Placer.ai: Store visits surge at these retailers...
Retailers that center value and discovery are among those that have seen store visits increase the most in the past year.
That’s according to retail data firm Placer.ai’s Placer 100 Retail Index, which analyzed shopping patterns over the past year. From August 2025 to July 2026, Five Below (17.1%), Ollie’s Bargain Outlet (17.0%), Bass Pro Shops (16.5%), Hobby Lobby (16.0%) and Ross Dress for Less (15.1%) saw the largest increases in overall store visits compared to the year prior.
Boot Barn, Citi Trends and Barnes & Noble were also among the top gainers of visits. On a per store basis, Staples (14.8%), Hobby Lobby (14.1%) and Citi Trends (12.2%) were the top gainers.
“Value-oriented retailers feature prominently among the Placer 100’s fastest-growing chains, but retailers that combine value with discovery, browsing or an experience that benefits from a physical store are also seeing strong gains,” said Placer.ai. “And for several leading brands, growth is showing up not just across their footprints, but at the individual venue level as well.”
Overall, Placer.ai noted that more than 60% of store visits last under a half hour, with 36.7% lasting under 15 minutes, and 33% lasting between 15 and 30 minutes, suggesting that many brick-and-mortar trips are relatively focused.
[READ MORE: Placer.ai: Open-air, indoor malls continue visit momentum in August]
The data also show that nearly 60% of store visits originate within five miles of the store, including about 44% from within three miles.
“Visits are often short and close to home, older and lower- and middle-income consumers play an especially important role in physical retail, and the fastest-growing retailers show the continued appeal of both value and engaging in-store experiences,” noted Placer.ai. “For retailers, advertisers and CRE professionals, these patterns underscore the importance of aligning locations, experiences, and messaging with the consumers who actually visit – while identifying opportunities to reach those who don’t.”
Placer.ai’s full report can be found here.
