February retail sales increased 2.7 percent over 2018

Retail sales were down 0.7 percent in February seasonally adjusted from January but up 2.7 percent unadjusted year-over-year as delays and revisions related to the government shutdown continued to make comparisons difficult according to the... more »

Highlights from MSA Forward

Gift Shop and sister publication Museums & More visited MSA Forward, March 28-April 1, in San Diego. The show brings together non-profit retail professionals, buyers and vendors from around the world to learn best practices... more »

MSA Forward 2019

Gift Shop and sister publication Museums and More attended MSA Forward, March 28-April 1, in San Diego. This year’s conference theme was "Create, Innovate, Educate!" more »

Garden & Outdoor Living

The line between indoor and outdoor living is blurring thanks to the popularity of outdoor living spaces. Whether it’s a patio, balcony, deck or back forty, consumers are eager to personalize their spaces for the... more »

Business 2 Business: catstudio helping veterans and their families

For the traveling, doodling, music-loving duo of Carmel and Terrell Swan, naming their business, catstudio, which is located in Petaluma, California, seemed to evolve because of a “simpler is better” mindset. The name was developed... more »

Meet the Maker: Floral Treasure

For two decades, Debbie Garza has been cultivating flowers and curating amazing pieces of work.“From the seed to the wreath” is the motto, and farm-to-door is the game. In a time when creating your own home... more »

NYC Re-tails & Sales Pet Expo debuts natural, CBD pet products

CBD, a non-psychoactive cannabinoid, has had a surge in popularity over the past couple years for people and pets, which is why the CBD market is expected to hit $22 Billion by 2022, according to... more »

Retailers urge Congress to fix tax bill error delaying investment

The National Retail Federation urged Congress to support bipartisan legislation introduced today in the House that would fix a drafting error in the tax reform law that took effect in 2018. The error relating to... more »

Housewares Charity Foundation raises $1.8 million at annual gala

The housewares industry came together to raise $1.8 million during the 2019 Housewares Cares Charity Gala presented by the Housewares Charity Foundation (HCF) on Monday, March 4. Proceeds from the event, held at Chicago’s Navy... more »

Atlanta Apparel Market showcases new resources for autumn and winter trends

Atlanta Apparel Market marks the Southeast’s debut of Autumn/Winter 2019 fashion with new and expanded resources, trend presentations and a host of inspirational market moments including runway shows, panel discussions and celebrity appearances. The April... more »