News Briefs

Insta360 has made its U.S. flagship store debut in New York City's Times Square.

The opening marks the popular Japanese action camera brand's first physical location outside of Asia. It comes as Insta360, whose cameras allow users to record 360-degree movements by video, said it has surpassed 10 million cameras shipped worldwide. 

The Times Square outpost is designed as an experience center, offering hands-on product testing, in-person education, technical support and a community space. By letting visitors test 360 action cameras, gimbals (a device that holds a camera or smartphone in place) and wearable cameras in person, the store bridges the gap between online visibility and real-world understanding — helping consumers move from recognizing viral videos to learning how the technology works and capturing their own everyday moments, according to the company.

"Reaching 10 million cameras shipped worldwide is a milestone we owe to our community, but opening in Times Square is about building lasting roots," said Max Richter, co-founder and VP of marketing at Insta360. "This store opening is about more than just selling into the U.S.; it reflects our long-term commitment to the American creator ecosystem. We look forward to continuing our support for local creators, connecting directly with everyday users, and making innovative imaging tech approachable for anyone with a story to tell."

The Times Square outpost flagship is part of Insta360’s broader global retail strategy, which includes a Tokyo location opened last month, dozens of authorized stores across Asia, and future European expansion.

Insta 360’s lineup includes 360 cameras in the X Series, thumb-sized GO Series for everyday capture, as well as an extensive range of action cameras, gimbals, webcams and professional photography solutions.

One of the world’s largest online book retailers has named a new finance chief.

Carla Anderson Skogland has been promoted to the role of chief financial officer at ThriftBooks, after joining the company on an interim basis in April. She has more than 25 years of financial leadership experience across retail, technology and telecommunications.

Anderson Skogland most recently served as the finance chief for cosmetic surgery company Sono Bello from 2023 to 2024. Previously, she spent 11 years at Amazon in various positions, including CFO of infrastructure tech, AI and shopping tech for stores.

Earlier in her career, Anderson Skogland spent more than 15 years at Starbucks in various roles.

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“We are honored to have Carla join our executive leadership team as CFO,” said Ken Goldstein, chairman and CEO of ThriftBooks. “Her deep background in finance has been repeatedly proven at such admirable companies as Amazon, Starbucks and T-Mobile. As ThriftBooks continues to emerge as a global brand in better serving all our stakeholders, Carla’s passion for excellence and technical acumen will help guide us to even better solutions for our customers, suppliers, partners and employees.”

As chief financial officer, Anderson Skogland will lead the ThriftBooks' financial strategy as it expands its e-commerce and marketplace footprint, scales its LibraryAdvantage program for libraries, and continues to grow as a global brand, according to the company.

“ThriftBooks has built something genuinely uncommon: a business that is disciplined and profitable while doing tangible good for readers, libraries and the planet,” said Anderson Skogland. “The company has earned extraordinary customer loyalty by keeping books affordable and in circulation. I’m looking forward to working with Ken and the leadership team to scale that model thoughtfully and put the company’s next chapter of growth on a strong financial foundation.”

Founded in Seattle in 2003, ThriftBooks has sold more than 300 million used books since its launch. It sells across a variety of online platforms, including ThriftBooks.com, Amazon, eBay, Walmart, TikTok Shop, Etsy and more. 

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Headquartered in Welwyn Garden City, U.K., Tesco plc operates more than 4,000 grocery, convenience and hypermarket stores across the U.K., Republic of Ireland, Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovakia.

A regional West Coast grocer is adding a new fulfillment option at select stores and banners.

The Save Mart Companies is offering curbside pickup of online orders at select locations of its Lucky Supermarkets and FoodMaxx chains in Northern California, in partnership with Instacart.

Lucky and FoodMaxx customers can utilize curbside pickup by shopping online or by downloading the Lucky or FoodMaxx delivery app on their phone or tablet, which guides customers through the ordering process. 

Once customers arrive at their designated pickup location, Lucky and FoodMaxx associates will bring their grocery orders directly to their cars and load the groceries for them.

Save Mart first partnered with Instacart in 2019 to provide same-day delivery of online orders. Since that time, the grocer has also deployed the Instacart Caper Carts, FoodStorm, and Storefront Pro solutions.

[READ MORE: Save Mart rolls out Instacart in-store, digital solutions]

“We have a clear focus on continuing to make grocery shopping easier and more convenient for our customers, so we are thrilled to add this service to our Lucky and FoodMaxx stores,” said Vivek Kalpande, senior VP of digital and e-commerce for The Save Mart Companies. “We are listening to our customers and evolving with their needs. Our customers can now shop us however they would like, in-store, on the web, or on the app, with a new pickup option that is coupled with amazing promos and deals. We will continue to look for ways to make their shopping experience even better while saving them time and money.”

The Save Mart Companies operates 200 stores in neighborhoods across California, Western Nevada, Oregon, and Washington under the Save Mart, Lucky, FoodMaxx, and Roth's and Chuck's Fresh Market banners. 

Primark is doubling down on its new Georgia footprint. 

The global value-fashion retailer will open its second store in Georgia on Sept. 24 at the Augusta Mall in Augusta. The opening will give Primark a total of 48 total U.S. locations.

The Augusta Mall location will feature 28,000 sq. ft. of retail selling space. Its opening follows Primark's first Georgia location at Sugarloaf Mills in Lawrenceville, which opened earlier this month. 

"Primark is excited to have such a busy month in Georgia as it opens not one but two new stores in the state," said Kevin Tulip, president of Primark US. "We can't wait to open doors and offer area residents Primark's signature combination of trending style and everyday essentials, all at affordable prices." 

The entry into Georgia comes as Primark continues to enter new markets. It recently opened its first store in Minnesota, at Mall of America in Bloomington. And in July, it opened its first store in Indiana, at Castleton Square Mall in Indianapolis.

[READ MORE: Exclusive: Primark unveils Manhattan flagship]

Primark has more than 500 stores across 19 countries in Europe, the U.S. and the Middle East. 

85°C Bakery Cafe has reached a new store count milestone in the United States.

The Taiwan-born bakery chain  opened its100th U.S. location on Sept. 18 at Parker Commons in Aurora, Colo., a suburb of Denver. The opening also marks the brand’s first cafe in the Centennial State.

Founded in 2003, 85°C opened its first U.S. cafe in 2008 in Irvine, Calif., and says its goal is to reach 150 U.S. locations by 2030. The chain operates more than 1,000 locations worldwide.

Each 85°C location features an in-shop bakery with more than 50 varieties of pastries baked fresh hourly and cakes created by the brand’s pastry teams, alongside handcrafted, made-to-order coffee, milk tea, boba, smoothies and more. Longtime menu favorites include Milk Pudding Bread, Choco Bun, Marble Taro and the signature Egg Tart.

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85°C founder Cheng-Hsueh Wu launched the chain after visiting a cafe at a five-star hotel and questioning why high-quality pastries and beverages were priced beyond everyday reach, according to the company.

“Reaching 100 locations in the U.S. is an important milestone for 85°C and a reflection of the communities that have embraced the brand since we first entered the U.S. market,” said Dave Lazaro, marketing director of 85°C Bakery Cafe. “Our goal has always been to deliver high-quality coffee, bread and cake at prices that make 85°C part of our guests’ everyday lives. As we continue to grow, we’re excited to introduce that experience to even more communities across the country.”