News Briefs

A popular Australian footwear brand is making its brick-and-mortar debut in the United States.

Blundstone, founded in 1870 and best known for its iconic Chelsea boot, has opened its first-ever U.S. location, a flagship in Los Angeles. Located on Sunset Boulevard in the city's Silver Lake neighborhood, the new store marks a “significant milestone” for the brand as part of its strategic U.S retail expansion. Additional outposts planned for Portland, Ore. and Boulder, Colo.,are set to open later this year into early 2026.

The Los Angeles store showcases the full Blundstone collection, all in one place for the very first time in the U.S. The space features shelving made from reclaimed wooden bench seating salvaged from a historic stadium, a nod to Blundstone’s “tradition of authenticity.”

[READ MORE: Italian teen brand Subdued makes U.S. store debut at Simon’s Roosevelt Field]

“Opening our first flagship in Los Angeles marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for Blundstone,” said Kate Shevack, managing partner at Blundstone U.S. marketing. “The 1,274-sq.-ft. Silverlake location will showcase our brand heritage and our commitment to quality, authenticity and timeless style, values that have defined our brand for over 155 years. With its outdoorsy, active lifestyle and Silverlake's reputation as a hub for creatives, this location reflects the spirit of our wearers and the enduring versatility of our boots."

A slate of new local grocers have arrived on a leading delivery platform.

DoorDash has added Busch’s Fresh Food Market, Chavez Supermarket, Crest Foods, Rainbow Grocery Cooperative and RPCS Inc. to its platform, expanding access to grocery options for consumers in Michigan, California, Oklahoma, Missouri and Kansas. All of the new grocers are also available through DashPass, DoorDash’s membership program that offers $0 delivery fees, reduced service fees, and exclusive benefits on eligible orders from thousands of restaurants, grocery stores, and convenience retailers.

“These new additions reflect the diversity and vibrancy of the communities they serve – from family-owned markets to employee-owned cooperatives – while expanding the variety of fresh, local, and affordable grocery options available at the tap of a button,” said the company.

Now available on DoorDash:

• Busch’s Fresh Food Market (Southeast Michigan): With 16 stores, Busch’s Fresh Food Market is a one-stop shop offering fresh produce, bakery goods, deli items and everyday essentials.
• Chavez Supermarket (California): A family-owned Hispanic supermarket chain with 15 stores, Chavez Supermarket is recognized for its meats, fresh produce, baked goods and taquerias.
• Crest Foods (Oklahoma): Operating 10 family-owned locations, Crest Foods has served Oklahomans since 1946.
• Rainbow Grocery Cooperative (San Francisco, Calif.): A worker-owned cooperative in the Mission District since 1975, Rainbow Grocery offers one of the widest selections of organic and locally sourced products at affordable prices.
• RPCS, Inc. (Southwest Missouri & Eastern Kansas): With 36 stores under banners including Price Cutter, Ramey, Country Mart, King Cash Saver and King Food Saver, RPC Inc. has served Midwest shoppers for decades.

[READ MORE: DoorDash teams with Waymo in latest autonomous delivery pilot]

Since its founding in 2013, DoorDash has expanded to more than 40 countries.

After recently shuttering all of its stores, Rite Aid’s consumer IP assets are now up for grabs.

The brand and related assets of the 63-year-old pharmacy retailer, which filed for bankruptcy twice since October 2023, are available for acquisition from financial services firm Hilco Global, which has been retained to manage the sale of the assets. 

The available assets include the Rite Aid brand and RiteAid.com domain name, private label brands such as Ryshi, PawTown, Refreshery, and Tugaboos, as well as certain "front-end" loyalty data. The sale does not include prescription files.

Bids to acquire the assets are due by Oct. 31, 2025. An auction, if necessary, will be held on Nov. 6, 2025. The sale is subject to approval by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey.

“This is a rare opportunity to acquire one of the most well-known retail healthcare brands in the U.S.," said David Peress, Hilco Global's executive director of IP services. "The Rite Aid brand can be immediately leveraged across multiple sectors – from ePharmacy and digital health, to health and beauty and consumer-packaged goods – to meaningfully engage with consumers across sales channels."

[READ MORE: CVS finishes conversion of select former Rite Aid, Bartell Drugs stores]

Founded in 1962, Rite Aid grew to become the third-largest drugstore chain in the U.S., operating more than 2,100 locations across 17 states at its height. At the time of its second filing, Rite Aid had 1,250 locations nationwide, down from roughly 2,000 stores in 2023.

Walmart has rolled out its annual Thanksgiving meal deal with the holiday just around the corner.

The retail giant’s offering features over 20 national and private brand items (including a Butterball turkey for $.97 per pound, its lowest price since 2019) as a one-click basket serving 10 people for less than $40. Walmart is also offering free express delivery on the meal basket for first-time Pickup and Delivery customers.

First launched in 2022, Walmart’s Thanksgiving meal aims to save families money while delivering the favorites they love. This year’s meal includes Thanksgiving staples such as turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing mix, potatoes, various side dishes, and pumpkin pie ingredients.

The Walmart Thanksgiving meal announcement comes just one day after Sam’s Club shared details about its 2025 Member’s Mark Thanksgiving Feast, which serves 10 people for under $100, and is ready to enjoy in under two hours.

“We know every dollar and minute counts – which is why we are offering a low priced, one-click Thanksgiving Meal Basket featuring iconic brands like Butterball and Stove Top alongside trusted Walmart private brand items,” said John Furner, president and CEO, Walmart U.S. “We want every family to be able to share a meal and celebrate without compromising on quality, quantity or tradition.”

From now until Dec. 25, Walmart’s holiday meals can be shopped with a single click online, or in stores nationwide. Customers can pick up their meal basket in stores, or have it delivered straight to their door in as fast as one hour.

[READ MORE: Aldi beats 2024 price with $40 Thanksgiving meal for 10]

Based in Bentonville, Ark., Walmart operates more than 10,750 stores and numerous e-commerce websites in 19 countries.

Walmart continues building its offering of pre-verified collectible sneakers available on its digital marketplace.

The discount giant is teaming with Stadium Goods, a marketplace for authentic, premium sneakers, to make exclusive Stadium Goods styles available through its Walmart Marketplace third-party online sales platform on the Walmart.com e-commerce site. 

To mark the launch, which is timed for the holiday shopping season, the retailer is asking customers to share their Walmart.com sneaker purchases with the tag @Walmart on social media. 

According to the retailer, the Walmart Marketplace launch of Stadium Goods is part of a broader commitment to offer customers more of the brands they want. In 2024, online marketplace StockX selected Walmart as its first strategic marketplace channel, with inventory from StockX offered for sale via Walmart Marketplace.

The retailer has also recently expanded its third-party product selection in categories such as collectible comic books.

[READ MORE: Walmart launches digital marketplace for comic book collectors]

"We’re proud to now offer one of the largest selections of premium sneakers anywhere, right at your fingertips," said Manish Joneja, executive VP, Walmart U.S. Marketplace and Walmart Fulfillment Services. "There’s something special about sneakers — the way a fresh pair can make you feel like you can jump higher, run faster, or just express a bit more of who you are. Sneakers have become interwoven in our daily lives."

Cult-favorite U.K. workout brand Gymshark has tapped Dick’s Sporting Goods as its first U.S. wholesale partner.

The news of the partnership follows the opening of Gymshark’s first permanent U.S. retail store, at Roosevelt Field Mall, in Garden City,  N.Y., with a flagship set to open in downtown Manhattan later this year. Starting on Oct. 24,  Gymshark apparel and accessories will be available at 12 Dick’s House of Sport locations nationwide, with prices ranging from $16.00 to $70.00.

The stores will feature a fully branded Gymshark space, with features that have been designed and clad to display the company's branding, including mannequins modeled on Gymshark athletes. Speciality mannequin stands are made from actual weight plates, ensuring the Gymshark moto, “We Do Gym,” shines through.

“We’re always looking to give our athletes access to fresh and surprising brands, as well as further differentiate our product offering,” said Brendan Kirk, VP of merchandising at Dick’s Sporting Goods. “Becoming Gymshark’s first U.S. wholesaler allows us to do just that. Gymshark is redefining what modern training apparel looks like with high-performance, stylish pieces rooted in real gym culture. House of Sport is the perfect place to bring that experience to life.”