Zachary Russell

Digital Editor

Author Profile

Zachary Russell is the digital editor at Chain Store Age. He has been with CSA’s parent company EnsembleIQ since 2021, first serving as associate editor at Store Brands.

Prior to joining EnsembleIQ, he was a freelance reporter covering local news stories of all kinds for the Press & Guide and The News-Herald newspapers.

A native of Metro Detroit, Zach graduated from Wayne State University with a degree in print and online journalism in 2020.

Connect with Zach on LinkedIn.

ARTICLES BY THIS AUTHOR

1/4/2026
Store Expansion News: December update
Retailers and restaurants alike made headlines to close out 2025 in December with store expansions and new formats.

Zachary Russell
1/4/2026
Placer.ai: Thrift stores, discount retailers, open-air malls lead 2025 holiday season
Visits to retail and restaurant chains were both up year over year during the holiday season – despite lingering economic pressures.

Zachary Russell
1/4/2026
Fiserv: December small business sales increase to close out 2025
Late-season holiday shopping helped sales at small businesses rise in December.

Zachary Russell
1/4/2026
7 Brew hits 600 locations nationwide
A fast-growing drive-thru coffee chain nearly doubled its footprint in 2025, reaching a store count milestone and debuting a new format.

Zachary Russell
1/1/2026
Survey: Holiday spending debt reached $1,223 on average
Holiday spending took a toll on many Americans, with a large number taking on some debt to afford gifts.

Zachary Russell
1/1/2026
Harris Teeter debuts store-wide health initiative
A Kroger banner is rolling out a new program to help customers achieve their health and wellness goals in the new year.

Zachary Russell
1/1/2026
Kroger launches Verified Savings program for government aid recipients
One of the nation’s largest grocers is offering recipients of various government assistance programs added discounts for a limited time.

Zachary Russell
1/1/2026
The Save Mart Companies, Amazon partner for in-store return kiosks
A major West Coast grocer is rolling out a new in-store feature to make Amazon returns easier for customers.

Zachary Russell
12/22/2025
Placer.ai: Thrift, luxury store visits rose in 2025
Traditional apparel chains were outpaced by two sectors on opposite ends of the cost spectrum when it came to store visits this year.

Zachary Russell
12/22/2025
Survey: Consumers still searching for deals – with help from AI
Consumers are leaning on artificial intelligence tools to help them find the best prices.

Zachary Russell
12/22/2025
Done Deal: Jack in the Box sells Del Taco for $119 million
The nation’s second-largest Mexican quick-serve restaurant officially has new owners.

Zachary Russell
12/21/2025
How cities, developers can best work together on new retail projects
With macroeconomic factors leaving new construction at a virtual standstill, partnerships between local governments and retail real estate developers have never been more important.

Zachary Russell