DURANGO, Colo. (AP) — Shop owners and managers on Durango's Main Avenue are looking for Christmas shoppers to put in a strong final month to what has been a tough retail year that was pinched by little snow last year, the 416 wildfire, mudslides and more than 40 days of lost train trips to Silverton."Snow helps," said Eric Dixon, general manager at Pine Needle Mountaineering. "We've got a whole shop filled with ski jackets, ski pants and ski boots. If there's no snow falling, there's no one thinking about that, so we're excited about the early snow."Dixon said the Christmas shopping season is "certainly" starting better than the 2017 season. He told The Durango Herald that he expects a strong season precisely because winter 2017-18 was so dry."There's pent-up enthusiasm. You couldn't get out last year, so I think people are just excited to be skiing again," he said.This year, a San Juan National Forest wildfire, dubbed the 416 fire, charred hundreds of thousands of acres … [Read more...] about December snow could help close tough retail year in Durango
Retail
Christmas is giving us the gift of retail relationships
This year’s flagship Christmas advert from John Lewis shows how the gift of a piano to Elton John as a child gave him a talent that he nurtured into an incredible career as a musician. The ad also raised an important question – what can marketers learn from the idea behind the slogan “a gift for life”? The answer is that they must look beyond the product they’re selling, and instead look at the experience which they’re creating. A great example of this in action is the guitar manufacturer Fender, which has been doing exactly this for many years. Since its inception more than 70 years ago, Fender has become a household name, and is perhaps the most iconic guitar maker available on the market. But despite its reputation, sales of electric guitars have struggled in recent times, and have even dropped by a third over the last decade. While Fender’s claim to fame was originally tied to the world’s biggest names, today’s revenues have … [Read more...] about Christmas is giving us the gift of retail relationships
Retail sales up 0.2% last month
A customer loads up on some Black Friday bargains last month in Miami as the Christmas shopping season kicked into high gear. WASHINGTON -- U.S. retail sales increased a slight 0.2 percent in November, as strong sales tied to holiday shopping were offset by lower gasoline prices. Excluding gasoline, however, the Commerce Department said Friday that last month's retail sales rose a healthy 0.5 percent in a positive sign for economic growth. Retail sales have climbed a solid 5.3 percent so far this year. In November, nonstore retail sales -- a category that includes Internet brands such as Amazon -- jumped 2.3 percent. Furniture stores, electronics stores and health stores also enjoyed a solid bump as the holiday shopping season went into full swing. "U.S. consumers were feeling festive a month before the holidays," said Jennifer Lee, a senior economist at BMO Capital Markets. Americans have responded to an improvement in economic growth this year by spending more, especially online … [Read more...] about Retail sales up 0.2% last month
Construction starts on West Dallas retail and restaurant project
Developers of West Dallas' popular Sylvan | Thirty shopping and apartment center have started work on their next project. Oaxaca Interests says it's turning a former warehouse at 660 Fort Worth Avenue into a retail, restaurant and entertainment complex."This space will be a progressive and contemporary place for several smaller retailers and food artisans to serve our local community," Brent Jackson, President of Oaxaca Interests, said in a statement. "We already have half of the building leased, and we're actively talking with other prospective tenants to fill the rest."The construction will convert the former 10,000-square-foot and its old loading areas into the new uses.Award winning central Texas architect Lake Flato designed the project with landscape architects Hocker Design Group.Crimson Building Co. is the general contractor. … [Read more...] about Construction starts on West Dallas retail and restaurant project
Retail-restaurant round-up: Kohl’s to stay open day and night; Instacart expands Superior grocery delivery; Goodwill moving in Fullerton
By Samantha Gowen | [email protected] and Anne Valdespino | [email protected] | Orange County Register PUBLISHED: December 14, 2018 at 8:43 am | UPDATED: December 14, 2018 at 8:45 am Blaze Fast Fire’d Pizza opened Dec. 3 in Santa Ana in the Southcoast Marketplace at 2841 West MacArthur Blvd. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG) Sprouts Farmers Market hold interviews with job candidates from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 18 at more than 300 stores in 19 states to fill non-seasonal, full- and part-time positions. Interested candidates can visit sprouts.com/careers to view openings by store. (Staff photo by Rick Sforza, Redlands Daily Facts/SCNG) SoundThe gallery will resume insecondsInstacart has expanded its partnership with Superior Grocers, offering one-hour or same-day delivery from its Orange County stores. Shoppers use the Instacart website or app to access the store’s inventory, order, pay, then wait for arrival. (Courtesy of Instacart) … [Read more...] about Retail-restaurant round-up: Kohl’s to stay open day and night; Instacart expands Superior grocery delivery; Goodwill moving in Fullerton