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Shop security guards have complained of a 'massive' rise in antisocial behaviour by teenage tearaways harassing staff and customers for social media views. Supermarkets have started turning off their WiFi to stop mobs gathering at in-store cafes to use the Internet while passing time filming themselves 'trying to get a rise' out of employees. They also face the scourge of influencers carrying out 'pranks' with the aim of going viral on TikTok, as well as other platforms such as YouTube and Instagram.

Kroger shoppers, take note: Your beloved neighborhood grocery store may not be there much longer. One of America's largest grocery chains just announced it plans to close around 60 stores across the U.S. over the next 18 months, citing "modest financial benefits" in its latest earnings report. Kroger, which currently operates nearly 1,239 grocery stores in 16 states under two dozen different brand names, has been in hot water over the past six months after attempting a $25 billion merger with rival Albertsons. Government regulators denied the deal over antitrust concerns, and now, Albertsons is suing Kroger—and vice versa—in a...

New York CNN — At Home, a popular home goods retailer with 260 stores across 40 US states, has filed for bankruptcy, citing the backdrop of tariff increases and a slowdown in consumer spending. The Dallas-based company announced Monday that it had entered an agreement with its lenders that “will eliminate substantially all” of its roughly $2 billion in debt and provide $200 million in fresh funding to keep At Home operating while it navigates the Chapter 11 process. Brad Weston, At Home’s CEO who joined the company last year, said in a statement that the company is “operating against...

A coordinated campaign used bogus social media accounts to amplify backlash against Target after the company scaled back its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives, according to a blockbuster report. An analysis by Israeli tech firm Cyabra found that nearly a third of the social media accounts driving outrage over the retail giant’s policy change were fake. The Minneapolis-based retailert announced it would roll back its controversial initiatives — which had drawn scorn from conservatives for touting items such as tuck-friendly bathing suits — after President Trump returned to the White House on Jan. 20. Cyabra reviewed thousands of posts on...

Has any American company run away from a public commitment faster than Target?In an Aug. 19, 2020, conference call, Target Chief Executive Brian Cornell forthrightly put his company in the forefront of the quest for racial and ethnic justice. George Floyd had been murdered by Police Officer Derek Chauvin, abetted by several other officers in Minneapolis, Target’s home city, only about three months earlier. Calls for recognition of the racism exposed by the killing were still reverberating nationwide.“Our team is passionately demanding equity and justice for our Black colleagues and guests,” Cornell said. “We are united in that passion and...

Sales at Target fell more than expected in the first quarter as the retailer faced boycotts for ditching its DEI efforts and felt the impact of President Trump's tariffs. Target cut its forecast for the rest of the year warning that sales would slip further as its customers pulled back on spending amid an uncertain economic environment. Earlier this year the company conceded to the Trump administrations attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives by scaling back its own efforts. However, the retreat created a fierce customer backlash leading to store boycotts that further damaged sales. Sales for the...

The century-old retailer is set to shutter additional locations by May 25, marking another blow to traditional shopping malls. As JCPenney battles changing consumer habits, many wonder if this iconic chain can survive the challenges still on the horizon. For over a hundred years, JCPenney has served as a go-to destination for clothes, home décor, and memorable holiday gifts. Founded in 1902, it became a staple in malls across the United States. However, the past decade saw shifting shopper preferences and tough economic conditions, and the pandemic further accelerated the move to online retail.

As pharmacy deserts crop up across western Washington, a large chain is biting the dust. Rite Aid CEO Matthew Schroeder briefed employees Monday that all stores would either close or be sold as the company files for bankruptcy,.. The media outlet stated funding from investors fell short, and the company faced a series of economic issues, including tariffs, more expensive supply costs, pricier landlords, and what Schroeder called a “dramatic downturn in the economy.” According to the court filing, as posted on Kroll, to support Rite Aid during bankruptcy, the company secured commitments from lenders to access nearly $2 billion...

A department store has sacked its CEO after an investigation into alleged conflicts of interest. Kohl's announced that Ashley Buchanan, who has been CEO for six months, was relieved of his duties after the company claims it found evidence he favored certain vendors. The department chain said Buchanan didn't disclose this relationship in accordance with its company policies. Buchanon's release comes after an independent firm concluded the ex-CEO 'violated company policies by directing the company to engage in vendor transactions.' The company said the sacking is not attributed to the company's performance, though, the brand is facing some serious headwinds....

President Donald Trump will meet with major retailers on Monday after the National Retail Federation (NRF) announced it does not back the president’s reciprocal tariff policies. A White House official told Reuters that the president will meet Monday afternoon to discuss his tariff policies; the meeting will includes representatives from Walmart, Home Deport, Lowe’s, and Target. Walmart confirmed that its CEO, Doug McMillon, would attend the meeting. More than half of Walmart’s imports are from China, while Home Deport and Lowe’s also import from the country. A March report found that Target relies on China for 30 percent of its...

KEY POINTS * Target CEO Brian Cornell will meet with civil rights leader the Rev. Al Sharpton to discuss the company’s decision to roll back DEI programs. * The discussion comes as the big box retailer faces calls for a boycott and a slump in foot traffic that began soon after it announced plans to walk away from some DEI initiatives. * Sharpton has not called for a boycott of Target, but said he’ll consider it if the company doesn’t reaffirm its commitment to Black businesses, employees and consumers.

Big retail has announced its displeasure with President Donald Trump’s America First policy of reciprocal tariffs. On Wednesday, on what Trump has dubbed “liberation day,” he announced a sweeping reciprocal tariff policy, hoping to right the wrongs of decades of unfair trade policies with countries across the world. Many would think that corporate America, hoping to better the nation’s workers, would embrace the trade policies that would put American on a more even footing with its trading partners given that corporate America had embraced his America First agenda in January.

MAYHEM AT BAY PLAZA IN THE BRONX ON A BEAUTIFUL SUNDAY.

The hollowing out of U.S. cities’ office and commercial cores is a national trend with serious consequences for millions of Americans. As more people have stayed home following the COVID-19 pandemic, foot traffic has fallen. Major retail chains are closing stores, and even prestigious properties are having a hard time retaining tenants. The shuttering of a Whole Foods market after only a year in downtown San Francisco in May 2023 received widespread coverage. Even more telling was the high-end department store Nordstrom’s decision to close its flagship store there in August after a 35-year run. In New York City, office...

(The Center Square)—Iconic retail chain Forever 21 announced it is closing its Los Angeles corporate headquarters, adding another corporate exit from Southern California. Bloomberg reports the company is expected to close hundreds of stores and file for bankruptcy. Forever 21, a pioneer in fast fashion with its namesake stores providing affordable fashion items and accessories, enjoyed explosive growth in the first decades of its existence before facing challenges due to reports on toxic metal in its jewelry and labor rights issues. Despite revenue in the billions of dollars in annual revenue during the 2010s, the founding Chang family sold Forever...

Florida’s new Attorney General, James Uthmeier, just dropped a bombshell that’s got the corporate giants sweating. The state’s hauling Target Corporation into court with a class-action lawsuit that’s accusing them of flat-out deceiving shareholders. And why? Because they shoved a pile of radical LGBTQ merchandise—stuff Uthmeier says was designed to “sexualize children”—right into their stores, knowing full well it could torch their bottom line. Do they think we’re all just too dumb to notice? Here’s the kicker: this isn’t some wild conspiracy cooked up in a basement. Florida’s claiming Target broke federal securities laws—big time—by hiding the risks tied to...

After more than 100 years in business, the flagship Neiman Marcus store in Downtown Dallas is closing. News of the closure broke Tuesday when the company’s new owners announced they were being forced to close the landmark location. Saks Global acquired the Dallas-based luxury brand last year.

Target was one of corporate America’s most forceful supporters of diversity and inclusion initiatives and vowed to support Black Americans in the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder by police in Target’s home city of Minneapolis in 2020. But less than five years later, Target has dialed back its high-profile DEI program. In 2020, Target CEO Brian Cornell said Floyd’s murder, which took place just 10 minutes from Target’s headquarters, had a personal impact on him and Target employees, and Cornell vowed to reopen one of Target’s stores damaged in protests against police violence. George Floyd “could have been one of...

A popular mall in Cobb County is shut down on Tuesday “due to unforeseen circumstances.” But a Georgia Power representative says mall management and community leaders were made aware of the issues. Channel 2 Cobb County Bureau Chief Michele Newell dropped by Town Center at Cobb on Tuesday morning where she found a sign on the door confirming that the mall was closed. Georgia Power says they have been working with Town Center for several months to resolve their “highly delinquent” bills. They went on to say that disconnecting service at the mall was a “last resort.”

Retail store closures surged in 2024, reaching their highest levels since the start of the pandemic, a new study said.A total of 7,325 U.S. stores closed in 2024, driven by inflation and an increasing shift toward online shopping, according to retail data firm Coresight Research. The closings marked the steepest decline in brick-and-mortar retail since nearly 10,000 stores closed in 2020. While 5,970 stores opened—the highest yearly number since 2012—closures outpaced openings by a net loss of 1,355 stores. "Retailers that were unable to adapt supply chains and implement technology to cut costs were significantly impacted, and we continue to...