Retail

Then & Now: Ryan reflects on success in people-oriented business

McBride Distributing Company Inc. in Fayetteville will celebrate 75 years in business next year. Angela Ryan’s grandfather, Charles “Mac” McBride, founded the Anheuser-Busch wholesaler in 1950 and passed it on…

The Supply Side: Bentonville-based Hillfolk gets craft kits into 1,500 Walmart stores

For lifelong crafters Bea Apple and Trisha Logan, getting their Hillfolk craft kits into Walmart was a dream come true. The partners launched Hillfolk in 2018 as a studio and…

Freight recession likely to continue into early 2025

The less-than-truckload (LTL) market is faring better but still has freight volumes below pre-pandemic levels, according to Jason Miller, logistics professor at Michigan State University, who took part in a…

Gelatissimo to open in downtown Rogers

Global gelato brand Gelatissimo will open its first Arkansas store in Rogers as part of its U.S. expansion plans. The Italian-style gelato company will open a “flagship store” on Oct….

Happy Egg in Rogers merges with Egg Innovations

Rogers-based egg company Happy Egg Co. has acquired Egg Innovations, a Warsaw, Ind.-based egg company. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. According to a news release, Happy Egg…

Northwest Arkansas sales tax revenue slides 5.19% in October report

Fayetteville, Springdale, Rogers and Bentonville together reported sales tax revenue of $9.648 million in the October report, down 5.19%, compared with a year ago. Year-to-date the four cities report sales…

The Supply Side: Collin Street Bakery fruitcakes receive Walmart ‘golden ticket’

Thomas McNutt, 34, is a fourth-generation owner of the Collin Street Bakery in Corsicana, Texas. In the town of about 25,000, the bakery will ship around 1 million pounds of…

Walmart adds same-day delivery on prescriptions in Arkansas, other states

Walmart announced Tuesday (Oct. 22) it is delivering medications from its pharmacies in Arkansas, Missouri, New York, Nevada, South Carolina and Wisconsin. The retail giant said the service would be…

Consumer spending up marginally in September

Consumer spending dipped in September with the retail sales of goods up 0.55% from a year ago, and down 0.32% from the prior month, according to a recent National Retail…

$55 million High Street development coming to Johnson Square

A $55 million mixed-use development east of Interstate 49 in Johnson will be the next phase of the 93-acre Johnson Square neighborhood. It is expected to be completed in spring…

Bentonville software provider Nuqleous buys Canada-based SpringBoard

Bentonville-based software firm Nuqleous has acquired Canada-based SpringBoard Data Management, according to a Thursday (Oct. 17) news release. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. SpringBoard provides retail analytics…

The Supply Side: Fire Dept. Coffee celebrates 1 successful year in Walmart

Rockford, Ill.-based Fire Dept. Coffee just celebrated its inaugural year as a Walmart vendor. Luke Schneider, CEO and founder of the company, said it’s been a wild ride to follow…

NRF: Holiday sales forecast at 2.5% to 3.5% growth from year ago

The National Retail Federation (NRF) predicts more normal growth for 2024 holiday sales. The growth forecast ranges between 2.5% to 3.5% from the prior year with total holiday sales between…

Walmart names Seth Dallaire as new growth officer, adds other duties

Seth Dallaire, Walmart chief revenue officer, will also take on the duties of chief growth officer as the Bentonville-based global retail giant continues to accelerate its transformation into a fully…

The Supply Side: ’Ugly’ fruit company owners get Walmart’s attention

Ben Moore, founder and CEO of The Ugly Co., and Matt Gorella, chief brand officer, have in the past year worked to get their all-natural fruit snacks into 400 Sam’s…

Car-Mart sells $300 million in asset-backed notes

Rogers-based America’s Car-Mart Inc. has completed a $300 million term securitization transaction, the company announced Friday (Oct. 11). The company previously completed a $250 million securitization transaction in January. According…

Consumer prices rose 2.4% in September

The prices of most goods and services ticked higher in September. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) was up 2.4% from the year-ago period, according to Thursday’s (Oct. 10) report from…

Report: Higher-income households fuel Walmart’s growth

Execs with Bentonville-based Walmart have in recent years often said they are reaching more affluent consumers who found them during the COVID-19 pandemic and have become regular omnichannel shoppers. Walmart…

NRF: Retail imports remain strong, estimated 12.9% growth in September

The National Retail Federation (NRF) in concert with Hackett Associates projects September freight at the nation’s major ports to be up 12.9% compared to a year ago with an estimated…

Six communities chosen to take part in the 2024 Retail Academy program

The Arkansas Economic Development Commission (AEDC) has selected six Arkansas communities to participate in the 2024 Retail Academy program. The participating communities include Crossett, Hope, Marion, Morrilton, Newport, and Stuttgart….