For several years, our town has hosted a monthly music and food truck event that brings hundreds of locals to eat and listen to music. In recent years, perhaps half the trucks have overturned. This kind of turnover is what happens when the cost and complexity of getting a food truck on the road increases, … Read more
In many cases, a Chapter 11 bankruptcy does not mean the end of a restaurant chain. That’s at least in part because brand names have value, and as long as the finances can be worked out with lenders, there will usually be more investors willing to get behind a Red Lobster comeback than those who … Read more
While the Americans have pulled back some discretionary spending, that hasn’t affected the motorcycle market. “The global motorcycle market size was $71.92 billion in 2024. The market is expected to grow from $75.82 billion in 2025 to $119.09 billion by 2032, exhibiting a CAGR of 6.7% during the forecast period,” according to data from Fortune … Read more
“The lady protests too much, I think.” Sometimes the classics tell the story, and in this case Shakespeare’s Hamlet applies. Earlier this month, TheStreet published an analysis of Saks Global’s financial situation. It didn’t paint a pretty picture. Ragini Bhalla, chief brand officer and spokeswoman for Creditsafe, shared details about the struggles Saks Fifth Avenue … Read more
At some point, sneakers, which used to be all about athletic performance, became fashionable. Before his wedding, my brother even told me that he had to tell his friends that they couldn’t wear Jordans with their Hugo Boss tuxedos. Being a bit older than the rest of the wedding party, it never occurred to me … Read more
The craft beer apocalypse, which industry experts say began in 2023, is now in its third year and continues to take its toll. The apocalypse appears to have begun in 2023 after the Brewers Association posted a record number of craft brewery closures of more than 385 for the year, Easter reported. Since then, many … Read more
Once a mall mainstay and department store for generations of families since 1902, JCPenney has endured turbulent years marked by bankruptcy, mass store closings and restructuring efforts. Now, as the retailer continues its long road to recovery, another major setback has emerged. In July 2025, JCPenney entered into a $947 million deal with private equity … Read more
The alcohol industry in the United States has faced problems on several fronts. First, Americans simply don’t drink as much as they used to. “The percentage of US adults who say they drink alcohol fell to 54 percent, the lowest by a percentage point in Gallup’s trend in nearly 90 years. This coincides with a … Read more
Running a business is challenging, even under the best of circumstances. In today’s uncertain economy, marked by slowing consumer spending and changing retail habits, it becomes even tougher. For a retail chain, the difficulty has been compounded by years of financial strain, two Chapter 11 bankruptcies and hundreds of store closings nationwide. Once an iconic … Read more
Amazon owns the online retail market so much that competing with it, at least for newer players, requires doing something very different from the online leader. eBay, for example, in its heyday used an auction model, creating the possibility that consumers could “win” an item for less than traditional commerce. Traditional brick and mortar chains … Read more