News Briefs

One of Chicagoland’s major retail centers is welcoming new tenants as it continues its redevelopment process.

Westfield Old Orchard, located in Skokie, Ill., is adding two eateries and two popular experience-driven retailers to its list of tenants. The Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield owned and operated outdoor center currently features more than 150 retailers, dining destinations and event spaces.

Additional details of the new openings include the following:

•Blue Bottle Coffee (Opens Jan. 19) The acclaimed coffee brand brings its minimalist café experience to Westfield Old Orchard, with a special gift for the first 150 guests on opening day. More details to come.

•Pop Mart (Opens late February) Recognized globally for its collectible designer toys and blind box phenomenon, including the Labubu, the retailer will offer a playful, immersive experience for art and pop-culture enthusiasts. More details to come.

•Lego (Now open) The new Lego store offers hands-on fun for all ages, featuring curated sets, interactive play tables, and a Pick & Build wall where guests can create something of their own.

•Sweetgreen (Now open) Health-focused Sweetgreen is now serving its signature menu of seasonal salads, warm bowls and plates at the center, offering guests a  fast-casual dining option while shopping,

[READ MORE: First Look: Beyond Yoga opens at Westfield Old Orchard]

First announced in 2024, Westfield Old Orchard is undergoing a mixed-use redevelopment that will transform it into a multifaceted, mixed-use destination, adding modern residences, gourmet markets, green space and outdoor gathering areas to the center.

Five Below reported very strong results for the holiday period and raised its outlook for the fourth quarter and full year.

The value tween and teen retailer said that its net sales increased by 23.2% to $1.47 billion for the period Nov. 2, 2025 through Jan. 3, 2026. comparable sales for the holiday period rose 14.5%.

"We are incredibly pleased with our holiday performance, which demonstrates the effectiveness of the strategies we have been executing this year," stated Winnie Park, who was appointed CEO in December 2024. "With our maniacal focus on the customer: the kid and the kid in all of us, we offered amazing, trend-right products at exceptional value and began to create a better-connected customer journey. In combination with tight-knit collaboration and alignment throughout the company, we drove strong, broad-based results."

Based on its holiday performance and forecast for January, Five Below has raised its outlook for the fourth quarter and full year. For the full year, it expects net sales of approximately $4.75 billion, with comparable sales up 12.5%. 

Nordstrom Inc. is adding two more locations to its list of planned off-price openings.

The retailer will open new Nordstrom Rack locations in two Philadelphia suburbs, Exton and Media, in fall 2026. The stores join a list of recently-announced locations in New Jersey, Maryland, Florida and Texas that are scheduled to open in the next two years.

At the new locations, guests will find up to 70% off on-trend apparel, accessories, beauty products, home decor and shoes from many of the top brands sold at Nordstrom stores, as well as core services like online order pickup.

Nordstrom Inc. currently operates two Nordstrom stores and seven Nordstrom Rack stores in Pennsylvania. The retailer plans to have nearly 300 Rack stores open by the end of 2025, with a total of 400 stores planned to be open by 2028. 

"We look forward to being a part of the Exton and Media communities and serving our customers with an amazing offering of great brands at great prices," said Gemma Lionello, president of Nordstrom Rack. "We're excited to grow our footprint in these regions and introduce new customers to the Nordstrom experience."

The 30,000-sq.-ft. Exton store will be located at Main Street at Exton, a shopping center that includes Walmart, Lidl, Barnes & Noble, Michaels, Sephora, Athleta, Old Navy and Banana Republic. Main Street at Exton is owned and managed by Wolfson Group Inc.

[READ MORE: Nordstrom expands partnership with NuOrder]

The 30,000-sq.-ft. Media store will be located at Promenade at Granite Run, a shopping center that includes TJ Maxx, Michaels, Kohls, Ikea and Boscov's. Promenade at Granite Run is owned and managed by BET Investments.

Additional planned Nordstrom Rack openings can be found here.

Tractor Supply Company has already kicked off its 2026 expansion plans.

The nation’s largest rural lifestyle retailer opened its 2,400th location with a new store in Aiken, S.C., which marks one of our stores set to open in the first two weeks of the year. Tractor Supply said it plans to open 100 new locations by the end of the year.

The new Aiken store features a 3,000-sq.-ft. Garden Center, and is situated near an existing Tractor Supply location that has served the community since 2004. The company says Aiken, located near Augusta, Ga., is recognized as a community steeped in “equestrian heritage,” with the new store offering horse enthusiasts the ability to shop for all necessary equipment.

Last fall, Tractor Supply said most of its 2026 expansion would take place in the Western U.S., with the growth supported by a new distribution center in Idaho.

[READ MORE: Tractor Supply Co. hits record Q3 sales; meets Street with profit]

“At Tractor Supply, everything starts with the communities we serve and the customers who rely on us every day,” said John Ordus, Tractor Supply’s chief stores officer. “With its deep-rooted horse culture, enduring sense of community and passion for ‘Life Out Here,’ we are honored to mark our 2,400th store right here in Aiken and are excited to welcome in our neighbors."

Walmart continues to expand its partnership with Wing, an on-demand drone delivery provider powered by Google parent company Alphabet. 

The retail giant will expand Wing’s “ultra-fast” service to an additional 150 Walmart stores over the next year, giving it a network of more than 270 drone delivery locations in 2027. The network will stretch from Los Angeles to Miami, and service about 40 million Americans. The expansion builds on the success of operations in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex and metro Atlanta, according to a Wing release.

Wing and Walmart’s new service areas will include major metropolitan hubs such as Los Angeles, St. Louis, Cincinnati, and Miami, with others to be announced later. The new markets expand Walmart’s previously announced expansion markets of Houston; Orlando and Tampa, Fla.; and Charlotte, N.C. (The service will start operating in the Houston market on Jan. 15.)

“Drone delivery plays an important role in our ability to deliver what customers want, exactly when they want it,” said Greg Cathey, senior VP of digital fulfillment transformation at Walmart. “Whether it’s a last-minute ingredient for dinner, a must-have charger for a phone, or a late-night essential for a busy family, the strong adoption we’ve seen confirms that this is the future of convenience. By expanding drone delivery to new major metro areas, we are helping more customers solve for their last-minute needs faster than ever before.”

Walmart initially launched drone-based deliveries from three stores in Northwest Arkansas in late 2021, then expanded a partnership it launched with Wing for drone delivery in the Dallas-Fort Worth market in August 2023. 

An East Coast frozen dessert chain reached a new store count milestone at the end of 2025 – with plans to continue expanding into the new year.

Pennsylvania-based Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard surpassed 600 locations at the end of the year. The chain opened 35 new shops in 2025 across the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions, along with its debut location in Louisiana. Rita’s says openings increased 10% year over year and new unit signings grew by nearly 10% year over year.

Looking ahead, the chain is targeting 25 new drive-thru openings in 2026, representing a five-fold increase from prior years.

“Our focus in 2025 was building smarter, not just bigger,” said Linda Chadwick, CEO of Rita’s. “We leaned into formats, incentives and markets that help franchisees open faster, operate more efficiently and perform stronger over time. That strategy is paying off as we head into 2026.”

To fuel expansion, the brand is rolling out new incentives for franchisees. For 2026 new drive-thru builds, qualified franchisees may receive $50,000–$60,000 in total contributions. Rita’s also announced 2027 new-build incentives, offering up to $35,000 in total contributions for drive-thru locations opening by May 31, 2027.

[READ MORE: Q&A: Rita's development chief talks expansion plans, new store formats]

“These incentives reflect our confidence in the model and our commitment to sharing that upside with franchisees,” said Lawrence Brown, chief development officer at Rita’s. “Drive-thrus are performing better, and we want to help operators capture that opportunity.”