All articles tagged with #retail expansion
Ikea announced plans to open a 54,000-square-foot Madison store at Prairie Towne Center in the former Bed Bath & Beyond, featuring fully furnished room settings with over 5,000 products and a Swedish deli, with a fall opening.
TPCi’s Pokemon TCG vending network rose 27% to 1,871 machines across 28 states—the second-largest growth year—yet about 207 machines were removed and 562 added since last summer, roughly one in seven machines relocated or removed. California now leads with 372 machines (109 additions, 58 removals), Washington and Texas follow. Three new states—Wisconsin, North Carolina, and South Carolina—joined via new chains (Pick ’n Save/Metro Market in WI; Harris Teeter in the Carolinas). Florida and New York still have none. A full map isn’t published, and results for the fiscal year ending February will be announced in May.
Trader Joe’s has secured a permit to build out a store at 804 W. Montrose Ave. in Uptown, Chicago, signaling progress on plans to open a new Uptown location. The Uptown store would be the third Chicago location announced since October, with Logan Square and Fulton Market also in the pipeline. The company has previously sought liquor licenses for the Montrose site and said it is evaluating multiple Chicago locations, as its expansion accelerates even amid ongoing vacancy issues around Uptown storefronts.
IKEA announced Oklahoma’s first store will open in Tulsa in 2026—a 51,000-square-foot, smaller-format outlet at the former Belk site in Tulsa Hills Shopping Center—with no exact opening date yet; the plan is part of a broader U.S. expansion that includes other cities, while IKEA reported $5.3 billion in 2025 sales and over 61 million store visits; local leaders welcomed the project and more details will be released closer to opening.
IKEA will open a 64,000-square-foot Fort Collins store in 2026 at Front Range Village, its third Colorado location, offering 3,200 items for immediate purchase and 250 small furniture items, plus food and an in-store planning area; the move is part of IKEA's 2026 U.S. expansion aiming for about 10 new stores.
Amazon is shutting down the majority of its Go and Fresh physical stores, converting remaining locations to Whole Foods Market outlets; customers can still order Amazon Fresh online, while the company expands Whole Foods with 100+ new stores and new formats, and continues testing other physical-store concepts.
Barnes & Noble is opening its largest Chicago store at 150 N. State St. this summer, taking over a former Old Navy space, as part of a broader expansion in the city. The new 30,000-square-foot store will be a significant addition to the struggling State Street corridor and is one of four new locations opening in Chicago, including stores in Hyde Park, Skokie, and Oak Park. While the expansion is welcomed by some, local independent bookstores are concerned about losing business, with some closing or experiencing declines in sales.
Barnes & Noble is set to open its seventh San Antonio store in summer 2026 at the Huebner Oaks Shopping Center, as part of a nationwide expansion plan to open 60 stores in 2026, following a period of decline due to competition from Amazon and Kindle devices.
Skims, the shapewear brand co-founded by Kim Kardashian, has reached a $5 billion valuation after raising $225 million in funding, which will be used to expand its physical retail presence and grow globally, amid fierce competition in the industry.
Toys R Us has opened a seasonal holiday shop at Deptford Mall in Gloucester County, New Jersey, as part of a broader plan to establish 10 new flagship stores and 20 holiday shops nationwide, featuring popular toy brands like LEGO, Barbie, and NERF, to rebuild its retail presence.
Amazon has launched a new private-label grocery brand called Amazon Grocery, offering over 1,000 items mostly under $5 to attract budget-conscious shoppers, available online and at Amazon Fresh stores, as part of its broader strategy to expand its grocery footprint amid rising food prices.
Michaels is reviving the Joann brand within its stores by creating a new Knit & Sew Shop section using Joann’s branding and products, and expanding its party supplies section, making it North America’s largest specialty fabric and party retailer. This move follows Michaels' acquisition of Joann’s intellectual property after Joann's bankruptcy, aiming to capitalize on the decline of other specialty stores like Joann and Party City. The new sections are already in 840 stores and will expand further, with plans to hire 10,000 seasonal workers for the upcoming holiday season.
Build-A-Bear has seen over 60% stock growth in 2025 despite tariffs and declining mall traffic, driven by strong store performance and consumer interest in craft-oriented products, with the company adjusting strategies to mitigate tariff impacts.
Costco, Sam's Club, and BJ's Wholesale are expanding their store networks and attracting more members, especially younger demographics, driven by increased demand for value, convenience, and digital shopping options. These clubs are innovating with new products, technology, and store formats to sustain growth amid economic and tariff challenges.
Gap is expanding into the beauty and personal-care market by launching products in 150 Old Navy stores later this year, with plans to scale the business next year, as part of a strategic move to capitalize on the fast-growing and resilient beauty industry.