Data released today by the U.S. Census Bureau showed retail sales growth in May despite a downturn in overall sales amid fluctuating tariffs on imported merchandise, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF). May retail sales in the building and …
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True Value Awards Grants to Support Local Community Youth Spaces
True Value announced it has awarded 171 grants to stores across the U.S. and abroad through the True Value Foundation to support local stores in creating and revamping community spaces for children and teens. “This is an investment in the …
Read More »CNRG Names New President
Central Network Retail Group (CNRG)—a wholly owned subsidiary of Orgill, comprised of 143 stores and 18 brands in 16 states—announced that Craig Cowart has been promoted to the role of company president. Cowart had been serving as chief operating officer …
Read More »Retail Sales Continue to Grow in May
Retail sales in May continued to grow despite a slowdown on stocking up ahead of tariffs, according to the CNBC/National Retail Federation’s (NRF) Retail Monitor. “The data for May indicates that the pull-forward in consumer demand ahead of tariffs is …
Read More »Labor Shortages Stunt New Housing Production
A study released by the Home Builders Institute (HBI) in collaboration with the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) revealed that the impact of labor shortages on the residential construction industry is significantly responsible for the lost production of many …
Read More »Ace Exec on Company’s Push to Bring Service and Retail Together
As the company works to build a dual-channel model of retail and service, Ace Hardware has made promoting and expanding its Ace Home Services a priority in 2025. Ace Hardware Home Services brings professional home repair and maintenance solutions directly …
Read More »Home Improvement Market Forecast Revised Downward for Remainder of 2025
The Home Improvement Research Institute (HIRI) announced findings from its latest U.S. Size of the Home Improvement Products Market Report, including a revised downward forecast in 2025 due to sustained macroeconomic challenges. The home improvement market as a whole reached …
Read More »Walmart Launches AI Shopping Assistant for Customers
Walmart recently announced the launch of a new GenAI-powered shopping assistant, Sparky. Using the smiling, “Ask Sparky” button in the Walmart app, Walmart customers can use Sparky to search for items, synthesize reviews and answer product questions. Walmart also announced …
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