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Lowe’s Deploys First At-Scale AI Assistant for Retail Associates

by Katie Lee

Charlotte, N.C. — Lowe’s has launched Mylow Companion, an AI tool aimed at improving customer service and speeding associate onboarding. Purpose-built for associate sales floor devices, the app provides fast access to product details, project advice and inventory information. The launch to all associates across Lowe’s more than 1,700 stores marks the first time a retailer has successfully implemented this kind of technology at scale. Associate expertise is uniquely valuable for home improvement retailers, as customers ask daily about a variety of complex projects and thousands of different products. Mylow …

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construction and designNewsretailerssoftware/technologyvendors

Walmart, Alquist 3D Complete Second 3D-Concrete Build in Alabama

by Katie Lee

Huntsville, Ala. — Walmart Inc. and Alquist 3D LLC, in partnership with FMGI, Inc., have completed the team’s second groundbreaking 3D concrete printing (3DCP) build that sets a new industry record for speed of commercial construction. The walls of the 5,000-square-foot expansion at Walmart Supercenter #5197 outside Huntsville, Ala., were “printed” in just 75 hours, significantly faster than traditional CMU (cement masonry unit) building methods. “In a commercial construction world that pays so much attention to project timelines and costs, our work with Walmart shows that 3D printing isn’t just …

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Newspeopleretailers

Kohl’s Terminates Chief Executive Officer, Names Interim CEO

by Katie Lee

Menomonee Falls, Wis. — Kohl’s Corporation’s board of directors has appointed Michael Bender as interim chief executive officer (CEO), effective immediately. Bender has served as a director of the board since July 2019 and was appointed board chair in May 2024. The board will initiate a search to identify a permanent CEO and retain a leading search firm to assist with this process. Bender’s appointment follows the board’s decision to terminate Ashley Buchanan for cause. An investigation conducted by outside counsel and overseen by the audit committee of the board …

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HVAC/RIndustry VoicesProduct Spotlightretailerssoftware/technologysupply chainvendors

Storage of the Future

by Katie Lee

— By Dana Krug — The future of retail: technology-forward, customer-centric and efficient. For years, consumer behavior has been the driving force behind the rapid growth of omnichannel retail. Today, this trend has become more pronounced than ever, with 73% of shoppers regularly engaging with multiple channels throughout their buying journey. The pandemic further accelerated this shift, making curbside pickup and other omnichannel conveniences a standard expectation rather than a luxury. Now, the future of retail is being shaped by the evolving preferences of Gen Z and millennial shoppers, who …

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construction and designCover Storyfacilities managementfranchise developmentretailers

Sharing the Love

by Katie Lee

— By Katie Lee — With more than 250 stores, Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming brings love and joy to pets and their pet parents — across more and more communities in North America. Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming, a leading pet grooming and gourmet treat destination, is coming off a banner year. In 2024, the boutique retail concept opened a record number of new stores, quadrupling its historical annual average of new openings with more than 50 new stores. Woof Gang is on track to open more than 70 …

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construction and designmanagementNewsproperty managementremodelsretailers

DICK’S House of Sport to Anchor New Retail Offerings at PREIT’s Cherry Hill Mall

by Katie Lee

Philadelphia — PREIT has named its next wave of retail additions to Cherry Hill Mall, one of the region’s premier shopping destinations, located in Cherry Hill, N.J. Anchoring the new lineup will be DICK’S House of Sport, a new retail experience from DICK’S Sporting Goods. Replacing the former One Cherry Hill office building, the new space will open in 2026 and introduce a new entrance, infusing fresh energy into the 1.3 million-square-foot shopping center. This targeted investment aligns with PREIT’s value-enhancing strategy with a focus on repurposing underutilized real estate …

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construction and designNewsretailers

T&T Supermarket to Open First Southern California Store in Winter 2026

by Katie Lee

Irvine, Calif. — T&T Supermarket, Canada’s largest Asian grocery retailer, will open its first Southern California store in the Great Park community — a master-planned development within the City of Irvine — slated for winter 2026. Following the debut of its first U.S. store in Bellevue, Wash., in December 2024, T&T is continuing its U.S. expansion with a location in Irvine. Located at The Canopy at Great Park, the new 34,000-square-foot store will have convenient access from the future 133 Freeway interchange and its proximity to the Great Park Sports …

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construction and designNewsretailers

Big Lots to Reopen 132 Stores in May 2025

by Katie Lee

Henderson, N.C. — Big Lots! will be reopening 132 stores in May 2025. This expansion under the direction of new owners, Variety Wholesalers, builds on the positive customer response to the initial reopenings of Big Lots! stores in April 2025 and further solidifies the discount retailer’s return to the American marketplace. “We’re excited to bring an additional 132 Big Lots! locations back to life in May,” says Lisa Seigies, president and CEO of Variety Wholesalers. Big Lots! stores will reopen in May in two phases, on May 1 and May …

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Newsretailersstore closings

Hudson’s Bay to Liquidate Remaining Stores

by Katie Lee

Toronto — Hudson’s Bay Company ULC will liquidate its remaining six Hudson’s Bay stores and one Saks Fifth Avenue location. At this time, the company believes that a viable bid for the current six-store model is unlikely, and therefore will begin liquidation sales in these stores on April 25. The remaining locations will join the 73 other Hudson’s Bay, 13 Saks OFF 5TH and two Saks Fifth Avenue locations already undergoing liquidation sales following the company’s filing under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA). Should a buyer bid be accepted, …

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Industry Voicesretailerssoftware/technologyvendors

Human Connection

by Katie Lee

— By Jaime Bettencourt — The human side of ‘smart stores’ in 2025. Technology is powering personalized store experiences that outperform e-commerce convenience. Capital One research reports that brick-and-mortar stores capture 80% of impulse purchases, a clear signal that physical retail remains unmatched for discovery and engagement. 2025’s winning retailers won’t just add screens and apps. Instead, they’ll enhance what algorithms can’t replicate: personalized discovery, human connection and sensory engagement. By focusing on these uniquely human elements, tomorrow’s retail innovations will make shopping more intuitive and digital. Making “Chance” Encounters …

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