Below you will find helpful and relevant articles that we carefully curate for the benefit of our B.R.A. Retail Members almost every day. Be sure to scroll through the most recent article or use the Search/Lookup feature to find topics and keywords related to articles that may help you to lower costs, increase margins or create more remarkable customer experiences.
by admin | Feb 12, 2025 | Brick & Mortar, Commercial Real Estate, Industry, News, Retail Economy, Retail Strategy, Surf
ecker Surfboards in Malibu may be closing, but in its wake shop manager Mitch Taylor sees an opportunity to open his own business. Malibu‘s had a rough go lately, and the Chapter 11 bankruptcy of Liberated Brands isn’t helping. Caught in the downward spiral of the...
by admin | Feb 8, 2025 | Brick & Mortar, Community, Consumer Behavior, Generations, News, Retail Strategy
Which generational cohort has big middle-child energy? Enter the least discussed generation of all, born between 1965 and 1980, Gen X is dubbed “the Sandwich Generation” because they’re sandwiched between infamous baby boomers and equally infamous millennials. Gen X...
by admin | Feb 4, 2025 | Brick & Mortar, Local Search, News, Opinion, Retail Strategy
Credit: iStock.com by Marko Geber In today’s world, mega-retailers have changed the way we shop. They offer same-day delivery and auto-shipment and sell cheaper versions of popular brands. Because of this, consumers now expect faster, easier transactions. Yet,...
by admin | Jan 30, 2025 | Apparel /Fashion, Brick & Mortar, Customer Experience, Customer Service, HR, News, Retail Strategy, Sales Training
Sales staff have a valuable role to play in connecting with customers. (Shutterstock) Differentiating the in-store experience is key to reigniting demand for in-person shopping, according to the BoF-McKinsey State of Fashion 2025. Brands can achieve that by empowering...
by admin | Jan 26, 2025 | Community, Industry, News, Seasonal Products, Snowboard
Please and thank you. Photo: Ikon Pass It’s been a lovely January for many parts of the West: clear and cold. But those regions sitting on healthy snowpacks received little, to no snow during the month. But winter is about to make a serious return as forecasters...
by admin | Jan 24, 2025 | Industry, News, Opinion, Retail Economy, Skateboard
A young skateboarder riding in front of the Ferry Building on the Embarcadero in San Francisco California.Adam Hester/Getty Images This first appeared in the Planet Money newsletter. You can sign up here. “The Skateboarding Ethic and the Spirit of...
by admin | Jan 22, 2025 | Industry, News, Resources, Trade Shows
More than 750 exhibitors and thousands of retail buyers participated in the show. Surf Expo’s first event of 2025 was held January 8–10 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. Attracting over 750 exhibitors and thousands of retail buyers, the show...
by admin | Jan 20, 2025 | Brick & Mortar, Customer Experience, Event Planning, News, Retail Strategy
In today’s rapidly evolving retail landscape, consumers are increasingly prioritizing experiences over products. This shift, coupled with tighter discretionary spending, demands that brands rethink their experiential retail strategies. The key question has morphed...
by admin | Jan 16, 2025 | Brick & Mortar, Customer Experience, Customer Service, Educational Opportunity, Footwear, News, Sales Training, Shoe Market
At the National Retail Federation’s annual Big Show this week in New York City, brick-and-mortar was at the center of the conversation. With the pandemic era fully behind us, customers are returning to stores, and brands and retailers are looking for ways to make the...
by admin | Jan 14, 2025 | Brick & Mortar, News
Photo courtesy Surf Diva A two story building with yellow banners that read SURF DIVA just a few blocks from the Pacific Ocean in La Jolla, California: it looks like, well, just a surf shop. But the truth is far from that. The best surf shops are more than a brick...
