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.


“Gift cards gain popularity as top choice for holiday shoppers in 2025” by Lea Grgich via National Retail Federation (NRF) Newsletter articles

“Gift cards gain popularity as top choice for holiday shoppers in 2025” by Lea Grgich via National Retail Federation (NRF) Newsletter articles

by | Dec 24, 2025 | Brick & Mortar, E-Commerce, Gift Cards, News, Retail Economy

The hustle and bustle of the holiday season is in full swing, and plenty of consumers have gift cards on their shopping list. Gift cards rank as the second-most popular gift this holiday season and total spending on gift cards is expected to reach $29 billion this...
“For the first time in years, Pacsun is opening more stores than closing stores” by Julia Waldow via Modern Retail

“For the first time in years, Pacsun is opening more stores than closing stores” by Julia Waldow via Modern Retail

by | Dec 22, 2025 | Apparel /Fashion, Brick & Mortar, Commercial Real Estate, Customer Experience, Industry, News, Retail Strategy

Courtesy of Pacsun 2025 marks a major milestone for the Y2K-favorite brand Pacsun: It’s the first time in 18 years that it’s increasing its store count, rather than decreasing it, the company told Modern Retail. Pacsun, which is now at just over 300 stores, opened...
“Why small businesses must go narrow (extremely narrow) to survive – The path to success runs through radical specialization” by Faisel Hoque via Fast Company

“Why small businesses must go narrow (extremely narrow) to survive – The path to success runs through radical specialization” by Faisel Hoque via Fast Company

by | Dec 15, 2025 | Customer Experience, Customer Loyalty, News, Opinion, Resources, Retail Strategy

A few blocks from my home sits a small Japanese grocery store that has been in the neighborhood for years. It’s the kind of place that once felt irreplaceable—carefully sourced ingredients, shelves stocked with items I couldn’t find in mainstream supermarkets, and an...