Above and beyond being a retailer, S-Kultur is a cooking school, a café/bar, an experience, a community and a homey place to indulge in some of the best things in life. by Michelle Hespe German gia winner and 2019 Global Honoree S-Kultur epitomizes the approach to retailing that stores…
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Jumbled Joy
by Michelle Hespe The owner of Australian IHA Global Innovation Awards (gia) Global Honoree JUMBLED has always focused on choosing the right products to create sparks of joy in an enchanting place that has a true sense of soul and community. When it came to setting up her now thriving…
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Perfectly Porland
Porland of Turkey, one of the five gia Global Honorees this year, has a long, rich and colorful history. We look into what makes this manufacturer and retailer of porcelain stand out from the rest. by Michelle Hespe Porland’s logo features a ballerina executing a perfect pirouette. This…
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CHESS 2018 Recap: Reduce Motivation for More Tariffs
Presented by: Harry Moser Founder and president, Reshoring Initiative Sell More “Made in USA” Product to Reduce Motivation for More Tariffs Harry Moser discussed the increasing advantages of reshoring now driving U.S. retailers and manufacturers to bring back manufacturing to North America.…
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CHESS 2018 Recap: How Brands Must Evolve to Thrive in the Digital Age
Presented by: Sucharita Kodali, vice president and principal analyst, e-business and channel strategy, Forrester Research Kodali studies retailers and brands in the rapidly evolving retail landscape. She offered proprietary Forrester Research data and insight about digital business strategy,…
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CHESS 2018 Recap: Trends Facing the Future of the U.S. Retail Landscape
Don Unser The NPD Group, Inc. Trends Shaping the Future of the U.S. Retail Landscape Don Unser prefaced his remarks by noting that he would present a trend outline with supporting data for the U.S. retail market, while at the same time some of these same concepts are playing out in other…
CONTINUE READINGGlobal Opportunities
May Currency Outlook
In their May 2019 Currency Outlook report, Tempus, an exchange rate and global payments company, provides a detailed report including the following topics and sections: In Brief The USD had another month of swings, rising .8% in AprilEconomic performance divergence is a strength for the USD as…
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U.S. Custom and Border Protection: Steps to Protect Intellectual Property Rights
The Custom and Border Protection (CBP) encourages the usage of their e-Recordation Program to help copyright owners gain enforcement of intellectual property rights. The CBP has the right to detain, seize, forfeit and destroy any merchandise that enters the U.S. if it infringes on trademark…
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Global Retail Intelligence – May
May 22 – UK’s Marks & Spencer Reshapes Strategy after Annual Profit Decline of 10% With a plan to open larger format food stores, shifting away from smaller convenience outlets and closing other outlets that also sell clothing and housewares, Marks & Spencer’s new approach shows a shift…
CONTINUE READINGIndustry Resources
IHA Encourages Member Action on Latest Proposed Tariffs
With the most recent list of proposed tariffs affecting the housewares industry, the International Housewares Association is encouraging members to contact their congressional representatives or provide comment to the United States Trade Representative (USTR) on the tariffs’ effect on their…
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Ocean Contract Negotiations Moving Forward
The 2019-20 ocean contract negotiations have officially begun for cargo moving from Asia to the United States. Based on the initial proposals from the ocean carriers, it is clear they are trying to capitalize on last year’s space crisis. Carriers stated earlier this year that shippers should expect…
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IHSA to Introduce “Core Carrier” Program
The carrier landscape has changed dramatically over the last five years. Carrier consolidation has been a game changer. With fewer entities, the carriers now have a much greater ability to manage capacity in their favor. We believe the carriers will continue to manage capacity for the foreseeable…
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Retail Profile: Forté Coffee
Location: St. Joseph, Mich. Founded: 2018 Co-owners: Brian and Barbara Maynard Square footage: 1,850 sq ft Brian Maynard’s love affair with coffee goes back to his childhood. That coffee passion began with the influence of his father Del, who, Maynard says, “always had a…
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Stats: Food Trend Influencers
If you’ve ever wondered why kombucha has become popular, you may also wonder how healthy food trends get started. Not surprisingly, a new study has found that social media plays an increasingly big role in influencing consumer decisions about the foods they eat and the brands they buy. But other…
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Trends: Tracking the Generations
Independent retailers are always challenged to gauge what their customers want, and with the wide range of consumer age groups out there—all with different aspirations and needs—that challenge is always changing. Researchers and marketers, too, struggle to figure this out. A couple of recent…
CONTINUE READINGInspiration Magazine
The Art of Organization
We speak to Sharon Tindell— President and Chief Merchandising Office at The Container Store — for an insider’s view of how this iconic 40-year-old retailer retains its coveted spot as the leading organizational store in the U.S. by Michelle Hespe People love to buy things. To own things.…
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Think About Drink: Beverage Trends in Retail
At the 2019 International Home + Housewares Show in Chicago, the Trending Today Preview features the specialty beverage movement– highlighting the various types of craft beverage trends, including coffee, beer, cocktails and water, along with specialty glassware and accessories, craft beer &…
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Cultivating Your Concept
We chat with Wolfgang Gruschwitz about how to create a successful concept retail store. by Michelle Hespe “What is your story?” That would be the first question that Wolfgang Gruschwitz would ask if you engaged his team to develop a successful retail store. Wolfgang is a consultant in the…
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