NRF Sees Resiliency in 2025 BTS Shoppers; Will Spend More on Footwear and Apparel
Katherine Cullen, the National Retail Federation’s VP of industry and consumer insights, and Mark Mathews, its chief economist and executive director of research, who identified that this year’s back-to-school (BTS) consumers are shopping earlier and with discounters to save money due to ongoing tariff and inflationary discussions.
Dick’s House of Sport to Open First Store in California in Fall 2025
With a scheduled opening on October 17, the Glendale, CA store will reportedly feature a rock wall, golf hitting bays and cages for practicing baseball, softball and other sports, as well as an outdoor field and track.
Nordstrom Rack to Open Five New Stores Across Five States in 2026
Nordstrom plans to open five Nordstrom Rack locations in 2026 in Mansfield, MA; Canton, OH; Williamsburg, VA; Elmwood, LA; and Deptford, NJ.
PGA Tour Superstore To Open First St. Louis Location
The new store in Manchester, a suburb of St. Louis, will open on September. The 35,000-square-foot retail location is the company’s first in Missouri.
Astral Expands U.S. Regional Indie Sales Team
“As Astral continues to expand into the broader outdoor market, it becomes more and more crucial to invest in the strength and reach of our on-the-ground sales team,” —Christian Mason, Director, B2B Sales, Astral
ICSC’s Survey Finds Back-To-School Shoppers Seeking Promotions
The 2025 ICSC Back-to-School Consumer Survey found that nine in ten respondents said promotions influence their purchases throughout the season, with 46 percent stating they plan their shopping around specific promotional events, such as Target Circle Week, Amazon Prime Day, Walmart Deals, or Labor Day sales.
EXEC: Moody’s Sees Tariffs Weighing On Apparel Retail Through First Half Of 2026
Moody’s Ratings, in an update, said that while a pause in some tariffs lessens the profitability hit, it’s maintaining a negative outlook on the Global Retail and Apparel sector, as tariffs are expected to “materially” impact earnings through the first quarter of 2026, with apparel and footwear sellers particularly vulnerable.
EXEC: OrthoLite Founder Glenn Barrett Talks Fresh Opportunities via Coats Group Merger
SGB Executive spoke with Glenn Barrett, founder and CEO of insole maker OrthoLite, about the opportunities created for its flagship brand, Ortholite, and Cirql, its upstart featuring biodegradable foam, following its pending merger with London-based Coats Group Plc.
Skechers’ Investor Loses Bid To Block Take-Private Deal
A California federal judge refused to block private equity 3G Capital from taking Skechers private for $9.4 billion, finding that the pension plan that owns Skechers’ shares failed to show it would be irreparably harmed without the injunction.
Nordisk Forms Partnership to Expand In China
The Danish outdoor brand entered a partnership with K2 Korea and China’s BA Capital to establish a strategic joint venture in China, including the opening of the first Nordisk stores in the country.
Study: Private Label is Quietly Taking Share from Established Brands
This latest First Insight study on private label trends offers a macro view of how shifting consumer perceptions and behaviors around private label products are influencing trial, loyalty and the decisions retailers must make in a changing economic and competitive landscape.
Arc’teryx to Open Store in Bethesda, Maryland
The store at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda, MD, is expected to open this fall. The outdoor brand, owned by Amer Sports, operates two stores nearby in Washington, D.C., including one in the Georgetown area.
Survey: Dads Lead Move to Earlier BTS Shopping Trend
A survey commissioned by Smarty, a rewards app, found 70 percent of U.S. consumers are starting their BTS shopping earlier than in previous years amid tariff concerns, with dads taking the lead across nearly every category, from spending more to prioritizing quality.
EXEC: Study Forecasts Continued Rapid Growth for Padel, Including in the U.S.
Playtomic’s “Global Padel Report 2025” found padel clubs increased 22 percent globally in 2024, with significant growth in Southern Europe. In the U.S., the sport is still in its early stages, but faster expansion is expected in 2026, with “real acceleration” projected for 2027.
Tiger Finance Appoints Managing Director, National Sales
Tiger Finance, which has invested in several active lifestyle and retail businesses, promoted Jason Rae, an asset-based lending veteran, as managing director, National Sales. Rae previously co-led Tiger Valuation Services’ Business Development team and covered the New England and Canadian markets.
