Plaza del Lago, a historic, open-air center in Wilmette, Illinois, sits in one of the Midwest’s most affluent trade areas, yet has long operated with a convenience-forward mid-market tenant mix led by Jewel-Osco (owned by Albertsons) and CVS. Its Spanish Revival architecture and lakefront setting…
Technically you could argue the first holiday season was last year. However, the flurry of announcements and new shopping-specific functionality to try out clearly makes 2025’s holiday season the year shopping agents debuted. OpenAI productized “Shopping Research” to all global users on Nov. 24, just…
This year marks the 5th publication of our annual guide tracking trending product categories and hot brands to keep an eye on. Our team has identified 60 brands with items for a variety of ages and budgets that you should know. So whether you’re looking…
If you ask Canadian food lovers to describe Farm Boy, you’ll hear a familiar line: “It’s like if Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s had a baby.” They’re not wrong. On a recent visit to a Farm Boy at Wellington Place in Toronto we can report that…
The Global E-Commerce Leaders Forum (GELF) recently held a dinner event in New York City, marking GELF’s return to events after a pause in programming. The GELF community was well represented at the dinner by executives from brands such as Victoria’s Secret, Citizen Watch, Bath…
Chicago’s retail landscape continues to evolve this fall with two distinct additions: Kith, the New York-based luxury streetwear and lifestyle brand founded by designer Ronnie Fieg, and Jellycat, the British plush label known for its whimsical designs and cult social media following. Both openings underscore…
Last month, McMillanDoolittle partnered with Shoptalk to lead a premium/luxury–focused Shopwalk as part of the Shoptalk Fall conference in Chicago. Shopwalks are curated tours designed to bring retail executives closer to the cutting edge of store innovation. Our group, which included leaders from a diverse…
The second annual ShopTalk Fall conference took place last week here in Chicago, and for the second year running McMillanDoolittle was proud to partner with ShopTalk to host Shopwalk retail study tours. Back by popular demand, Shopwalks expanded from two tours last year to six…
As summer comes to a close, back-to-school and back-to-college season are a make-or-break moment for retailers and brands, not only to capture sales but to cultivate loyalty and build momentum heading into the holidays. Back-to-school is a pivotal season for retailers, when families establish shopping…
Americans and visitors to the U.S.A. love a road trip. This summer, 84% of Americans plan to take a road trip with “micro-trips”, shorter 4-5 day trips, growing in popularity. Buc-ee’s, featured in our 2025 Retail Innovations, targets these road-trippers. Part of the fun of…
