News Briefs

Walmart is expanding its optical offering into wearable technology.

In an email to Chain Store Age, a Walmart spokesperson said the discount giant has begun rolling out EyeFly smart audio glasses to more than 2,000 Walmart Vision Centers nationwide.

The launch introduces a new category for Walmart, with Bluetooth-enabled audio built directly into eyewear frames, allowing customers to listen to music, take calls or hear navigation directions without earbuds. The retailer is the first national retailer to offer the brand, including exclusive styles available only at Walmart.

Walmart has been selling EssilorLuxottica Nuance Audio Glasses, which combine prescription-ready eyewear with an invisible, open-ear hearing solution for perceived mild to moderate hearing loss. Unlike traditional hearing aids, Nuance Audio glasses offer an all-in-one solution that eliminates the need for separate devices. 

Other high-tech eyewear offerings from Walmart include virtual try-on and purchase of prescription eyewear online through the Walmart app or directly on Walmart.com

At $90, Walmart says EyeFly is positioned well below most comparable smart audio eyewear, which often retails for $200 or more. The glasses are prescription-ready, provide up to six hours of continuous listening on battery power, have touch controls built into the frames for calls and audio and can be fitted through Walmart Vision Centers.

[READ MORE: Walmart partners with Elton John in new exclusive eyewear brand]

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

Fans of the South Korean boy band BTS are not the only ones celebrating their return.

Target Corp. is putting out the red carpet for the launch of the band’s highly-anticipated new album, “Arirang,” and upcoming world tour, creating dedicated BTS shopping destinations in its stores nationwide, complete with themed displays and exclusive merchandise. The album is BTS’ first group project in nearly four years following their mandatory military service. 

In addition to being the only mass retailer to offer the album on vinyl, the retailer is offering seven limited-edition, Target-exclusive “Arirang” vinyls, each spotlighting a different BTS member with a unique color variant, a poster and lyric paper

Other Target exclusives include CDs with unique album art and a photo card set, and two “Arirang” vinyl editions with elevated packaging, a 20-page photo book, turntable slip mat, lyric paper, poster, postcard, photo card set and photo card holder.

[READ MORE: Target offers Circle loyalty members three-day spring savings event]

Target is also launching an assortment of exclusive and limited-edition BTS-related  merchandise. The assortment is available in stores on March 20 and select items online March 21 (while supplies last).

Pessimism is growing among the small-business community, as a majority of owners say the economy is worse now compared to a year ago.

That’s according to a new survey from the National Small Business Association (NSBA), which found that increased costs and economic insecurity are having an impact on growth for smaller enterprises. The survey found that the number of small businesses that reported an increase in revenues over the past year was at its lowest point in more than a decade.

The majority of small businesses say they have incurred increased costs in the past year. Among those, roughly three-quarters (74%) say those cost increases are due to tariffs. Nearly half of small businesses say they believe the current trade and tariff policy is on the wrong track.

[READ MORE: Consumer sentiment declines in early March]

"Economic uncertainty remains the top concern for America's small-business owners with U.S. political instability a close second," stated NSBA chair Bill Belknap. "These are issues our political leaders could easily impact for the good – if they wanted to."

Just 18% of small-business owners report they hired in the past year, while 21% say they reduced their workforce, resulting in a net deficit. As a result of economic challenges, more than half of small-business owners say they believe that the economy is worse today than it was one year ago.

"More businesses today are not seeking external financing than at any point since we've been doing the survey," stated NSBA president and CEO Todd McCracken. "This underscores slower anticipated growth rates and a generally stagnant small-business economy."

 NSBA says its 65,000 members span every state and every industry in the U.S.

U.S. consumer sentiment inched down in March amid concerns about the conflict in Iran, rising gasoline prices and personal finances. 

The University of Michigan's Index of Consumer Sentiment fell to 55.5 in preliminary readings for March from 56.6 in ​February. The index for current economic conditions fell to 57.8 from 56.6, while the expectations index fell to 54.1 from 56.6. 

The survey was conducted between ​Feb. 17 and March 9, with about half completed ​after the start of the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran. 

“Interviews completed prior to the military action in Iran showed an improvement in sentiment from last month, but lower readings seen during the nine days thereafter completely erased those initial gains,” said Joanne Hue, director, surveys of consumers, University of Michigan. “Gasoline prices exerted the most immediate impact felt by consumers, but the magnitude of passthrough to other prices remains highly uncertain.”

A broad swath of consumers across incomes, age, and political affiliation all reported declines in expectations for their personal finances, down 7.5% nationally, Hue added.

Year-ahead inflation expectations ended six months of consecutive declines, stalling at 3.4%. The current reading exceeds those seen in 2024 and remains well above the 2.3% to 3.0% range seen in the two years pre-pandemic. Long-run inflation expectations inched down to 3.2%. 

Zimmermann is expanding its footprint to the Midwest.

The luxury swimwear apparel and accessories retailer will open its first Midwest location at Plaza del Lago in the coastal Chicago suburb of Wilmette later this summer. Founded in 1991 by sisters Nicky and Simone Zimmermann and based in Australia, the retailer currently operates 33 stores in the United States.

At Zimmermann stores, guests can find swimwear, casual dresses, footwear, tops, accessories, denim and more.

Plaza del Lago’s other luxury tenants include Hermès and Oscar de la Renta, with Studs, LoveShackFancy, Hill House Home, James Perse, Jenni Kayne, Lilly Pulitzer, Rag & Bone, Space519 and Veronica Beard also calling the property home.

“Plaza del Lago has long been part of the North Shore’s story, and our next chapter reflects both its heritage and its future,” said Samantha David, president of WS Development, the developer of Plaza del Lago. “Zimmermann’s decision to make its Chicago – and Midwest – debut here speaks not only to the vitality of this community, but to our belief that global fashion excellence and local character can thrive side by side. Our vision is not simply growth, but thoughtful stewardship of a place people care deeply about.”

[READ MORE: Plaza del Lago to add 13 new tenants]

Built in the 1920s, Plaza del Lago’s open-air, lakefront property encompasses approximately 100,000 square feet of space, and is home to a variety of boutiques, restaurants and service providers.

Surging prices in natural gas helped drive up overall construction input prices in February.

Overall construction input prices (includes energy, materials and equipment) increased 1.3% in February compared to the previous month, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Producer Price Index data. Commercial construction input prices increased 1.0% for the month.

Overall construction input prices are 3.1% higher than one year ago. Commercial construction prices are 4.7% higher than the year-go period and 43.3% higher than February 2020.

Prices increased in all three energy categories in February. Natural gas and unprocessed energy materials prices were up 10.9% and 6.0%, respectively, while crude petroleum prices rose 4.7%.

Significant increases in oil, copper, lumber and steel prices led to the increase in construction materials costs in February, according to ABC chief economist Anirban Basu, who also struck a warning about prices going forward.

“Notably, the data does not reflect the precipitous  increase in oil prices caused by the conflict in Iran," he said. “That will put upward pressure on construction materials prices directly by raising diesel prices and, indirectly, by raising the cost of shipping other inputs.”

While input prices are still up a relatively modest 3.1% since February 2025, they rose at a staggering 12.6% annualized rate during the first two months of 2026, Basu added.

 “Which is to say, materials price escalation could serve as a real headwind to construction activity over the next several months,” he said.

Associated Builders and Contractors is a national construction industry trade association established in 1950 with 67 chapters and more than 23,000 members.