Retail

Marrs to open Bentonville store

HGTV’s “Fixer to Fabulous” stars Dave and Jenny Marrs plan to open their second store this spring in Northwest Arkansas, according to a news release. Marrs on Main will be…

E.C. Barton & Company to open six new locations across the south

E.C. Barton & Company will open six new Home Outlet stores in 2025, the Jonesboro-based retail chain said Wednesday (Jan. 15). The new stores will be located in Athens and…

The Supply Side: Walmart bolsters position in Chile with $1.3 billion investment

While Walmart has downsized its global portfolio, the retail giant continues to invest in countries where it sees growth opportunities. The company recently said it will invest $1.3 billion in…

NRF: December retail sales increased 7.24%

December holiday sales rose 7.24% from a year ago and advanced 1.74% from the prior month, according to the CNBC and National Retail Federation Retail Monitor data that excluded automobiles…

U.S. online grocery sales up 18.52% in December

Consumers continue to spend more of their grocery dollars online with total U.S. e-grocery sales of $9.6 billion in December, up 18.52% compared with December 2023, according to Brick Meets…

Family Leisure facility planned for Gateway Town Center

Badu Holdings, Inc. purchased a 5.3-acre commercial lot at Little Rock’s Gateway Town Center in December in a sale totaling $1.95 million. Isaac Smith, Justin Bentley and Lee Strother, all…

Adobe: U.S. online spending topped $241 billion this past holiday season

Early reports of online holiday spending (Nov. 1 to Dec. 31, 2024) peg U.S. sales rising 8.7% to $241.4 billion, ahead of earlier estimates by Adobe Analytics. The figures are…

The Supply Side: Retailers expect higher costs from proposed import tariffs

The National Retail Federation (NRF) and Hackett Associates report retailers are under pressure as they front load cargo to avoid the disruption of a possible strike and higher costs from…

The Supply Side: Private brands continue to grow retail market share in 2024

Private brands, like Walmart’s Great Value, see continued growth in many categories. According to new data from Numerator, 99.9% of consumers purchased a private-label grocery item in the past 12…

2024 sales tax revenue moderates in top NWA cities

The four largest cities in Benton and Washington counties had different results in their annual sales tax revenue for 2024. Combined revenue in the full year of reports totaled $113.845…

Year in Review: The top 10 Northwest Arkansas stories of 2024

A $700 million investment in health care, a 2,700-acre land sale, and a new CEO, basketball coach and mayor comprise some of the top Northwest Arkansas business stories of 2024….

Fort Smith businessman, community ‘advocate’ Kelly Newton has died

Longtime Fort Smith businessman and community supporter Kelly Newton has died following what his family says was a “courageous fight with pancreatic cancer.” He was 74. Newton for decades owned…

The Supply Side: Walmart CEO says company ‘just getting started’ with changes

Walmart CEO Doug McMillon, 58, has logged 40 years in the retail business, spending the past decade at the helm of the global retail and technology company. He is the…

Connections: Hall Booth Smith adds attorneys in Northwest Arkansas office

Hall Booth Smith recently added attorneys Travis Linn, Bethany Michau, and Rylie Slone to the firm’s Northwest Arkansas office in Rogers. The Atlanta-based firm also has an office in Little…

Walton Family Foundation design program has backed 20 NWA projects

Since its inception in 2015, the Northwest Arkansas Design Excellence Program of the Walton Family Foundation has provided $28 million to support the design of 20 projects for community gathering…

The Supply Side: Holiday sales exceed expectations, fueled by online growth

The early forecasts for holiday sales were somewhat lackluster, but with the first half of the shopping season in the books, the results are better than expected, according to Matthew…

Harps Food building new stores in Conway, Fort Smith

With construction set to begin on a Harps Food Store on the Arkansas College of Health Education (ACHE) campus, Springdale-based Harps is looking for a tenant. A building permit valued…

More U.S. consumers turn to deferred payment options

With consumers trying to stretch holiday budgets while also avoiding high credit card interest rates, more shoppers are turning to buy now, pay later (BNPL) options. Adobe Analytics projects BNPL…

Holiday side jobs popular in 2024; highest among Gen Z

While traditional holiday retail hiring was down this year, more consumers are finding seasonal work like home and office decorating and gift wrapping to earn holiday cash, according to career.io,…

NRF report shows November retail sales up 2.35%

The National Retail Federation (NRF) reports total sales for goods (excluding automobiles and fuel) increased 2.35% in November, according to credit and debit card purchases compiled by Affinity Solutions for…

Fort Smith Metro News Briefs: ‘Oceanscape’ playground work begins, Mercy stroke program renewed

Walmart likely to tap insiders for expected leadership changes

Dan Wright re-elected Arkansas Farm Bureau president

Arkansas Tourism Ticker: Tourism tax numbers down through August, job numbers up