News Briefs

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.

Sally Beauty is doing business on a leading video-oriented social media platform.

The largest U.S. omnichannel hair color retailer  has launched operations on TikTok Shop, the U.S. e-commerce offering from TikTok, and is continuing to expand its presence, with more than 1,000 products expected to roll out in the coming weeks. 

The Sally Beauty TikTok Shop storefront will feature a curated variety of private and national brand Sally Beauty products with pricing aligned with the retailer’s main e-commerce site as well as select platform-exclusive promotions and participation in TikTok Shop events. Orders placed through TikTok Shop will ship directly from Sally Beauty's distribution centers, with most orders fulfilled same-day or next-business-day via standard FedEx delivery.

“As social media continues to reshape how customers discover and shop for beauty, bringing Sally Beauty to TikTok shop felt like a natural next step," said Chris Kobus, chief marketing officer at Sally Beauty. "We're excited to continue meeting consumers where they are, with the professional-quality products they already trust."

Sally Beauty is conducting e-commerce on TikTok in the wake of the social media app’s January 2026 compliance with an executive order from President Donald Trump that required it to establish a new joint venture to run its U.S. operations.

[READ MORE: Ulta Beauty will be first beauty & wellness retailer on TIkTok Shop]

"Launching on TikTok Shop reinforces Sally Beauty's broader marketplace momentum," said Jamie Columbus, VP of e-commerce at Sally Beauty. "We have seen strong double-digit year-over-year growth across digital channels, including Amazon and delivery marketplaces like Uber Eats, where we recently celebrated one year of partnership, as we continue expanding how customers discover and access our products."

A leading arts and crafts retailer is slashing prices across its store.

The Michaels Companies is lowering the prices on more than 3,000 items across the store including arts and crafts, The Party Shop, The Knit & Sew Shop, DIY, home décor items and more by an average of 10%. The retailer says the reductions represent the final phase of a value-driven initiative that has been rolled out over the past several months.

"The price reductions reflect our ongoing commitment to delivering value to our customers every time they shop with us," said Michaels CEO David Boone, who took the reins of the company last February. "Our mission is for Michaels to be the go-to destination for creating and celebrating in every community, and that means making it easier and more affordable for everyone to create, celebrate, and bring their ideas to life."

The price reductions are just the latest savings initiative from Michaels. Earlier this month, the retailer launched its enhanced rewards program with expanded tiers and benefits. Members can now earn up to 9% back in rewards and access Everyday Perks of up to 25% off regular-priced items depending on their loyalty status. 

Last October, Michaels also reduced the price of in-store birthday parties by 50% and lowered prices on over 200 Celebrate It party products by between 25-70%.

[READ MORE: Michaels acquires intellectual property, private label brands of Joann]

Founded in 1973 and headquartered in Irving, Texas, Michaels operates over 1,300 stores in 49 states and Canada.

Mango — the rapidly expanding Spanish clothing, shoes, accessories and home goods brand — has made an auspicious landing in the Midwest.

This week, the company is opening its first location in Minnesota, a 10,000-sq.-ft. space at Mall of America,  Founded in Barcelona in 1984, the global retailer has stated a goal to build its reputation in the States for representing European elegance with contemporary, street-inspired aesthetics.

“At Mall of America, we’re committed to curating a dynamic retail mix that brings both global prestige and fresh perspective to our guests,” said Ashley Hofmann, MOA’s leasing director. 

Mango has opened more than 60 stores in its ongoing U.S. expansion plan, which focuses on prime locations. In December, it opened an 11,000-sq.-ft. store on Chicago’s Miracle Mile.

It soon will be strengthening its presence in California with a location in Costa Mesa’s South Coast Plaza.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Mango as part of our growing roster of internationally celebrated brands,” Hofmann said. “As one of the first locations in the Midwest, Mango’s arrival reinforces Mall of America’s role as a destination for trend-leading, first to market brands.”

While its popularity is still growing, immersive technology has a strong impact on purchases.

A new survey from B2B service provider platform Clutch reveals that six-in-10 (60%) consumers have used augmented reality (AR) or virtual reality (VR) technology, and more than half (54%) say they are likely to increase their use of immersive technology over the next two years. Nearly six-in-10 (58%) consumers have made a purchase after using AR features.

Smartphones are the most common way consumers access immersive experiences, according to the survey, with 61% using mobile devices for AR/VR. Consumers also prefer smartphones over standalone VR headsets, largely because they are more accessible and require less setup.

Beyond shopping, gaming remains the most popular use case for both AR (63%) and VR (61%). However, Clutch says AR is also becoming embedded in everyday digital behaviors, including social media content creation (32%), online shopping (30%) and navigation (18%).

Consumers surveyed said the top barriers preventing broader adoption include the high cost of devices (51%), lack of useful content (32%), motion sickness or discomfort (26%), and privacy concerns (26%). While only a third (35%) of consumers use AR/VR regularly, Clutch says immersive experiences are becoming a more “meaningful part of how people shop, explore and interact with brands.”

[READ MORE: True Beauty Lashes offers virtual lash matching and try-on]

“Immersive technology is becoming less of a novelty and more of a practical business tool,” said Hannah Hicklen, Clutch analyst. “When brands use AR to answer real customer questions, like how something will look, fit or function — they create more confidence and reduce friction in the buying process.”

Clutch surveyed 400 consumers for its report.