News Briefs

Rally House is expanding its footprint in one of America’s best-known college towns.

The sports apparel and merchandise retailer is taking over three stores in Ann Arbor, Mich., bringing its store count in the city to four and 23 in the state. The new Rally House locations will fill three former M Den retail spaces after the retailer won an auction to acquire the assets of the bankrupt University of Michigan athletic retailer.

The stores are located on State Street, Main Street, and across from Michigan Stadium in a lot shared with a coffee shop on game days.

As the official retailer of the NCAA’s Big Ten Conference, Rally House says it is “uniquely positioned” to offer fans a comprehensive selection of Michigan Wolverines gear, along with merchandise from other Big Ten schools and professional sports teams. Each Rally House location in Ann Arbor will feature an expansive selection of Michigan Wolverines jerseys, hoodies, t-shirts, hats and accessories from top brands like Nike, Jordan Brand and New Era.

"We know how strong the Michigan Wolverines community is, and we're dedicated to providing the largest and best assortment of Wolverines gear in Ann Arbor,” said Aaron Johnson, VP of marketing strategy at Rally House. “Whether fans need apparel for game day at The Big House or everyday school spirit wear, we have them covered. Pairing with the amazing Michigan Wolverines assortment, customers will also find merchandise for the Detroit Lions, Detroit Tigers and perfect local Ann Arbor and Michigan souvenirs.”

[READ MORE: Rally House in store milestone; 'just getting started']

Based in Lenexa, Kan., Rally House operates more than 250  locations across 21 states, opening its 200th store this spring.

DoorDash is introducing a set of solutions designed to help retailers manage their businesses on their own channels. 

The new products and features include the DoorDash Commerce Platform, which consists of five core solutions:

• Drive on-demand -  The ability to offer delivery through their own app or website.
• Online ordering - A way to provide commission-free, digital sales and branding on a retailer’s website or own branded app.
• Phone ordering - An AI-based call-in ordering system with menu recommendations.
• Tableside order & pay - An option for customers to scan a QR code with their phone for increased order efficiency.
• Customer support solutions - A dedicated delivery support platform for customer inquiries.

As part of the Commerce Platform, DoorDash also introduced online ordering mobile apps, which enable restaurants to create their own branded native iOS and Android mobile apps. 

DoorDash has also released a rebooted Business Manager app, with expanded features based on retailer feedback. Along with its existing business and order management capabilities, the reimagined Business Manager App includes access to payouts and sales tracking, marketing campaign management and reporting, and a personalized homepage feed with recommended actions for their stores on DoorDash.

"At our core, DoorDash is a retailer-focused company," said Prabir Adarkar, president and COO, DoorDash. "Our mission has always been to develop products and services that empower local merchants to succeed. The restaurant industry has faced significant challenges in recent years, and it's more important than ever for merchants to find innovative ways to grow their sales and increase profitability."

[READ MORE: DoorDash upgrades apps for customers, drivers, retailers]

Editor's Note: Graphic courtesy of DoorDash.

Mango is moving into the Pacific Northwest.

The Barcelona-based global fashion brand will open its first location in Washington State next year, at the Bellevue Square shopping mall in Bellevue. The store will offer Mango’s lines for women and men. 

“We are thrilled to continue executing on our expansion plans by coming to Bellevue, which is a key market on the West Coast,” said Daniel López, director of expansion and franchises, Mango. “This is a very exciting time to be at Mango as we continue to bring the in-store brand experience to more U.S. consumers.”

Mango is aiming to have a total of 40 stores open in the U.S. by the end of this year. The company has set a goal for the country to become one of the group's top three markets in terms of revenue in 2026 through both brick-and-mortar and e-commerce sales.

READ MORE: Mango expands e-commerce to new countries with focus on Africa, Asia

In 2024, Mango expanded its presence in California, opening a store in San Diego. It also launched in Pennsylvania, at King of Prussia Mall, and in Massachusetts, at Natick Mall in Natick.

In the Washington, D.C. metro area, Mango opened stores in Tysons Corner, Westfield Montgomery and Pentagon City. It also plans to open a store in the heart of Washington, D.C.'s downtown shopping district.

Mango operates approximately 1,725 company-owned and franchised stores.

And then there were none.

Former discount giant Kmart, which once operated more than 2,000 locations nationwide, is closing its one remaining full-size store in the continental United States. Located in the posh town of Bridgehampton, N.Y., the store is set to close its doors on Oct. 20, reported the AP.

A smaller, convenience store-sized Kmart in Miami will remain open. Kmart also has several stores outside the 50 states that will remain open in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam, the report said. 

Kmart was known for its 15-minute-long “blue light specials.” A store would flash a blue light and announce “attention Kmart shoppers” over the public address system, and customers would rush to buy the discounted goods. 

The decline of Kmart has been slow but steady. In 2005, it merged with Sears, creating Sears Holdings, with a total of about 3,500 stores. At the time, however, both brands were already in decline and closing stores, failing to keep up with changing shopper behaviors and such fast-moving competitors as Walmart and Target. The growing dominance of Amazon and other online competitors only hastened their downward spiral. 

In 2018, Sears Holdings filed for bankruptcy. It emerged in early 2019 when its CEO Eddie Lampert secured a roughly $5 billion deal using his hedge fund ESL to buy the retailer’s assets out of court. The deal kept about 400 Sears and Kmart locations up and running under a new private entity, which is now called Transformco.  

The NRF Foundation has partnered with the Crisis Prevention Institute on a new program to help frontline employees resolve conflict situations. 

The new Customer Conflict De-escalation training program is focused on fostering a safe and positive environment for both retail employees and the millions of customers they serve. In a recent Worker Safety Survey, conducted by Theatro, a wide majority of employees said they felt unsafe on the job and ill-equipped to deal with conflict situations. 

 “As the nation’s largest private-sector employer, retailers help millions of customers find the items they want and need on a daily basis,” NRF Foundation executive director Adam Lukoskie said. “The Customer Conflict De-escalation program provides customer-facing employees with the knowledge and training to identify situations of potential conflict, and, most importantly, abate them successfully and ensure an enjoyable shopping experience for all.”  

The NRF Foundation partnered with the Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI) to create the 30-minute online program. Developed specifically for front-line, customer-facing and distribution center employees, the course teaches associates how to identify and manage customer conflict within a retail environment.

"At CPI, we understand that retail employees face unique challenges on the front lines every day, said Susan Driscoll, president of Crisis Prevention Institute. "Our partnership with the NRF Foundation to develop the Customer Conflict De-escalation training ensures that these vital skills are accessible to those who need them most, fostering safer and more positive environments for both employees and customers.”

The new offering is part of NRF Foundation’s RISE Up educational training program.

Small-to-mid-sized businesses and non-profits have a new printing option at Walmart.

Walmart Business, which was introduced in January 2023 and offers a broad assortment of more than 100,000 items with categorization and navigation tailored to organizational shoppers, is rolling out Walmart Business Print.

Organizational customers can visit the Walmart Business site to browse, design and place an order, then choose items with no-to-low minimum quantities to be shipped directly to them. 

In addition, a limited number of items are also available to be printed and picked up from a nearby Walmart store, as soon as the same day. 

"When I think about the impact of printed materials, it’s clear how much they elevate the way businesses communicate and build brand loyalty," said Ashley Hubka, senior VP and general manager of Walmart Business. "Whether it’s leaving behind a striking business card, offering coffee in a branded mug, or creating colorful displays that catch customers’ eyes in store, these tangible pieces leave a lasting impression. Extra touches, like including a beautifully printed thank you card or informative flyer in packages, are the kinds of details that foster brand loyalty and keep customers coming back."

[READ MORE: EXCLUSIVE: How Walmart Business serves commercial, nonprofit customers]

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