News Briefs

DoorDash is partnering to deliver championship apparel to the home city of the NBA Finals winner – within minutes of the buzzer.

The on-demand delivery platform will offer delivery of exclusive NBA championship apparel from Sportiqe Apparel the minute either the Indianapolis Pacers or Oklahoma City Thunder clinch the title to customers in the winning team’s city. The DoorDash Dashmart local online convenience store banner will fill orders while supplies last.

The offer will be valid at the conclusion of the NBA Finals following the NBA championship win the evening of Thursday, June 19 or Sunday, June 22. The offer will be valid only at DoorDash DashMart locations located in the city where the championship team is based and available exclusively to consumers within the DashMart delivery radius during operating hours. Fees, taxes and gratuity will apply.

"This innovative collaboration makes it faster and easier than ever for fans to celebrate their team's victory with official NBA Championship gear," Sportiqe said in a press release. "Together with the NBA, the companies are redefining what it means to commemorate championship moments. Stay tuned to see which city will be able to wear their victory loud and proud, right from the moment the final whistle blows."

[READ MORE: First Look: NBA Store debuts at Mall of America]

Image courtesy of Brocreative.

At Home is reducing its footprint.

The home décor retailer, which filed for bankruptcy on Monday as part of a restructuring agreement that will eliminate “substantially all” of its approximate $2 billion debt, plans to close 26 stores by Sept. 30. In court filings, At Home said it closed six stores during the past 12 months. (List of locations at end of article) It currently operates 260 stores in 40 states and two distribution centers.

[READ MORE: At Home Group enters Chapter 11 bankruptcy; will have new owners]

As part of the company’s restructuring agreement, At Home expects to transition ownership of the company to its pool of lenders who are holding more than 95% of the company's debt.

Here are 26 At Home stores slated to close by Sept. 30.

• Rego Park, N.Y. 
• Bronx, N.Y. 
• San Jose, Calif.
• Tustin, Calif.
• North Miami, Fla.
• Costa Mesa, Calif.
• Pasadena, Calif. 
• Chico, Calif.
• South, Rochester, Minn.
• Foothill Ranch, Calif. 
• Bellingham, Wash.  
• Sacramento, Calif.
• Middletown Township, N.J. 
• Long Beach, Calif.
• Pittsburgh
• Yakima, Wash. 
• Shrewsbury, Mass.  
• Peoria, Ill.
• Manassas, Va.  
• Ledgewood, N.J.  
• Princeton, N.J.  
• Dedham, Mass. 
• Billings, Mont.
• Leesburg, Va.
• Wauwatosa, Wis.
• Crestwood, Ill.

Core retail sales continued to rise in May despite tariff turmoil, with experts remaining cautious about future inflation.

The U.S. Census Bureau said overall retail sales in May were down 0.9% seasonally adjusted month over month, but up 3.3% unadjusted year over year. That compared with a decrease of 0.1% month over month and an increase of 5% year over year in April.

The increases come as the Trump Administration’s tariff policies continue to impact prices, and as a result, consumer sentiment.

[READ MORE: Import cargo levels likely to surge amid pause in tariff increases]

“We’re continuing to see growth for core retail sales this year at about the same pace as last year,” said Jack Kleinhenz, chief economist at the National Retail Federation. “Despite a soft labor market, aggregate consumer spending has been supported by wage gains and an improvement in the stock market. Consumers are seeing their way through the uncertainty with trade policies, but I expect the inflation associated with tariffs to be felt later this year. Consumers remain very price sensitive, and those costs are likely to weigh heavily on consumer budgets.”    

May’s core retail sales as defined by NRF, based on the Census data but excluding automobile dealers, gasoline stations and restaurants, were up 0.1% seasonally adjusted month over month and up 3.9% unadjusted year over year. Core sales were up 4.4% year over year on a three-month moving average and up 3.9% for the first five months of the year.

Last week, the CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor, powered by Affinity Solutions, reported that core retail sales were up 0.23% seasonally-adjusted month over month in May, and were up 4.2% unadjusted year over year.

Pickleball chains are continuing to expand their footprints across the United States.

Dallas-based The Pickle Pad has announced that it signed 12 franchise agreements in the first quarter of 2025, with nine locations currently in development. The brand is preparing for a major milestone later this year, as it will open three new venues in high-demand markets: Myrtle Beach, S.C., St. George, Utah, and Newport News, Va.

The Pickle Pad currently operates one location in Tallahassee, Fla. The brand said it plans to scale to 10 to 15 new locations annually, building a strong pipeline for sustained growth.

Each Pickle Pad location features multiple indoor courts, flexible event space, and Crave Social Eatery, a full-service chef-inspired restaurant and bar with fresh and light food options integrated into each location. Additional games featured at each location include cornhole, mini-golf, foosball, and shuffleboard.

[READ MORE: Chicken N Pickle eyeing growth through entertainment/hospitality acquisitions]

"The Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions represent some of the most exciting opportunities for our brand," said Chris Kuehn, president of Indoor Active Brands, the parent company of The Pickle Pad. "We're not just building pickleball courts – we're building community. With seven parks already secured in Virginia and South Carolina, and strong interest from future franchisees in North Carolina and Georgia, we're positioning The Pickle Pad to be the go-to destination for pickleball and social fun in these fast-growing markets."

Walmart is letting customers prepare an early summer cookout for up to eight people at a total cost of less than $50.

Through Sunday, July 6, the discount giant is providing a 17-item discount cookout bundle. Timed for the upcoming Independence Day holiday (Friday, July 4), the bundle includes products such as burgers and hot dogs, as well as fresh produce, sides, drinks and dessert.

According to Walmart, this special meal package will fully feed up to eight people for less than $6 per person. It is eligible for fast delivery options such as express delivery. Walmart is releasing its July 4 bundle on the heels of being ranked number six on the Brand Keys 24th annual “Most Patriotic Brands” survey.

Walmart has been offering a number of discount meal bundles for various holidays in recent years, including a 2024 Fourth of July meal deal. These include an Easter meal and Easter baskets, a holiday ham meal package, and a Thanksgiving meal featuring 29 items designed to serve eight people for less than $7 per person. Walmart has offered a budget-priced Thanksgiving meal since 2017.

[READ MORE: Walmart offers 'inflation-free' Thanksgiving meal under $7 a person]

Headquartered in Bentonville, Ark., Walmart operates more than 10,500 stores and numerous e-commerce websites in 19 countries.

A U.K.-based sports apparel retailer has opened its third flagship in the United States.

JD Sports opened a new flagship totaling nearly 29,000 sq. ft. on the Las Vegas Strip on June 14, which will offer guests a curated mix of products from sportswear and footwear brands including Nike, Jordan, New Balance, Adidas, On and Asics. 

The new store on Las Vegas Boulevard joins flagships in Chicago (State Street) and New York City (Times Square). As of May 3, 2025, there were 339 JD stores across North America.

In addition to a wide range of products, the new JD Sports flagship puts technology front-and-center. The in-store product slide system delivers stock straight to the shop floor, while QR code scanning, mobile checkout and click-and-collect make for a seamless shopping experience.

[READ MORE: JD Sports banner AI-equips assortment planning]

“Las Vegas is known for delivering next-level experiences, making it the perfect location for JD’s next US flagship,” said John Hall, managing director for JD North America. “We’re bringing our customers a retail experience that can’t be found anywhere else in the market, serving up the freshest and most desirable product from the biggest names in sports fashion. With our new store on Las Vegas Boulevard, we’re building on growing momentum across North America to bring customers iconic experiences as we continue to propel youth culture forward, on every corner of the world.”

Established in 1981 in England, JD Sports is a multichannel retailer of branded sports and casual wear with over 3,000 stores in 32 territories worldwide.