{"id":15622,"date":"2025-07-19T09:29:18","date_gmt":"2025-07-19T09:29:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/the-weekly-closeout-rhodes-road-to-growth-and-department-store-sales-wobble\/"},"modified":"2025-07-19T09:29:18","modified_gmt":"2025-07-19T09:29:18","slug":"the-weekly-closeout-rhodes-road-to-growth-and-department-store-sales-wobble","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/the-weekly-closeout-rhodes-road-to-growth-and-department-store-sales-wobble\/","title":{"rendered":"The Weekly Closeout: Rhode\u2019s road to growth and department store sales wobble"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <p><a href=\"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/online-workshops-list\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-496\" src=\"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/RETAIL-ONLINE-TRAINING-728-X-90.png\" alt=\"Retail Online Training\" width=\"729\" height=\"91\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/RETAIL-ONLINE-TRAINING-728-X-90.png 729w, https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/RETAIL-ONLINE-TRAINING-728-X-90-300x37.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 729px) 100vw, 729px\" \/><\/a><\/p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"text-to-speech\">\n    <button class=\"text-to-speech__button button\"><br \/>\n        <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"text-to-speech__button__icon\" src=\"https:\/\/www.retaildive.com\/static\/img\/play.svg?500116090725\" alt=\"\"\/><br \/>\n        Listen to the article<br \/>\n        <span class=\"text-to-speech__button__audio-length\">7 min<\/span><br \/>\n    <\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"text-to-speech__controls\">\n        <audio controls=\"\" class=\"js-text-to-speech\" preload=\"none\"><source src=\"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/dmgi9movl\/video\/upload\/q_1\/v1752855377\/news\/text_to_speech\/rhodes-growth-department-store-sales-down_qd7d1o.wav\" type=\"audio\/mp3\"><\/source><\/audio><\/p>\n<div class=\"text-to-speech__controls__text\">\n            This audio is auto-generated. Please let us know if you have feedback.\n        <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>It\u2019s been another week with far more retail news than there is time in the day. Below, we break down some things you may have missed during the week and what we\u2019re still thinking about.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>From Ollie\u2019s store milestone to Skechers\u2019 continued expansion into performance products, here\u2019s our closeout for the week.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"standard-heading\">What you may have missed<\/h3>\n<p><span><span><span><span><em><span>NRF names a new chief economist<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span><span><span><span><span><span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>The National Retail Federation announced that its chief economist for the past 15 years, Jack Kleinhenz, will <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>step down from the role<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span><span><span><span><span><span> and serve as the organization\u2019s senior economic adviser. Mark Mathews, the NRF\u2019s executive director of research, will take on the position while continuing to lead the research team, according to an announcement.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>\u201cJack Kleinhenz is an influential figure in the retail industry who has offered expert analysis and forecasts on national economic trends,\u201d CEO Matthew Shay said in a statement. \u201cJack\u2019s continued involvement, along with Mark Mathews\u2019 leadership, will ensure that NRF stays at the forefront of economic issues impacting the retail sector.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><em><span>All boxed up<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span><span><span><span><span><span> \u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Serta Simmons Bedding announced the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>launch of its Serta Perfect Day Mattress in a Box <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span><span><span><span><span><span>collection. Products go from packaged in a box to a bed in seconds for simple setup and immediate use, according to a Wednesday press release from the company.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<figure class=\"image-right inside_story\">\n<div class=\"figure_content\">\n<div><img decoding=\"async\" data-imagemodel=\"-1\" src=\"https:\/\/imgproxy.divecdn.com\/CTyPJB056qmIlDcUO2PkfknAl31vzA0EYd3yWCeWBRs\/raw:1\/Z3M6Ly9kaXZlc2l0ZS1zdG9yYWdlL2RpdmVpbWFnZS9TY3JlZW5zaG90XzIwMjUtMDctMTdfMTQyNTA5LnBuZw==\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"inside_story_caption\">\n<p>Image courtesy of Serta Simmons Bedding<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>\u201cPerfect Day represents the sweet spot between performance, value and convenience,\u201d Mitch Willingham, senior vice president of brand marketing, said in a statement.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Products are made in America \u201cwith global components,\u201d and are available in sizes twin through California king, per the announcement. The line is made up of nine models, including firm, medium, plush and pillow top options. Queen pricing starts at $199 and goes up to $1,099.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><em><span>Skechers continues performance push<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Skechers on Wednesday announced a new <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>running shoe franchise, the Skechers Aero<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span><span><span><span><span><span>. The brand, long known for its comfort footwear, said the shoes were named for the \u201caerodynamic feel of the design\u201d and are made to blend speed, style and comfort.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>The line includes three different models: the Burst, which has elevated cushioning for long-distance runs; the Spark, which Skechers describes as a \u201cwell-balanced everyday trainer\u201d; and the Tempo, which is a high-performance shoe geared toward speed. The shoes are available on Skecher\u2019s website and in its physical locations, as well as at specialty athletic shops. Hands-free versions of the Burst and Spark shoes will be available in Europe in August.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<figure class=\"inside_story\">\n<div class=\"figure_content\">\n<div><img decoding=\"async\" data-imagemodel=\"-1\" src=\"https:\/\/imgproxy.divecdn.com\/y81_PLsYrYqVwhTeOZlpxq_2r0F9fcY7Ohh-lMU7nEk\/raw:1\/Z3M6Ly9kaXZlc2l0ZS1zdG9yYWdlL2RpdmVpbWFnZS9Ta2VjaGVyc19BZXJvX0hFUk9fSW1hZ2UuanBn\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"inside_story_caption\">\n<p>Image courtesy of Skechers<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>\u201cAn evolution of our legacy in running, Skechers AERO was developed with feedback from every type of runner from casual joggers to ultramarathoners,\u201d Ben Stewart, vice president of the Skechers Technical Performance Division, said in a statement.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Skechers has made a serious <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>play for the performance market<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span><span><span><span><span><span> in recent years, entering both the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>basketball and soccer markets<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span><span><span><span><span><span>. Skechers also <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>opened its first performance-focused store<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span><span><span><span><span><span> earlier this year, in Canada. The retailer <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>agreed to go private in a $9.4 billion deal<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span><span><span><span><span><span> in May.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"standard-heading\"><span><span><span><span><span>Retail therapy <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span><span><span><span><em><span>Chipotle lips, anyone?<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Chipotle and beauty brand Wonderskin <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>relaunched its previously sold-out<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, limited-edition \u201cLipotle\u201d lip stain. Last year, the product was Wonderskin&#8217;s fastest ever sell out, and the company received over 10,000 email and comment relaunch requests.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>&#8220;We are thrilled to collaborate with Chipotle again to bring back this limited-edition shade of our viral Wonder Blading Lip Stain,&#8221; Marina Kalenchyts, Wonderskin\u2019s brand director, said in a statement. &#8220;This partnership is a perfect blend of two trailblazing brands, both passionate about delivering exceptional quality, desirable products, and building loyal communities.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>The \u201cLipotle\u201d\u00a0wonder blading peel and reveal lip stain kit became available on Tuesday exclusively on Wonderskin\u2019s website for $29. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><em><span>Cheesy <span>Cheez-Fits<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Cheez-It<\/span> released a <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>custom tunnel walk outfit, dubbed <span>Cheez-Fitz<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, designed by stylist Brittany Hampton and worn by professional basketball player Rickea Jackson.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<figure class=\"image-right inside_story\">\n<div class=\"figure_content\">\n<div><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"A brand image of Cheeze It clothing\" data-imagemodel=\"182889\" src=\"https:\/\/imgproxy.divecdn.com\/W8hu3mkOTHu6iEDaOj-19u4kL4dmNI5q3Nh9Q_q-f1s\/g:ce\/rs:fit:1600:0\/Z3M6Ly9kaXZlc2l0ZS1zdG9yYWdlL2RpdmVpbWFnZS9LZWxsYW5vdmFfQ2hlZXpfRml0el8yYXk3RnJOLmpwZw==.webp\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"inside_story_caption\">\n<p>Courtesy of Cheez-It<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>The gender-neutral collection has a windbreaker and pants with a pocket designed for a bag of <span>Cheez-Its<\/span>. The brand held one drop on the <span>Cheez-It<\/span> website Thursday and is planning another on July 24 for the limited-time pieces.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>&#8220;Expressing my personal style is important to me, whether it&#8217;s in the tunnel, in the stands, or on the road,\u201d Jackson said in a statement. \u201cI&#8217;m obsessed with the look and can&#8217;t wait to see how fans rock these <span>Cheez-Fitz<\/span> pieces in their own unique way.&#8221;<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"standard-heading\"><span><span><span><span><span>What we\u2019re still thinking about <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span><span><span><span><em><span>600 <\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>That\u2019s how <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>many stores discount chain Ollie\u2019s<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span><span><span><span><span><span> has officially opened, according to a company press release Thursday. Its latest grand opening is located in Belmont, New Hampshire, and marks the Ollie\u2019s expansion into its 34th state.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>&#8220;At a time when many people are trying to stretch their hard-earned dollars, we are delivering unprecedented value through an ever-changing assortment of everyday household products that combines quality, national brands, and pricing in a way that can only be found at Ollie&#8217;s,\u201d Eric van der Valk, president and CEO of Ollie&#8217;s Bargain Outlet, said in a statement.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>The New Hampshire store is located in what used to be a Big Lots, per the release.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><em><span>4.5%<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span><span><span><span><span><span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>That\u2019s how much sales in the department store sector fell in June, according to figures released by the U.S. Department of Commerce on Thursday.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Overall retail sales<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span><span><span><span><span><span> in the categories covered by Retail Dive were up 4.2% year over year, with e-commerce sales growing nearly 7%.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>While analysts called the results \u201csolid\u201d retailers and consumers alike are preparing for continued economic uncertainty in the months ahead driven by tariffs and inflation.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"standard-heading\"><span><span><span><span><span>What we\u2019re watching <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span><span><span><span><em><span>Rhode\u2019s growth prospects <\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>E.l.f. Beauty made a big bet on the Hailey Bieber beauty brand when it announced plans to <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>acquire the company in May<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span><span><span><span><span><span>. At the time, E.l.f. Beauty CEO Tarang Amin said the company has a \u201cvery high bar for M&amp;A\u201d and plans to expand Rhode through avenues including Sephora, additional retail partners and more product lines.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>But how big could Rhode really get? TD Cowen analysts aimed to answer that question this week in an analyst note. They estimate that Rhode could double its business over the next couple of years, ultimately reaching $500 million, \u201csimilar to Glossier and Rare.\u201d That\u2019s predicated on growth from new distribution channels, category expansion, product launches and international growth.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>\u201cThat said, key risk factors we consider include: Rhode&#8217;s ability to meet demand for the Sephora launch initially, maintain current brand health and relevance, execute on new product launches and category expansion, and increase distribution footprint,\u201d TD Cowen said.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><p><a href=\"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/online-workshops-list\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-496\" src=\"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/RETAIL-ONLINE-TRAINING-728-X-90.png\" alt=\"Retail Online Training\" width=\"729\" height=\"91\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/RETAIL-ONLINE-TRAINING-728-X-90.png 729w, https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/RETAIL-ONLINE-TRAINING-728-X-90-300x37.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 729px) 100vw, 729px\" \/><\/a><\/p><br \/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Listen to the article 7 min This audio is auto-generated. 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