News

Final Holiday Numbers Top Expectations

Washington, DC - After a season full of peaks and valleys, final figures for retailers' 2011 holiday sales beat expectations, rising 4.1% to $471.5 billion year-over year. Earlier forecasts by the National Retail Federation were... more »

New Flower and Jewelry Shop Opening in Maplewood

Maplewood, MO - Local artists Kate Vallaroy and Allyson Wilmowski know that two heads are better than one, and two people with creative minds are even better.The entrepreneurs are opening a new store called Screaming... more »

Holiday Shopping: Merchants Ring up Robust Sales

Wilton, CT - Drawn by the mild weather and a national small business promotion, shoppers helped boost holiday sales in local stores this season, with most merchants in an informal survey reporting better results than... more »

Former Downtown Clothing Store Manager Branches Out

Royal Oak, MI - Starting a women's clothing and accessories boutique certainly wasn't a "walk in the park" for life-long Royal Oak resident Sandra Rome, but she credits part of the decor inside Studio Sandra... more »

Fern Solomon Wants You to Buy American — And That’s What She’s Selling

Long Beach, CA - For 30 years, Fern Solomon has had a mission -- to market American-made products. Solomon's store, Fern's Garden at 5308 E. Second St., showcases American-made gift items and merchandise produced ethically... more »

Shoppers Seek ‘Made in USA’ Label

Hampton, VA - Tish Llaneza decided it was going to be a "Made in the USA" Christmas at her Hampton store, and customers responded by emptying the shelves.There are only a few items left in... more »

Kitchenware Industry Vet Opens Retail Store

McKinney, TX - After years of advising independent kitchenware retailers across the country, Karen Chandler opened her own kitchenware store, Kitchenwares on the Square, in McKinney, Texas, in September.For more than eight years, Chandler has... more »

National Retail Federation Says Holiday Sales up 4.1 Percent, But Discounting Clouds Results

New York, NY - A major retail trade organization is announcing that holiday sales rose 4.1 percent, better than its forecast for a 3.8 percent gain. But the season was clouded by heavy discounting needed... more »

Zimmerman’s Nuts & Candies Has it All – Candy, Peanut Butter, Coffee

Penbrook, PA - Walking into Zimmerman's Nuts & Candies is a baker's dream and a child's fantasy. There are miles of shelves of chocolate candy, candy-colored gems, gummy candy of all shapes and sizes, malted... more »

Local Merchants Tend to Report Strong Holiday Season

Petoskey, MI - The 2011 holiday season brought gifts such as solid sales performance and store traffic for numerous Northern-Michigan based retailers."We were very happy," said Matt Norcross, owner of McLean and Eakin Booksellers in... more »