut costs, said Tyson remains in an unusual position of facing challenges in its beef, pork and chicken businesses at the same time. The company cut its forecast for fiscal year 2023 sales to $53 billion to $54 billion from $55 billion to $57 billion. Reuters GraphicsSales volumes in Tyson's beef segment also fell 3% in the quarter, putting overall sales down 8.3% at $4.62 billion. The company pegged full-year beef margins at negative 1% to positive 1%, compared with its previous forecast of 2% to 4%.

May 8 (Reuters) - Tyson Foods Inc (TSN.N) posted a surprise second-quarter loss and cut its full-year revenue forecast on Monday as prices for its beef and pork have declined, sending the U.S. meatpacker's shares tumbling 9% before the bell. CEO Donnie King, who is seeking to cut costs, said meat markets are challenging and Tyson is focused on improving profit margins. The company lowered its forecast for fiscal year 2023 sales to $53 billion to $54 billion from $55 billion to $57 billion. Average sales prices of beef and pork fell 5.4% and 10.3%, respectively, in the quarter ending April 1. Sales volumes in Tyson's beef segment also fell 3%, leaving the unit's overall sales down 8.3% at $4.62 billion.

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San Francisco-based DoorDash now projects annual adjusted EBITDA, a measure of profitability, between $600 million and $900 million, compared to previous outlook of $500 million and $800 million. "Consumer demand and engagement are stronger than ever, which has fueled growth across our topline," said Chief Financial Officer Ravi Inukonda. In the first quarter, total orders rose 27% to 512 million, while analysts on average had expected a 20.8% rise to 488.2 million, as per Refinitiv data. On Tuesday, Uber Technologies (UBER.N) also said that it expected "strong growth" in its food delivery unit over the next few quarters, signaling demand resilience. DoorDash's revenue rose 40% to $2.04 billion in the quarter ended March 31, compared to analysts' estimate of about $1.93 billion.

☆ Macy’s opens more strip mall stores as expansion strategy faces pivotal test
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Melissa Repko | In Melissa-Repko | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +11 min

The shops, called Market by Macy's and Bloomie's, are about one-fifth of the size of the retailer's typical Macy's and Bloomingdale's stores. It has not announced the locations of the four Market by Macy's stores, but said the additional Bloomie's store will be in Seattle. By opening the strip-mall shops, the retailer could steal business away from its larger namesake mall stores. Market by Macy's stores have worked best in shopping centers with grocery anchors or stores such as off-mall retailers that draw traffic, Mastronardi said. Melissa Repko | CNBCInside of Market by Macy's, shoppers find a narrower mix of merchandise than in the mall stores.

May 3 (Reuters) - Etsy Inc (ETSY.O) on Wednesday beat market expectations for quarterly revenue, benefiting from demand for products such as personalized gifts offered on its e-commerce platform as well as higher transaction fees, sending the company's shares up about 2% in extended trading. Net revenues rose 10.6% to $640.9 million in the quarter ended March 31, compared with analysts estimate of $622.1 million, as per Refinitiv IBES data. The company forecast second-quarter revenue between $590 million and $640 million, while analysts expected $625.4 million. Etsy's first-quarter adjusted EBITDA, a measure of profitability, came in at $170.3 million, while analysts on average were expecting $166.6 million. Reporting by Granth Vanaik in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh KuberOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ This is the best off-price retailer to own in this shaky economic environment
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Paulina Likos | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Analysts at a major Wall Street research firm see multi-year growth and share gains ahead for off-price retailers. Under this scenario, lower-income consumers will choose to spend their money at off-price retailers. The analysts like Ross Stores (ROST) best, and called Burlington Stores (BURL) high-risk, high-reward, with a multi-year turnaround story. Bank of America, in a note this week, emphasized that the off-price retailers, including TJX, will be eager to take over the additional closed Bed Bath & Beyond locations. Bottom line We're encouraged to hear from Bernstein that lower-income consumers might be ready to spend more at off-price retailers, leading the analysts to say they would view "Q1 off-price weakness as an entry point" into the stocks.

☆ In China, It’s Time to Splurge Again, and the Luxury Industry Is Relieved
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( Elizabeth Paton | Keith Bradsher | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

This time last year, Shanghai — China’s capital of fashion and luxury — was in the throes of a ruthlessly enforced Covid lockdown. The city’s glittering high-end malls and avenues lined with flagship stores stood practically empty. Ms. Zhang, who works for a consulting firm, used to buy six handbags a year. “I change my handbag every day,” Ms Zhang added. “I felt that everything was meaningless during the Shanghai lockdown, so we should enjoy the present moment in time.”

☆ From caviar to cardboard cutouts, businesses hope for coronation boost
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( Marie-Louise Gumuchian | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/5] A view of souvenirs designed for the Coronation of Britain's King Charles in Windsor, Britain, April 29, 2023. Mugs, plates, tea towels, magnets, cushions and teddy bears are staple memorabilia for royal occasions and an array of these to mark King Charles' coronation on May 6 are already filling shop windows. Others are selling coronation varieties of the games pass the parcel, bingo and charades. John Lewis Partnership, the owner of the eponymous department stores and supermarket chain Waitrose, said last week searches for coronation products on its website had risen more than 262% on the previous week. “Our royal family selection of cardboard cut-outs have always been a favourite of our customers, with King Charles proving himself to be a top seller," an Argos spokesperson said.

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