Major chains are fighting two battles at once: a financial battle to keep costs low in the face of new tariffs, and a political one to avoid the president's wrath.
The home improvement chain broke from many other retailers, who say they cannot afford to absorb new tariffs. President Trump recently attacked Walmart for warning of price hikes.
Together, the two retailers will have to wade the choppy waters of new tariffs on imports, including footwear. And they'll face the growing competition from shoe brands selling directly to shoppers.
This week also saw a highly undramatic object cause drama and the happily undramatic return of the two NASA astronauts who had an unexpected stay on the International Space Station.
Once a formidable fast-fashion mall staple, Forever 21 has filed for bankruptcy. The retailer has been a shell of its former self since it first filed for bankruptcy in 2019.
The department store chain, founded in 1670, can't pay its debts and says the pandemic, inflation and now trade tensions have hurt its financial future.
Joann, the major national retailer of fabric and craft supplies, is going out of business and closing all of its roughly 800 stores. What does that mean for professionals who relied on the chain?
The two high-end department stores hope together they would wield more power to counter luxury brands, which increasingly flex their muscles over retailers.
The rural lifestyle retailer, with stores in 49 states, says it will withdraw its carbon emissions goals, cut its DEI roles and stop sponsoring Pride events after an online outcry from conservatives.
Express, which dressed generations of mall shoppers in slacks and blouses, now owns Bonobos and UpWest. It's closing dozens of stores but also plans to get sold to a consortium to survive.
Americans say Black Friday is overhyped, but nearly 1 in 5 still plan to do most of their shopping then. This holiday season is expected to break shopping records.
Remember Juicy Couture and Pier 1? They went under, but not all the way under. Someone still makes millions of dollars off these names. And the hunt for revivable brands is big business.
REI, the shopping mecca for outdoor enthusiasts, has balked at recognizing its newly unionized workers. They accuse the retailer of breaking labor laws, which the company denies.
The retailer, which also owns the BuyBuy Baby chain, has lost shoppers and money after a series of ineffective or mistimed turnarounds. It plans to close stores.
