#retail

#retail

Ken Murphy stated, 'In terms of tax pressures, industry and energy in particular, anything the government can do to help us to keep prices low for customers is welcome.' This highlights the urgent need for government intervention to support retailers.

As we continue investing to expand and enhance our retail stores and offerings worldwide, we remain deliberate about evaluating our existing locations to ensure that we can meet our customers' needs in the best way.

Without any viable offers to take the business forward, it was not possible for The Original Factory Shop to continue trading and all remaining stores were closed on 4 April 2026.

The New Museum Store has reopened and is now more than twice its previous size, featuring artist-collaboration pieces and unique products like bodega-themed charms and specialty chocolates.

Ali's store, Fly Vape, is located in Cheetham Hill, Manchester, an area that has become a surprising hub for the vaping industry, housing over 50 outlets specializing in vaping products.

"When you're a public company, your scorecard is your stock price, and that has a lot to do with the results you generate. If the investment community doesn't think very highly of department stores, which they don't, your multiple goes down."

Haeyoung Cha's Nonfiction brand, known for its delicate perfumes and minimalist design, opened its first North American flagship in New York's Lower East Side.

"We ultimately felt we lacked product-market fit and decided to hard pivot," Raju said of the first, unsuccessful idea. "In this process, we had exposure to brands' back offices and the chaos that was selling in retail, ultimately leading us to start Glimpse as it is today."

Colin Walsh, Glossier's new chief executive, stated that the closures are necessary to focus on a 'true expression of where this brand has been and where it needs to go.'

Business Insider reported on Monday that nearly 200 Eddie Bauer locations in the US and Canada are expected to close after the operating entity behind the stores failed to find a buyer during its Chapter 11 restructuring.

Bob's Discount Furniture, a Connecticut-based furniture retailer backed by Bain Capital, is putting it all on the table. The company is going public, with shares expected to begin trading on Thursday, February 5, after being priced at $17. The retailer raised $331 million in its initial public offering (IPO). Shares will trade on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the symbol BOBS.

The need for effective reputation management has never been more acute, with brands in the public eye more than ever and social media giving consumers a voice to vent their frustrations. Catherine Turner explores what savvy brands are doing to protect their reputation, deal with stumbling blocks, and live up to the expectations of an unforgiving public. The recent travails of two of the world's biggest retailers highlight the extremes faced by businesses in a world of online reputation management.

"While it encouraging to see insolvency rates decrease, we know that big name brands are struggling and the outlook for 2026 is far from rosy. Retailers and hospitality businesses who had hoped for more support from the Autumn Budget are now facing increased uncertainty. It seems as though the New Year may already see another Government U-turn, this time backing down on plans to scrap business rates relief for pubs that has been in force since the pandemic."