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Why are Ikea and Costco expanding as other retailers close stores and lay off staff?

Apr 21, 2023
Opening new stores may be a way for some retailers to position themselves for both a downturn and a recovery.
Someone who once shopped at Crate & Barrel may now feel more comfortable on an Ikea budget, which could partially explain the retailer's expansion plan.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Layoffs signal retailers are adjusting to more sharp turns

Apr 17, 2023
Retailers like Walmart and Best Buy are cutting staff as consumers pull back on discretionary spending.
Retail sales had a weak showing in March, and stores like Best Buy and Walmart are laying off workers.
Ken Betancur/Getty Images

This small-business owner hopes she can stop keeping inventory in her garage

Apr 13, 2023
Ahead of March retail sales numbers, a Seattle candlemaker shares how her economy is doing.
People create their own candles at Noir Lux Candle Bar in Seattle.
Courtesy Colina Bruce

Water ruined his vinyl, but store owner gets by with a little help from his friends

Apr 12, 2023
Phillip Rollins, owner of OffBeat, says people saw him on the news and supported his shop by helping to clean up and dry things off.
"We had a fire next door and then we had a lot of flood damage due to that fire," said Phillip Rollins. "So we lost a lot of our used records."
Courtesy Phillip Rollins

No matter the economy, beauty sells

Mar 15, 2023
Consumers can’t get enough of makeup, skincare and hair products even as inflation persists and a potential recession looms.
Stubborn inflation and the threat of a recession may lead some shoppers to cut back on nonessential items, but that doesn’t apply to their favorite mascara or face mask.
Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Sephora

New location means smarter budgeting for Michigan retailer

Mar 10, 2023
Annie Lang-Hartman, owner of Wild Lettie, just signed the lease on a new location, hoping to expand her product offerings.
As Wild Lettie expands to three stores, there is a lot of work to do to set up shop.
Courtesy Annie Lang Hartman

Retailers say customers are focusing on essentials

Mar 6, 2023
Between inflation and a possibly looming recession, some big box stores are on edge.
Retailers are shifting focus to match inflation-weary customers' preferences for savings over slurging.
George Frey/Getty Images

For public good, not for profit.

A Tulsa sneakers store plans for a year of uncertainty

Feb 28, 2023
For Venita Cooper, owner of Silhouette Sneakers & Art, business is up. But will it last? "The big challenge is just trying to keep engagement," she says.
Venita Cooper, owner of Silhouette Sneakers & Art, at a Valentine's Day event for the store.
Courtesy Gary Mason

For those who sell, predicting the economy is more than theoretical

Feb 21, 2023
Manufacturers and retailers have to decide what to make or stock now based on where they think the economy will be later.
Retailers will often mark down prices to move inventory. But suppliers will sometimes share in the loss by giving retailers a credit.
Carlos Jasso/AFP via Getty Images