The U.S. has gone pet-crazy, and Pet Supplies Plus is the one to benefit. The pet supply chain and its dog-washing concept Wag N' Wash have been growing fast lately. By mid-2024, Pet Supplies Plus opened 16 new stores and sold 23 franchise deals, reaching 730 locations in 43 states. The company plans to open at least 45 more stores and sell 70 franchise units by year's end.

L.L. Bean, the Maine-based retailer famous for its boots and backpacks, is opening four new U.S. stores this year and plans to expand into the Southeast and Midwest markets in 2025. The company had a grand opening of an Ulster, NY store in April. The other three locations are coming to Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Connecticut this fall.

Gone are the days when convenience stores were just quick pit stops. A new survey from Vontier reveals that they becoming destinations themselves, with road trippers willing to go the extra mile (literally) for their favorite spots. Imagine driving past several gas stations, emptying your tank, just to reach your preferred convenience store. Well, 43% of Americans say they would do just that. Moreover, nearly 80% would go out of their way to visit their favorite store, even if it means passing other options.

Sephora, the beauty giant known for its glitzy mall stores, is making a surprise move into the world of outlet shopping. The company just announced plans to open its first stores in Tanger outlet centers across the U.S., bringing its high-end cosmetics to bargain-hungry shoppers. Tanger, which runs 38 outlet centers in the U.S. and Canada, will welcome Sephora to five locations later this year. Shoppers in Phoenix, Palm Beach, Charleston, Deer Park, and National Harbor will soon be able to snag their favorite beauty products alongside discounted designer goods.

San Francisco has just opened its first free food "market" in the Bayview-Hunters Point area, a $5.5 million initiative aimed at combating food insecurity. This unique facility allows eligible residents to shop for groceries without paying, mimicking a regular supermarket shopping. The 4000-square-foot District 10 Market works in a simple way: approved residents show a benefits card, pick their items, and check out to track inventory – all without opening their wallets.

Dollar Tree is moving into 170 former 99 Cents Only stores, marking a big shift in the discount retail landscape. The company announced Wednesday it's taking over leases in Arizona, California, Nevada, and Texas, with plans to reopen the stores under its own brand as early as fall 2024.

Asian grocery stores in the US have grown from small shops to nationwide chains over the last few decades. They have expanded beyond their original immigrant customer base, offering popular Asian foods like spicy Korean noodles to many Americans nowadays. As of 2024, H Mart has become a $2 billion company with 96 locations, Patel Brothers operates 52 stores across 20 states and 99 Ranch Market has 62 stores in 11 states.

The "hands-free" footwear brand Kizik just opened its second U.S. store at the iconic Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota. The Mall of America store, located in the West Market on the second level, offers Kizik's full assortment of shoes for men, women, and kids in all sizes. It will also carry new seasonal styles, Kizik-branded apparel, shoe care kits, and no-slip socks.

TJX Companies, the parent of TJ Maxx, Marshalls, HomeGoods, Sierra, and Homesense, has big growth plans. During a recent earnings call, TJX CEO Ernie Herrman announced the company could open over 1,300 additional stores across the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Australia. According to Herrman, this expansion capitalizes on TJX's flexible "off-price" business model and broad customer appeal. "We are convinced that significant market share opportunities remain...over the long term," he stated. "We see the potential to further expand our store footprint by at least another 1,300-plus with our current retail banners in our existing countries."

Walmart just launched Realm, its new 3D online shopping platform. To help you visualize what that means, imagine a virtual mall packed with bright colors, wacky landscapes, and cartoon avatars wandering around. Realm lets you browse "digital doubles" of real Walmart products by navigating through several make-believe worlds. "We believe this is the future of commerce," said Justin Breton, who leads brand experiences at Walmart. "It won't replace our website or app, but will complement them."