Tag Archives: economy

Sears has big plans for some small stores. If a pilot program goes well, then Sears Holdings Corp. will add a store format that is much smaller than its stores have been in the past, according to an article from …

Since California and New York approved minimum wage increases this month, minimum wage is fresh on business owners’ minds. But increases–even up to a $15 base wage–aren’t cause for intense anxiety, says Gina Schaefer, who owns A Few Cool Hardware Stores’ 11 locations in Washington, D.C., …

Before they felt the pressure of the economic downturn in 2008, consumers considered the convenience of a store’s location as more important than price–but the recession changed that. Price became the top factor in choosing a store, and consumers placed a higher priority …

In the past few years, we’ve seen millennials who, after graduating from college, have chosen to live downtown or in an urban area (usually renting an apartment in the neighborhood of their choice). There’s plenty of nightlife and other activities …

The U.S. economy continues to improve, and home improvement product sales are up — factors that should only bode well for home improvement retailers. Total home improvement product sales increased in 2015, and are expected to grow even more in 2016 and …

According to the latest forecast released by the American Rental Association (ARA), the equipment rental industry should experience stable growth through the next few years. Reflecting the continued growth in residential and nonresidential construction combined with a downward shift in …

Last week, big box retailers Home Depot and Lowe’s both announced their fourth-quarter revenues with sales growth that suggests consumers are increasingly spending money on home improvement purchases. Read the following articles for more details on the companies’ financial performance: Home Depot’s …

What will the small business landscape look like in 2016? That’s what Manta’s Semi-Annual Wellness Index asked small business owners when they asked them to evaluate their businesses and share what issues they expect to cause concern in 2016, according …