Below you will find helpful and relevant articles that we carefully curate for the benefit of our B.R.A. Retail Members almost every day. Be sure to scroll through the most recent article or use the Search/Lookup feature to find topics and keywords related to articles that may help you to lower costs, increase margins or create more remarkable customer experiences.


“Etnies, éS, and Emerica Closed E-Commerce Sites for Skate Shop Day” by Tiffany Montgomery via Shop Eat Surf

“Etnies, éS, and Emerica Closed E-Commerce Sites for Skate Shop Day” by Tiffany Montgomery via Shop Eat Surf

by | Mar 5, 2026 | Brick & Mortar, Community, Customer Experience, E-Commerce, Event Planning, Holiday, News, Opinion, Shoe Market, Skateboard

Clockwise from top left: Swedish sales rep Ante with the Kiosk Skate Shop crew in Orebro, Sweden; Kevin “Spanky” Long delivered a hand-drawn postcard and donuts to Val Surf in Los Angeles; A special delivery of goodies for Slappy’s Garage in San...
“If You’re Always Running a Sale, You’re Always Losing Margin” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor Blog

“If You’re Always Running a Sale, You’re Always Losing Margin” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor Blog

by | Mar 2, 2026 | Brick & Mortar, Clearance Sales / Discounting, Consumer Behavior, Customer Experience, Event Planning, Resources, Retail Strategy

From independent boutiques to national chains, many retailers lean heavily on coupons, sales, and markdowns to drive traffic. On the surface, discounting seems like an easy win to boost sales. In fact, almost all American shoppers (a whopping 94%) redeem at least one...
“How One Surf Shop 2X Their Sales, Proving that “Core Culture” is the Ultimate Growth Strategy” by Mark Fletcher via the Trackfly Blog

“How One Surf Shop 2X Their Sales, Proving that “Core Culture” is the Ultimate Growth Strategy” by Mark Fletcher via the Trackfly Blog

by | Feb 14, 2026 | Brick & Mortar, Data Driven Performance, Retail Strategy, Retail Technologies, Skateboard, Surf, Surf Expo, Trade Shows

The story of Ocean Magic’s recent resurgence doesn’t begin in a corporate boardroom; it begins with a sponsored skateboarder being moved out of a pickleball store. A little over a year ago, Christian—now the shop’s manager—was running a completely different business...
“How Dick’s Sporting Goods Built a $13.7 Billion Business by Putting Community First” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor Blog

“How Dick’s Sporting Goods Built a $13.7 Billion Business by Putting Community First” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor Blog

by | Feb 4, 2026 | Brick & Mortar, Community, Customer Experience, News, Opinion, Outdoor, Resources, Retail Strategy

“It’s Never Just a Baseball Glove”: The Story That Shaped Dick’s Culture Dick’s Sporting Goods built a $13.7 billion business by treating every customer as a human being first and a transaction second. At NRF’s Big Show this past...
“SURF EXPO’S 50TH ANNIVERSARY: WHAT BRAND MARKETERS AND SPONSORS SHOULD PAY ATTENTION TO” by Roy Turner via the SightlineLive.com blog

“SURF EXPO’S 50TH ANNIVERSARY: WHAT BRAND MARKETERS AND SPONSORS SHOULD PAY ATTENTION TO” by Roy Turner via the SightlineLive.com blog

by | Jan 31, 2026 | Community, News, Outdoor, Resources, Skateboard, Story Telling, Surf, Surf Expo, Trade Shows

Surf Expo kicked off its 50th anniversary with a high-energy January edition that reinforced its role as the leading global marketplace for watersports and coastal lifestyle brands. A 15% increase in retail company attendance translated into...