Mid-Year Recap: Retailers continue to expand despite challenges
From C-suite shakeups and bankruptcies to sticky inflation, tariff threats and anxious consumers, it’s been a challenging year so far for the retail industry. Uncertainty seems to be the dominant theme, among consumers and retailers alike.
There’s no denying that the pace of store closures picked up considerably these past six months, as former retail giants Party City, Joann, Forever 21 and, most recently, Rite Aid, all go dark. (On a brighter note, Big Lots got a last-minute reprieve and has been re-opening stores under its new owner.)
But it’s not all doom and gloom, not by a longshot. Many retailers continue to expand. Burlington, Five Below, Nordstrom Rack, TJX Cos., Tractor Supply Co., Ollie’s, Boot Barn and Aldi are among the companies with robust expansion plans. And there are plenty more (including, of course, those perennial expanders Dollar General and Dollar Tree). Barnes & Noble has also returned to brick-and-mortar growth mode, with a smaller, more curated footprint.
At the same time, there continues to be an infusion of new blood into the retail landscape as digitally native brands continue to try on brick and mortar. Check out these five below.
- Eastside Golf: With fashions designed to be worn by golfers and non-golfers alike on and off the course, this fast-growing brand has opened its first U.S. store, at the Detroit Metropolitan Airport. The shop features a curated selection of Eastside Golf’s apparel and accessories, including its signature “Swingman” logo sweatshirts, tracksuits, performance polos and bucket hats. The logo is an illustration created by a co-founder (to resemble himself) of a young Black man dressed in a sweatshirt and jeans with a gold chain around his neck and a club in mid-backswing.
- Oofos: The “active recovery” footwear brand is entering physical retail with a handful of stores. The brand, which has built a strong following through online and wholesale channels, is known for its proprietary "OOfoam" technology, which it says absorbs 37% more impact than traditional footwear, and is designed to reduce stress on your feet and joints.
- Perigold: The Wayfair-owned brand’s 20,000-sq.-ft. flagship in Houston is elegant and inviting. It features a curated selection of designer furniture, décor and lighting from more than 150 brands. It also offers exclusive local events, design workshops and personalized service that caters to both design enthusiasts and trade professionals. A second store is set to open later this year, in West Palm Beach, Fla.
- Princess Polly: Catering to Gen Z with affordable and on-trend fashions, the young women’s clothing brand has been expanding in brick and mortar since it opened its first store in 2023. The company opened a two-level. flagship in New York City in April, one of seven new locations planned for 2025.
- Rocksbox: The fashion jewelry brand, founded in 2012 as a direct-to-consumer subscription rental service and now part of Signet Jewelers, has opened three stores, with more to come. Rocksbox stores invite customers to try-on and stack pieces, with open-concept displays, vanity mirrors, shopping trays and a central styling table.
- Meanwhile, Warby Parker, widely credited with paving the way for DTC brands to enter physical retail, celebrated the opening of its 300th store in June. It’s located at Brookfield Place in lower Manhattan, close to where the first Warby Parker store opened in 2013.
