Where has all the store seating gone? 

May 5, 2023
Many outlets have removed chairs and benches, potentially boosting profits. But some shoppers won’t stand for it.
“If people are sitting, they're not spending," one retail expert told us.

Restaurant, retail recoveries diverge in downtown Boston

Apr 10, 2023
Downtown Boston has more restaurants and bars now than it did before the pandemic. Retail stores, meanwhile, are still struggling.
There are about twice as many retail vacancies in downtown Boston now as there were before the pandemic started, says Michael Nichols, president of the Downtown Boston Business Improvement District.
Samantha Fields/Marketplace

Reverse stock splits explained through a battle against bankruptcy

Mar 22, 2023
Bed Bath & Beyond is seeking a reverse split, a sign that a company is not confident that its stock will rise on its own, one expert says.
If Bed Bath & Beyond's stock falls under a dollar for an extended time, it risks delisting from Nasdaq.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Pioneering direct-to-consumer brand Warby Parker goes public

Sep 29, 2021
The company's business model was prepared it for the online sales boom of the pandemic. Now half its revenue comes from in-person sales.
People walk by the New York Stock Exchange as Warby Parker makes its debut on the stock market on Sept. 29.
Spencer Platt via Getty Images

New mask guidance means huge headaches for retail shops, workers

May 14, 2021
Individual businesses and local governments can still set their own rules for whether masks are required.
The new CDC guideline puts retailers in an "impossible situation," an expert said. Some shops with mask requirements say Thursday's statement is energizing customer protests.
Mario Tama/Getty Images

Why are retailers opening so many stores in 2021?

Mar 23, 2021
Many are discount chains occupying newly vacant space. Some stores offer experiences only available in person.
Discount stores like Dollar Tree have been seeing a surge in sales.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images

For public good, not for profit.

10,000 stores likely to close in 2021, study says, but store openings continue

Jan 28, 2021
New data gives a peek at what the post-pandemic economy might look like.
Businesses small and large are trying to game out which pandemic changes will be permanent.
Johannes Eisele/AFP via Getty Images

What do April's dismal retail sales mean for chains filing Chapter 11?

May 15, 2020
Retail sales numbers fell by more than 16% in April. For clothing retailers, they were down by 79%.
A store closing its doors in Chicago. Sales have plummeted, especially for apparel shops.
Scott Olson/Getty Images

A look at why retailers may be closing so many stores

Jan 21, 2020
Are retailers shedding space because they have too much or because they're not giving customers the best store experience?
People walk through a nearly empty shopping mall in March 2017 in Waterbury, Connecticut.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images