I spent much of my late teens and early 20s in one of two places: the radio station or the shopping mall. I didn’t hang out at the mall; I worked there. I worked as a stock boy, salesperson, and inventory specialist for a jeans store in the southeast. It’s long gone, as is the…
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Yesterday, another major retail chain announced they were liquidating. Earlier this month, JoAnn Fabrics announced they had filed bankruptcy for the second time in less than a year. They hoped to reorganize and close nearly half their locations to survive. But over the weekend, the company’s assets were sold, and they announced they were closing…
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With the end of the year almost upon us, many businesses look at their books and ponder if they can survive another year. No company wants to call it quits, but sometimes, the reality stares you in the face. In the last few weeks, both Big Lots and Party City announced they were shutting down…
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Long before Walmart was the biggest of the big box stores, Kmart was the king. But even if your fond memories include waiting for another blue light special, it started disappearing from most towns nearly a decade ago. The last Kmart in the Nashville area closed its doors six years ago. And this week, news…
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As I was scrolling through Spotify looking for music to play, I realized just how much I missed the record stores. While I do have everything I want to listen to available all the time online, the joy of searching isn’t the same. There was something magical about the record store. The big box stores…
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I’ve always loved to shop, but today is a day that I avoid shopping if I can. Sure, you can get great deals on Black Friday, but is it worth the hassle? These days, the day after Thanksgiving isn’t as unique in the retail world. Online shopping has changed how and when we purchase things….
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In recent years, there has been much discussion about retailers converting from cashiers to self-checkout. However, this change has frustrated many customers and reduced job opportunities at some stores. But there may be changes at the checkout that reverse these recent trends. Many big box stores and grocers are going back to cashiers. This reversal…
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Over the last couple of years, there’s been a lot of discussion about an increase in shoplifting across America. You’d likely think that it’s plagued big cities more than smaller ones. And while the crisis is a problem in cities like New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and San Francisco, it’s also a challenge for smaller…
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Back in my younger days, I spent a lot of time in malls, shopping centers, and outlets. Throughout my high school and college years, I worked in the mall and on the radio. I don’t spend as much time shopping anymore, but I frequently notice how much retail shopping has changed. They’re building a new…
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You don’t often think about shopping carts when you go to the store. You walk in the door, grab one, and start heading down the aisles. But for many big box retailers, they can be costly. The cost to retrieve, replace, and repair can often be thousands of dollars per store annually. Some companies are…
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