Retail

Harps to open 10Box Cost-Plus store in Van Buren

Springdale-based Harps plans to soon open one of its 10Box Cost-Plus Food Stores in the Cloverleaf Plaza in Van Buren. It will be the 14th 10Box location for the grocery…

Walmart cutting corporate jobs, relocating workers

Walmart is closing a corporate office in Charlotte, N.C., and will cut some jobs and move others to offices in Bentonville and California. Walmart would not disclose how many jobs…

The Supply Side: Growth, challenges expected in convenience store sector in 2025

The convenience store segment faced economic challenges in 2024 with shifting consumer preferences, consolidation, inflation and labor management hurdles, according to a report from Placer.ai. The good news is foot…

Tyson Foods quarterly net income beats estimates, revenue up 2.3%

Springdale-based Tyson Foods on Monday (Feb. 3) reported net income of $359 million, well above $107 million a year ago. On an adjusted basis, the company reported net income at…

Survey notes top retail industry challenges in 2025

A retail executive survey by Deloitte found a majority of respondents expect climate change, increasing price wars and retail theft among the biggest concerns in 2025. Other challenges included changing…

Car-Mart completes $200 million securities transaction

Rogers-based America’s Car-Mart Inc. has completed a $200 million securities transaction that was more than 10 times oversubscribed, according to a Monday (Feb. 3) news release. The weighted average coupon…

Springdale pickleball project on track for spring groundbreaking

A $50 million pickleball development planned for southeast of Interstate 49 and Elm Springs Road in Springdale is projected to attract 25,000 to 30,000 tourists to the state each year,…

The Supply Side: Retailers shuttered more than 7,300 stores in 2024

Plenty of U.S. retailers had a challenging 2024 amid higher interest rates and shifting consumer behaviors. Those factors and more resulted in a surge of store closures that totaled 7,327,…

Fort Smith’s 2024 sales tax revenue slightly below 2023 record levels

While Fort Smith sales tax revenue rebounded slightly in December, like they did in the previous month, the 2024 totals still fell below what was budgeted for the year, which…

State of the State 2025: Retailers invest in technology amid tepid growth expectations

The diverse retail sector withstood inflation, high interest rates and changing consumer preferences in 2024, but still managed to garner a combined $5.28 trillion in sales, up 3.6% from the…

Walmart makes several leadership changes ahead of new fiscal year

Walmart is making leadership changes in its global business, according to an internal memo posted Jan. 17 by Walmart U.S. CEO John Furner, Sam’s Club CEO Chris Nicholas, and Walmart…

The Supply Side: Retail returns expected at $890 billion in 2024, up 15%

The National Retail Federation (NRF) estimates that 17% of items sold in 2024 were returned in 2024, totaling $890 billion, which is 15% higher than the previous year. The trade…

Walmart officials say new HQ is ‘everyone’s campus,’ honors Walton legacy

Unable to renew a store lease in Newport, Ark., and the desire to reach better hunting areas are two of the many reasons Sam Walton moved his small retail store…

Walmart unveils parts of 350-acre corporate campus in Bentonville

Walmart on Friday (Jan. 17) opened part of its new corporate campus sprawled over 350 acres in the heart of Bentonville to the media. More than 15,000 corporate employees will…

Walmart to sell robotics business in initial $200 million deal

Walmart has agreed to sell its robotics business to Massachusetts-based Symbotic for $200 million at closing with additional future contingency payments. Walmart is also paying Symbotic $520 million for automated…

New report shows holiday sales grew 4% to $994.1 billion

The National Retail Federation (NRF) reported that November and December spending totaled $994.1 billion, up 4% over the same period in 2023. Spending came in ahead of the trade group’s…

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…

Fort Smith Metro News Briefs: ACME input now online, UAFS students receive SURF grants

Arkansas to lead National Advanced Manufacturing Apprenticeship expansion

The Supply Side: Boomer generation concedes spending power to young consumers

2nd cohort of new lithium accelerator shows innovations in Bentonville