Retail is changing faster than ever, and the latest Retail Innovations 2026 report from McMillanDoolittle and the Ebeltoft Group identifies where the industry is headed next. In a conversation with Scott Benedict on The Digital Front Door, McMillanDoolittle’s Mara Devitt explains that today’s most innovative…
Party City and Staples announced a partnership this week that will bring Party City balloons, décor, and party supplies into more than 700 Staples stores and onto Staples.com by year-end. The assortment includes balloons, décor, tableware, gift bags, costume accessories, and favors, while Staples adds…
Walmart has been rewriting the economics of its business. In Q4 FY2026, Walmart disclosed that advertising and membership income together accounted for roughly one‑third of operating profit, a striking figure for a company historically defined by low‑margin retail. Walmart’s global advertising business generated nearly $6.4…
Retail and restaurant leaders spent the past several years navigating a brutal cost environment. Labor costs have risen. Food costs—particularly beef—have been volatile and elevated. Many operators have struggled to maintain margins while keeping traffic stable. Yet one brand has continued to outperform: Texas Roadhouse. The…
Announcing the release of our Direct-to-Consumer Global Research Study Download your copy of the research to explore the full report and underlying data. Our latest global publication, developed in collaboration with our international Ebeltoft Group alliance, examines how traditional and DTC brands have embraced direct-to-consumer…
Across Asia, retailers are redesigning stores from the ground up, rethinking how people shop, how employees work, and what a physical store is meant to be. From Singapore to Seoul, the store is no longer just a place to buy things. It is becoming a…
For our second Retail Innovations trend of 2026, we are exploring Easy Journeys, effortless shopping experiences. “Easy” used to mean convenient. Today, it means intuitive, confidence-building, and frictionless at every touchpoint. Download your free copy of Retail Innovations Modern shoppers compare every experience to the…
Three Forces Reshaping Retail: A Better World, Engaging Destinations and Easy Journeys Retail has always been an exciting—and demanding—business. Successful retailers must stay relentlessly focused on consumers who now have more choices than ever over where, when, and how they shop. With agentic AI accelerating…
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…
Our McMillanDoolittle team braved the long wait times to visit the newest Harry Potter Shop. As Chicago-based consultants, we’re eager to see if this new store can continue to bring much-needed energy and excitement to Chicago’s Magnificent Mile. Take a virtual photo tour of the…
