News Briefs

Consumers are gearing up to celebrate Independence Day. 

Seventy-three percent of consumers plan to celebrate Fourth of July, according to Numerator data sourced from verified purchase data and a sentiment survey of over 5,500 consumers on their 2024 holiday intentions.

Nearly all celebrators plan to shop for the holiday — and food and alcohol top shopping lists. Ninety-four percent of consumers plan to make a purchase for the Fourth of July, with food items being the most popular (83% plan to purchase), followed by alcoholic beverages (48%), non-alcoholic beverages (38%), decorations (23%) and party supplies (21%).

The majority of shoppers plan to buy from grocery or big-box stores. Sixty-three percent of Independence Day shoppers plan to buy their supplies from grocery stores such as Kroger and Publix, 54% expect to buy from big-box stores such as Walmart and Costco, and 26% expect to shop at liquor stores.

Numerator found that holiday plans vary by generation and regionality. Compared to all celebrators, Gen Z is three times as likely to say they will go out for drinks (19% vs. 6%) and twice as likely to go out to eat (13% vs. 5%) or order food for takeout or delivery (10% vs. 5%). Midwestern consumers are more likely to attend a public celebration such as a parade or fireworks (39% vs. 31%), while Western consumers are more likely to travel for the holiday (16% vs. 11%).

Beer is the preferred alcoholic beverage for Independence Day. Among those who plan to purchase alcohol, beer (75% plan to buy) is the top choice, followed by spirits or spirit-based drinks (40%), wine (38%), and hard seltzers or canned cocktails (35%). Consumers in the Northeast are more likely to say they will purchase wine (51% vs. 38%), while consumers in the West are twice as likely to purchase champagne or sparkling wine (17% vs. 8%).

The finance chief of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage is retiring.

The specialty retailer of natural and organic groceries, body care products and dietary supplements said that Todd Dissinger, Chief Financial Officer plans to retire on Dec. 31, 2024. He will continue in the role until his successor is appointed to ensure a smooth transition. 

Natural Grocers said it will conduct a thorough process to identify Dissinger's successor with the assistance of an executive recruiting firm.

"Since his appointment as CFO in December 2017, Todd has been an invaluable member of our executive team, helping Natural Grocers to execute on its founding principles while achieving record financial performance and enhancing shareholder value," said Kemper Isely, chairman and co-president. "I want to thank Todd for his many contributions to our success and wish him well in retirement. We are grateful for his dedication and continuing leadership throughout this transition."

Founded in 1955, Natural Grocers has 168 stores in 21 states.

"I would like to express my gratitude to Kemper, the Isely family, our Board, and all our team members for the support and commitment they have extended during my tenure at Natural Grocers," said Dissinger. "I am fortunate to have had the opportunity to conclude my career at a company with a long legacy, and a clear and consistent mission committed to the health and well-being of its customers, communities, and employees. I'm proud to have been part of that mission and success. I am confident in Natural Grocers' bright future and look forward to doing everything I can to ensure a successful transition." 

Best Buy Canada has debuted its first slimmed-down store format – with many more to follow.

Best Buy Canada and telecommunications company Bell Canada have launched a partnership to open 167 stores under the Best Buy Express banner across Canada, with the first location now open in Guildford Town Centre, Surrey, British Columbia.  (Under the partnership, stores operated as The Source, a unit of Bell, will be rebranded as Best Buy Express.

All stores are slated to open by the end of 2024, following  the completion of renovations. Many are located in communities that have previously not had a Best Buy. 

The Express stores feature a curated assortment of tech products. More than 100,000 products will also be available to customers even if they’re not found in store via the retailer's fulfillment network.

 Other highlights of the Best Buy Express format include;

•Quick and easy pick-up: Customers will be able to shop Best Buy’s full assortment online, from small appliances to headphones, with the convenience of picking up and returning products at these locations.

•Exclusive telecom services: Customers will be able to shop Bell, Virgin Plus and Lucky Mobile telecommunications services, all backed by knowledgeable sales and support staff.

•Geek Squad services: Best Buy Express stores will offer Geek Squad services including Geek Squad Protection and services for all consumer electronics products.

A wholly owned subsidiary of Best Buy Co. Inc., Best Buy Canada Ltd. operates the Best Buy, Best Buy Mobile and Geek Squad brands. The company has more than 160 Best Buy and Best Buy Mobile stores across Canada and an expanded assortment of products offered through the BestBuy.ca e-commerce site.

“Opening 167 stores in five months may be a North American first. It’s certainly bold in retail today," said Ron Wilson, president, Best Buy Canada. "We’re excited to see these new stores come to life as we double our store count, expanding our presence across Canada. We’re proud to be able to offer our ultimate shopping convenience to new and existing customers.”

Nordstrom, Inc. continues to push ahead with the expansion of its off-price format.

The department store company announced plans to open a new Nordstrom Rack in Houston in spring 2025. The 30,000-sq.-ft. store will be located in Westchase Shopping Center, which is owned and managed by Kimco Realty.

Nordstrom’s expansion in Texas also includes the opening of two Nordstrom Rack stores this fall, including one at Meyerland Plaza in Houston and one at Bandera Pointe in San Antonio. The retailer currently operates eight Nordstrom stores and 21 Rack stores in Texas, generating approximately 4,000 jobs statewide. 

In addition to the newly announced location at Westchase Shopping Center in Houston, Nordstrom Rack plans to opening the following Rack stores in spring 2025 according to its website:

•The Davis Collection University Mall, Davis, Calif.;

•Randall Square, Geneva, Ill.;

•Sycamore Commons, Matthews, N.C.; and

•Manalapan Commons, Manalapan, N.J.

“Rack stores continue to be a growth engine for our company as they are our largest source of new customer acquisition, accounting for over 40%,” said CEO Erik Nordstrom on the company’s earnings call in March. “Growing our store count also supports long-term customer retention.”

Nordstrom plans to open 22 Rack stores this year, up from 19 last year. The retailer operates more than 350 Nordstrom, Nordstrom Local and Nordstrom Rack locations.

BJ’s Wholesale Club is looking ahead to 2025.

The membership warehouse club retailer said it will open a location in Hanover, N.J., and one in Southern Pines, N.C., early next year. The openings will mark BJ’s 25th club in New Jersey and 10th in North Carolina.

In addition, BJ's will open its first location in Kentucky (Louisville) next year, which will mark its 21st state of operation. The upcoming entry into the Bluegrass State continues the chain’s growth beyond the Northeast. 

Earlier this year, BJ's said it would open eight locations across the Southeast, Midwest and Northeast in its current fiscal year. (See the list of locations at end of article.)

BJ's hs been expanding its footprint beyond the Northeast. It entered Tennessee and Alabama in 2023, and at the start of 2024, opened its 37th club in Florida. 

 “As we continue to expand our footprint along the East Coast and beyond, we look forward to helping more families save up to 25 percent off grocery story prices every day,” said Bill Werner, executive VP, strategy and development, BJ’s Wholesale Club, which operates 244 clubs and 177 BJ's Gas locations in 20 states. 

Here are the eight locations BJ's previously announced. 

•Maryville, Tenn,

•Myrtle Beach, S.C.

•Palm Coast, Fla.

•West Palm Beach, Fla.

•Carmel, Ind. 

•Staten Island, N.Y.

•Brooksville, Fla.

•St. Johns, Fla.

For its third year, Saturday Night Nitro is returning to the Mall of America, giving guests a chance to see wrestling action in person.

America’s largest shopping mall will host Saturday Night Nitro, presented by F1RST Wrestling on Sept. 7 in the Huntington Bank Rotunda. Previous guests have included WWE Hall of Famer Rob Van Dam, former AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy, along with Matt Hardy, Victoria, and Erick Rowan. This year, AEW fan favorite Danhausen will join the lineup. 

The festivities for the all-ages event begin on Friday, September 6 with the F1RST Wrestling Fan Fest at The Fair on 4 from 6 – 9 p.m. Fans will have the opportunity to meet the wrestling stars, enjoy axe throwing, indoor go-karts, and indulge in food and craft cocktails.

“Originally we wanted to pay homage to World Championship Wrestling (WCW) by bringing professional wrestling back to Mall of America,” said Chris Grap, VP of experiential at Mall of America. “What F1RST Wrestling delivered to their fans has far exceeded that initial vision – making it one of our biggest events of the year. It’s a night of top tier talent, full of surprises, that’s not to be missed."

Tickets for this year's Saturday Night Nitro are on sale now.

At 5.6 million sq. ft., Mall of America, located in Bloomington, Minn., is the largest shopping and entertainment complex in North America with up to 520 world-class retail stores and restaurants, and several entertainment attractions.