More than 90 million square feet of retail space has been shuttered this year, and with the retailer Bon-Ton announcing this week it would close 200 of its stores, 2018 is on track to break last year's record for lost stores.
"This is just another example of one of those big box retailers who weren't nimble enough and really listening to the changing times," said Melissa Gonzalez, founder and CEO of Lionesque Group.
In the first four months of 2018, retail giants like Toys "R" Us, Sears, and Sam's Club have closed all or some of their locations. Moody's distressed-level watch list predicted that others, such as Guitar Center, J. Crew, and David's Bridal could be next.
There have already been more store closures in 2018 than there were in all of 2016. And as each brick-and-mortar shop shutters, it creates potential customers for online retailers like Amazon.
"They have data at their fingertips, they're really at the pulse of understanding what consumers want," said Gonzalez in an interview Friday on Cheddar. "They can serve up the items that you know we want, and present things online before we even know we want them, and they can target us in ways department stores aren't able to do."
For full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/2018-the-year-of-retail-closures).
ChatGPT-maker OpenAI and The Associated Press said Thursday that they've made a deal for the artificial intelligence company to license AP's archive of news stories.
The ongoing liquidation of parent company Bed Bath & Beyond has now officially affected buybuy BABY stores. A judge has approved the sale of the chain's intellectual property for $15.5 million.
Prices for airfare seem to be cooling off. The latest consumer price index showed prices dropped 8.1 percent in June from a month earlier, which is the biggest decline in a year.
While summer camp prices may be up this year, there may be options for financial aid. Cheddar's own Ashley Mastronardi has more.
Alexander Mashinsky, the former CEO of the failed cryptocurrency lending platform Celsius Network, has been arrested on federal fraud charges, including wire fraud, according to CNBC.
Delta Air Lines reported its highest earnings and revenue and raised its profit outlook.
Producer price index rose just 0.1% from a year ago, in the latest signal that inflation is slowing.
Wall Street is adding to its winning week Thursday following the latest signal that inflation is continuing to ease its chokehold on the economy.
Whenever the United Auto Workers union begins negotiating a new contract with Detroit's three automakers, threats of a strike are typically heard on the floor of the old Chrysler transmission plant in Kokomo, Indiana.
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