I love the call-out to Les Terraces, the mall space that used to be in that space before the Eaton Centre took it over. I will say, though, that when walked through renovated the Eaton Centre / Les Ailles in January the space as a whole felt, cold, impersonal, dead.

#montreal #retail

https://retail-insider.com/retail-insider/spotlight-articles/2026/02/montreal-eaton-centre-opens-les-terrasses-food-court/

Canadians are roasting proposed glow-ups at Loblaw-owned stores
Loblaw revealed new designs for its Shoppers Drug Mart and No Frills expansion, and Canadians aren't impressed.On Monday, the president and CEO of Loblaw Companies Ltd., Per Bank, announced that the company will open dozens of new stores across Canada, creating thousands of jobs.Canada's largest groce...
#economy #business #retail #Canada
https://www.blogto.com/city/2026/02/canadians-roasting-shoppers-drug-mart-no-frills-redesign/

Apple's Second Retail Store in Mumbai Opens This Thursday

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.macrumors.com/2026/02/25/apple-borivali-opens-thursday-mumbai/

New comic strip found:
Adult Children - 2026-02-25 https://www.gocomics.com/adult-children/2026/02/25

#comicstrip #adultchildren #retail

[#TRADESHOW] The 34th #HOTELEX #Shanghai #International #Hotel and #Catering #Industry #Expo will be held from March 30 to April 2, 2026, at the National #Exhibition and #Convention #Center (Shanghai), #China. As one of #Asia’s most #influential #hospitality and #foodservice #trade #exhibitions, HOTELEX integrates the full hotel, catering, #tourism, and #retail #SupplyChain, serving as a #global procurement and #innovation #platform. https://cnbusinessforum.com/event/34th-hotelex-shanghai-international-hotel-and-catering-industry-expo-2026/

Politicians demand action as M&S closure sparks row over council “vanity projects”

Liberal Democrats have accused Swansea Council‘s Labour leadership of making “ridiculous” assurances about the impact of multimillion-pound regeneration schemes, pointing to recent claims that the new library would drive footfall to M&S.

Meanwhile, Plaid Cymru’s Sioned Williams MS has written to the Welsh Government demanding support for the 92 staff facing redundancy, describing the closure as a “sickeningly familiar story” of high streets losing historic stores.

The political fallout comes just days after M&S confirmed it will shut its Oxford Street store later this year, ending nearly a century of trading in the city centre.

Welsh Liberal Democrat lead Senedd candidate Cllr Sam Bennett said: “Time and time again the Labour Council Leader has assured us that the massive city centre projects would be the saving of the high street, and this announcement raises big questions.

“At the most recent Council meeting the Leader went as far to say how people were celebrating that the move of the library meant they could now go to M&S, this now sounds ridiculous.”

Cllr Chris Holley, Leader of the Opposition on Swansea Council and Welsh Lib Dem Group Leader, went further, claiming the council had privately assured them M&S would remain once the Yr Storfa development opened.

“We have continually asked and been told that Labour’s vanity projects would be the saving of our high street, and even been told in a meeting M&S would stay once Yr Storfa had opened,” he said.

“This is deeply embarrassing for Labour, and is a tragedy for the city centre workers and shoppers as the Swansea high street takes another blow.”

The Liberal Democrats say they have long called for cheaper and easier parking to encourage city centre use, alongside reforms to business rates and VAT cuts to support high street retailers.

Torsten Bell, Labour MP for Swansea West, struck a more conciliatory tone, expressing “deep disappointment” at the closure and focusing on the impact on staff and customers.

“This decision will be a blow to the many loyal customers who regularly use the store, and for the dedicated employees, some who have worked for M&S over many years,” Mr Bell said.

“They need to be shown the dignity and respect they deserve, while it’s vital they are treated fairly during this difficult time. I have already contacted Senior M&S Managers, with a meeting arranged for next Friday to discuss this further.”

Mr Bell noted the closure comes “at a time when the City Centre has seen huge regeneration at key sites and more top retailers showing confidence in Swansea.”

Sioned Williams MS, Plaid Cymru Member of the Senedd for South Wales West, drew parallels with M&S’s departure from Neath in May 2024, saying the closures represent more than just job losses.

“As with Marks and Spencer’s departure from Neath in May 2024, this is more than losing a job or losing a shop, it’s losing a piece of local history,” she said.

“The Oxford Street store is an important part of many people’s lives, not least for the 92 who work there currently. During its 100 year presence in Swansea, there will have been people who have given their working lives to this store and loyal customers who have helped build this company’s multimillion pound profits.”

Ms Williams said she had written to the Welsh Government asking what support will be offered to staff, and will be writing to M&S to urge them to retain a full-line store in the area.

“I’m glad to see the company not ruling out maintaining a presence in Swansea, but that location should be in the city centre, and not out of town,” she added.

The closure announcement has raised questions about the effectiveness of Swansea Council’s regeneration strategy, which has seen millions of pounds invested in projects including the Copr Bay arena, the new library and museum complex, and the ongoing Yr Storfa development.

M&S has indicated it is considering alternative locations in the Swansea area, but has not confirmed whether any replacement store would be in the city centre or at an out-of-town retail park.

The Oxford Street store, which has traded for nearly 100 years, is expected to close later in 2026, with staff consultations now underway.

New comic strip found:
Adult Children - 2026-02-23 https://www.gocomics.com/adult-children/2026/02/23

#comicstrip #adultchildren #retail

I accidentally clicked on the wrong listing on #AliExpress, and now every third item it shows me is some random replacement part for cheap trumpets.

#algorithmic #retail #trumpet #FirstWorldProblem #parts #PartsIsParts #oops

New comic strip found:
Adult Children - 2026-02-24 https://www.gocomics.com/adult-children/2026/02/24

#comicstrip #adultchildren #retail

#Retail data might be one of the most overlooked signals in #telecom strategy.

In this latest Microsoft for Startups spotlight, I explore how Tembi, transforms billions of retail datapoints into forward looking intelligence for #telco leaders.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/1BkteEDkKFIRbPmiyLi9bY?si=1761624340a14d56

#Retail data might be one of the most overlooked signals in #telecom strategy https://www.linkedin.com/posts/shishs_retail-telecom-telco-activity-7432111517514285056-SxAV

#telco #MWC2026 #Microsoft #Startups

M&S to close 69-year-old Swansea store in ‘huge shock’ to council

The retailer confirmed the proposed closure is due to a “sustained decline in sales over 10 years,” making the huge Oxford Street store no longer viable. While no exact date has been set, the closure is planned for late 2026.

In a letter to council leader Rob Stewart, M&S Head of External Affairs, Adam Hawksbee, explained the decision was part of a UK-wide programme to ensure stores are in the “right space to deliver an excellent shopping experience.”

“This proposal follows a sustained decline in sales over 10 years, meaning it is no longer viable as a full-line store,” Mr Hawksbee wrote. “Our store rotation programme is about ensuring we have the right stores, in the right place with the right space to deliver an excellent shopping experience for our customers.”

Responding on Facebook, Cllr Rob Stewart called the decision “hugely disappointing” and a “huge shock to the council, as it will to the staff and customers.”

He revealed that the council had successfully worked behind the scenes to prevent the store from being included in previous national closure rounds.

“We had successfully worked behind the scenes engaging with M&S senior decision makers to avoid this store being included in the previous rounds of M&S closures and have been encouraging M&S to invest,” Cllr Stewart said. “However yesterday’s urgent meeting and the letter that followed, has come as a huge shock.”

An official Swansea Council statement added: “The news from M&S is extremely disappointing for staff and shoppers. We’ve spent several years actively working to prevent M&S closing at this location.”

Despite the closure, both parties have stated they are committed to keeping the M&S brand in Swansea. The council confirmed it will “do all we can to help M&S find an alternative store location in Swansea.”

This is reinforced in the M&S letter, which states: “Despite the proposed closure, M&S remains fully committed to serving customers across Wales… while actively looking for a suitable location for a future full-line M&S store in Swansea.”

Once the Oxford Street store closes, shoppers will still be able to visit M&S Foodhalls at Fforestfach Retail Park and in Mumbles. The nearest full-line department store will be at Parc Trostre in Llanelli.

The closure is another blow to the city centre, with the M&S building occupying a prime position next door to the council’s recently opened Y Storfa community hub, which itself is housed in the former BHS building.

The move is part of a wider national strategy that has already seen nearly 90 M&S stores close, including the Neath store in 2025.

UK storage company collapses into administration – ‘2 decades of successful sales’ | UK | News

A leading media-based production storage company has appointed administrators on Tuesday (February 24) after two decades of su…
#NewsBeep #News #Headlines #administration #creativeworkflows #FastNASlines #foundingin2000 #GBLabsLtd #high-speedvideoediting #ITstorage #LondonGazette #MarketFinancialSolutions #mediastoragesolutions #retail #Storeclosures #UK #UnitedKingdom
https://www.newsbeep.com/406724/

Ontario getting 27 new Loblaw stores and thousands of jobs in 2026
Loblaw Companies Limited is gearing up for a busy year as the company announced today that it will open dozens of new stores across the country, creating thousands of jobs.Canada's largest grocery and pharmacy retailer said in a release that it will invest $2.4 billion into the Canadian economy in 2026.The mo...
#business #economy #jobs #retail #Ontario #BC
https://www.blogto.com/city/2026/02/ontario-new-loblaw-stores-jobs-2026/

Reassuring to no end 😋

#Retail #Inventory #Marketing

80 percent of retail sites vulnerable to AI agent spoofing #Retail #ArtificialIntelligence

https://betanews.com/article/80-percent-of-retail-sites-vulnerable-to-ai-agent-spoofing/

Carmarthen High Street sees remarkable turnaround with 19% footfall surge

New data from retail intelligence firm MRI Software revealed the impressive growth, placing Carmarthen just behind Ballycastle High Street in County Antrim, which saw a 20% increase. The turnaround comes after a difficult period for the town centre, which has been hit hard by the loss of big-name retailers.

In recent years, Carmarthen has seen the closure of major stores including Wilko, Joules, and the flagship Debenhams department store. However, the new data suggests a significant bounce-back, fueled by a combination of new investment, council-led regeneration, and a focus on independent businesses.

This recovery is being driven by several key initiatives. The town’s former Debenhams store is being reborn as “Atriwm”, a major health and wellbeing hub, while plans are also underway for a revamp of the Cambrian Way shopping centre to include new apartments.

Carmarthenshire Council has also announced funding to bring empty commercial buildings back into use and setting out new plans for the future of the town centre. Support for smaller businesses has also been a focus, with initiatives like pop-up shops offering local businesses a retail spot amongst national chains.

The positive trend is further boosted by new openings, such as the new B&Q store set to open in late February.

The MRI Software report, which analysed data from thousands of retail destinations, states that Carmarthen’s 18.9% year-on-year growth was twice as big as all but two other high streets in the UK, demonstrating its exceptional performance.

Top 5 Fastest-Growing High Streets in the UK (2025)

The research also identified the top-performing retail parks and shopping centres. Newcastle Quays Retail Park in North Shields led the retail park category with 10% growth, while the Victoria Shopping Centre in Southend was the fastest-growing shopping centre with a 12% increase in footfall.

[#TRADESHOW] The 34th #HOTELEX #Shanghai #International #Hotel and #Catering #Industry #Expo will be held from March 30 to April 2, 2026, at the National #Exhibition and #Convention #Center (Shanghai), #China. As one of #Asia’s most #influential #hospitality and #foodservice #trade #exhibitions, HOTELEX integrates the full hotel, catering, #tourism, and #retail #SupplyChain, serving as a #global procurement and #innovation #platform. https://cnbusinessforum.com/event/34th-hotelex-shanghai-international-hotel-and-catering-industry-expo-2026/

New comic strip found:
Adult Children - 2026-02-21 https://www.gocomics.com/adult-children/2026/02/21

#comicstrip #adultchildren #retail

New comic strip found:
Adult Children - 2026-02-22 https://www.gocomics.com/adult-children/2026/02/22

#comicstrip #adultchildren #retail