Last August in this space, I discussed the troubling sales trends and tumbling earnings from iconic retailer J.C. Penney, mentioning that the growing pains associated with implementing CEO Ron Johnson’s ambitious brand overhaul might have been a case of “too much too soon.”

Whether you are a retail analyst or a casual observer, it can be all too easy to get lost in the negativity of recent store closings and retail bankruptcies.

I have to admit, the recent announcement of the merger between Office Depot and OfficeMax took me by surprise. It’s not as though it doesn’t make sense — it’s logical both logistically and financially — but, while there had been a few rumblings and rumors, this is a dramatic move that took place with relatively little forewarning.

In case you missed it, one of America’s biggest and most iconic brands was in the news recently for something other than the latest sales figures: Wal-Mart announced an ambitious plan to hire approximately 100,000 veterans over the next five years.

With all of the pre-holiday buzz and widely optimistic sales projections, anything other than a blockbuster 2012 holiday shopping season was bound to be a letdown.

Whatever your political views may be, it’s hard not to think about the impact of the recent presidential election on the consumer psyche, and ultimately our industry.

As we continue to witness the battle of brick-and-mortar versus online shopping, it’s interesting to see Walmart’s latest ploy to “one-up” their online competition.

Each year, since the “big recession,” retailers have been putting out their holiday decorations and starting their promotional sales as early as mid-October.

The retail industry, yours truly included, has had a watchful eye on J.C. Penney ever since CEO Ron Johnson took over and announced his plans to revamp the iconic retailer.

If you’ve spent any time in Nordstrom over the past few years, you’ve probably noticed their efforts to integrate some younger, edgier product lines into their more conservative upscale fashion selections.

I’ve read a few thought-provoking articles recently about the state of the retail real estate marketplace that make the observation that A malls are generally doing better while B malls are continuing to tread water—or even beginning to fade away. Once again, I have to disagree on the B malls.