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.

“From Family Legacy to Modern Success: The Island Water Sports Story” by Cheyne Cottrell (Co-Owner of Island Water Sports) via Trackfly blog

by admin | Sep 29, 2025 | Brick & Mortar, Community, News, Retail Strategy, Retail Technologies, Surf

Hi, I’m Cheyne Cottrell, General Manager and Co-Owner of Island Water Sports. My family has been riding the waves of the surf retail industry since 1977. This is my short story of how we navigated decades of challenges and expanded into new opportunities. I’ve also...

“TrackFly and ActionWatch Announce New Partnership” by Tiffany Montgomery via Shop Eat Surf X Outdoor

by admin | Sep 16, 2025 | Brick & Mortar, Community, Data Driven Performance, Industry, News, Resources, Retail Partners, Retail Strategy, Retail Technologies, Surf Expo, Trade Shows

The surf and skate industry’s main data firm is joining forces with a data company that provides a unified platform that is compatible with all retailer and POS systems, which will reduce data turnaround from days to hours. TrackFly, a company specializing in...

“How to Level the Technology Playing Field for Brick-and-Mortar Retail” by Kal Amin via Total Retail

by admin | Jul 30, 2025 | Artificial Intelligence / CHAT GPT, Brick & Mortar, News, Resources, Retail Strategy, Retail Technologies, Reviews

Credit: Getty Images by MoMo Productions Competing in the tech-saturated business landscape is easier than you might think Industries are rapidly adopting artificial intelligence. Today, 83 percent of companies are prioritizing AI in their business plans,...

“Wholesale Isn’t Dead, It’s Revitalizing Growth” by Shelley E. Kohan via The Robin Report

by admin | Jul 19, 2025 | Brick & Mortar, DTC, Industry, News, Opinion, Retail Economy, Retail Strategy, Retail Technologies

The traditional wholesale model isn’t dying—it’s evolving into something far more strategic and profitable than many executives realize. The widespread belief that direct-to-consumer channels automatically deliver superior margins is a myth. Successful brands are...

“Retail Supply Chains Are Broken – Here’s How Unified Platforms Fix Them” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor Blog

by admin | Jul 9, 2025 | Artificial Intelligence / CHAT GPT, Brick & Mortar, News, Opinion, Resources, Retail Strategy, Retail Technologies, Sales Training

If you’ve spent any time in Enterprise retail, you’ve seen it: departments that don’t talk to each other, systems that weren’t designed to share data, and a patchwork of bolt-on software that leaves you with more questions than answers.I had a conversation...

“Why industry data is important for specialty retailers plus insightful interview with George Leichtweis (BRA Chairman and Owner of Modern Skate & Surf)” via Trackfly blog

by admin | Apr 16, 2025 | Brick & Mortar, Distinguished Retail Members, Legends, Resources, Retail History, Retail Strategy, Retail Technologies

Push play to listen to this insightful interview of George The begining of Modern Skate and Surf MARK‍‍George, could you tell me a little bit about the history of Modern Skate and Surf, you’ve been around since 1979 is that right? GEORGEThat’s correct. I...