News Briefs
- 6/3/2025
Sephora partners with NielsenIQ to understand omnichannel trends
Sephora is entering a strategic collaboration to obtain a more comprehensive view of the North American beauty landscape.
The beauty giant, a subsidiary of global retail conglomerate LVMH, is leveraging the recently expanded NielsenIQ omnishopper and digital purchases solution capabilities to gain access to NielsenIQ’s beauty panel of 250,000 consumers.
As a result, Sephora hopes to obtain detailed insights into in-store and online shopping trends and preferences across the mass drug, specialty, e-commerce and social channels.
“At Sephora, our beauty community is the heart of our business, and we are constantly seeking out forward-thinking partners to help us better serve our clients throughout their shopping journey with us,” said Ryan Oto, VP, business intelligence & analytics at Sephora. “This partnership with NielsenIQ is a strategic leap forward in how we listen to our beauty consumers, elevate insights across every touchpoint, and deliver on the future of beauty retail.”
This data sharing agreement includes point-of-sale coverage of Sephora’s omnichannel business, which will also increase NielsenIQ’s total coverage of beauty.
[READ MORE: Sally Beauty becomes data analytics provider]
"NielsenIQ is deeply committed to beauty—and we’re especially proud to expand our coverage in prestige through this partnership with Sephora," said Elizabeth Buchanan, president of North America at NielsenIQ. "Beauty is one of the most dynamic and culturally relevant categories in retail today. By combining Sephora’s leadership in the space with our unmatched measurement capabilities, we’re bringing new precision and visibility to the brands shaping the future of beauty."
Sephora operates more than 600 stores across the Americas, as well as more than 850 store-in-store locations in the U.S. via a long-term strategic partnership with Kohl’s.
- 6/3/2025
Zara opens two-level store at CambridgeSide
A global fashion retailer is expanding its presence in the Boston area in a big way.
Zara has opened a new, two-floor location featuring women’s and men’s clothing at the CambridgeSide shopping center, located just outside of the city in Cambridge, Mass. The retailer operates more than 100 stores across the United States, and the new CambridgeSide store marks its third in Massachusetts.
Conceived and developed by the Zara Architecture Studio, the store’s interior features neutral tones and natural textiles that aim to create a “clean backdrop.” Customers can browse two levels of Zara’s apparel offerings, including tops, bottoms, accessories, upscale apparel and more.
Zara is touting customer-friendly features at the new Massachusetts store, such as real-time browsing of in-store inventory, online order pickup silo and an assisted self-checkout area. Additionally, customers can place online orders for in-store pickup within just two hours.
The store also features a cardboard collection point, encouraging customers to recycle packaging responsibly,
alongside a clothing collection container to extend the useful life of pre-owned garments.“We are thrilled to welcome renowned fashion brand Zara to CambridgeSide,” said Melissa LaVita, regional marketing director of CambridgeSide. “Shoppers will love the new location with two expansive levels of women’s and men’s fashions. Zara at CambridgeSide is a beautiful and substantial addition to the Boston retail scene and is simply not-to-be-missed.”
[READ MORE: First Look: Todd Snyder expands in Boston]
At approximately 1 million sq. ft., CambridgeSide features two levels of shops and restaurants, along with office spaces, residential units and green spaces.
- 6/2/2025
Nike taps McDonald’s exec for lead communications role
Nike Inc. is naming a veteran executive from a fast food hamburger giant to lead its global communications organization.
Michael Gonda will become executive VP and chief communications officer of Nike effective July 7, 2025. In this role, Gonda will oversee all facets of the communications strategy, including storytelling, corporate and brand reputation, issues management, and employee engagement. He will report to Nike president and CEO Elliott Hill.
"Michael is a deeply strategic, emotionally intelligent, purpose-driven leader who understands the power of storytelling to move both brands and people," said Hill. "His vision for driving impactful communications, his instinct for building high-performing teams, and his ability to form authentic connections will help Nike amplify the voice of sport and athletes around the world in bold and meaningful ways."
[READ MORE: Nike promotes several to new leadership roles]
Gonda joins Nike from McDonald's, where he held several senior leadership roles, including chief impact officer for North America — overseeing communications, public affairs, sustainability, community engagement and philanthropy for the company’s largest markets and as global chief communications officer.
“Nike has always been more than a brand — it’s a storyteller, a cultural force, and a catalyst for belief,” said Gonda. “I’m deeply honored to join a company that has shaped how people see themselves and the world around them and am humbled to help Nike tell the stories that matter, connect even more deeply with athletes and communities, and write the next ambitious chapter with Elliott and this team.”
Prior to McDonald’s, Gonda held senior leadership roles at food company Chobani and communications agency Weber Shandwick.
- 6/2/2025
Cactus Club Cafe to make U.S. debut
A Canadian upscale dining chain is gearing up to expand into two major American cities.
Vancouver-based Cactus Club Cafe will open its 34th and 35th locations later this year, bringing its chef-driven "modern Canadian" food and beverage offerings to Boston and Miami. The two locations will mark Cactus Club Cafe’s first in the United States, while a third restaurant in Houston is on the horizon.
The chain will open a 10,000-sq.-ft. restaurant in Boston’s affluent Back Bay neighborhood later this year. Cactus Club Cafe’s first U.S. location will be within 500 Boylston St., a 1.3 million-sq.-ft. mixed-use building. The Boston restaurant will have space for more than 325 people across main and private dining areas in addition to a lounge and an outdoor patio.
“We’re incredibly excited to bring Cactus Club Cafe to Boston,” said Cactus Club Cafe president Andrew Latchford. “Back Bay is a vibrant neighborhood that aligns perfectly with our vision for modern dining — timeless, social and stylish.”
Meanwhile, in Florida, Cactus Club Cafe will open its second U.S. location in Downtown Miami at Citigroup Center – an 810,000-sq.-ft., 34-story tower.
"Miami's energy and style align perfectly with the Cactus vision for elevated everyday dining," said Latchford. "The city's energy and passion for exceptional hospitality make it the perfect home for our first Florida location. This marks an exciting chapter in our U.S. expansion, alongside our upcoming openings in Boston and Houston."
[READ MORE: First Look: Stylish food hall to open in former Lord & Taylor NYC flagship]
Founded in 1988, Cactus Club Cafe currently operates 33 restaurants in Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan.
- 6/2/2025
Williams-Sonoma expands Affirm flex payments to Canada
The Canadian subsidiary of a major home goods retailer is partnering with a flexible omnichannel payment platform.
Approved shoppers at Williams-Sonoma Canada banners including Williams Sonoma, West Elm, Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Teen, Pottery Barn Kids, and Mark & Graham can now split their purchases into monthly payments with Affirm.
This move builds on the companies’ multi-year partnership in the U.S. After selecting Affirm at checkout, Canadian Williams-Sonoma customers go through a real-time eligibility check. If approved, they can choose the customized payment plan that best suits their needs with upfront pricing and no late or hidden fees.
“As Canadian consumers continue to embrace smarter and more flexible ways to manage spending on home furnishings and essentials, Affirm has become a go-to choice for greater payment control and transparency,” said Wayne Pommen, chief revenue officer at Affirm. “We’re thrilled to build on our successful collaboration with Williams-Sonoma and its family of brands to bring more Canadians the financial clarity, flexibility, and peace of mind they deserve.”
With this launch, Williams-Sonoma Canada joins Canadian retailers including Amazon, Apple, Samsung, and Brown’s Shoes in offering Affirm’s payment solutions to their customers.
[READ MORE: Williams-Sonoma acquires intellectual property of Dormify]
Williams-Sonoma operates in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Canada, Australia and the U.K. and has unaffiliated franchisees that operate stores in the Middle East, the Philippines, Mexico, South Korea and India.
- 5/30/2025
Big Lots in final phase of store reopenings — June date set for 78 locations
Big Lots is entering its final wave of store reopenings under its new owners.
The discounter will reopen 78 additional locations on June 5. The stores are located in Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.
The openings, which come under the direction of new owners Variety Wholesales, follow a phased reopening strategy that began in April. This latest round will bring the total number of reopened Big Lots stores to 219.
Variety Wholesales said the success of the reopenings has spurred it to explore options for acquiring additional Big Lots locations, further signaling its commitment to the brand’s long-term growth and expansion.
“The connection with the communities we serve, and the positive customer feedback has been more than we could have imagined,” said Lisa Seigies, president and CEO of Variety Wholesalers. “This enthusiastic response reinforces our belief that taking Big Lots! back to the roots of what made it a huge success resonates with our customers. Providing great value will always be our core mission.”
Variety operates more than 400 stores across 18 states. In addition to Big Lots, its retail banners include Big Lots, Roses Discount Stores, Roses Express and Maxway.
Earlier this year, Big Lots closed a previously announced sale agreement with Gordon Brothers Retail Partners. As part of the deal, Variety was set to acquire about 200 Big Lots stores. The agreement came as the bankrupt chain was holding store closing sales at its approximate 950 locations nationwide.
Show More