Run by entrepreneurs, celebrity chefs and some of the most creative next-generation chefs, food halls are turning what was once an urban phenomenon into a nationwide trend. They’re also becoming a favorite among mall operators and real estate developers who see food halls as part of an experiential retail strategy.

Being a lifestyle brand today means paying close attention to what a product does for a customer’s higher order needs. STORES Editor Susan Reda says the purchases she’s making these days are not just about satisfying an immediate need; they reflect what’s important to her on a much broader level.

The technology remains an obscure concept to many, but experts say blockchain could have big implications for grocers and retailers that carry food products, by enabling them to better trace the origins of items and more quickly handle recalls. A blockchain-based system could create a reliable and trusted network to share information about food products.

NRF is proud to provide our members with the online Retail Buying Guide to search for trusted vendors, products and services in the retail industry. Our guide is a user-friendly forum designed to bring suppliers and purchasers together. You can search by keyword, location, company name or category. Available whenever you need it, the Retail Buying Guide makes it easy to locate products and professional services geared to the retail industry. Click here to visit the online Retail Buying Guide! To advertise, please contact Sarah Allen for more information.

Even in the coldest months of the year, Milan doesn’t see average temperatures below freezing. So when outerwear brand Woolrich opened a flagship store there, it took winter to the shoppers.

Robomart, a self-driving, fully autonomous grocery store on wheels introduced at the Consumer Electronics Show earlier this year, delivers perishables directly to the consumer.

The digital edition of STORES includes must-read pieces, including the articles featured here. Read the current issue and browse the archives for issues you may have missed.

Two business students set out to make the bra buying experience more comfortable, affordable and accessible, establishing Harper Wilde around the concepts of simple options, fair prices and home try-ons. Co-founders Jane Fisher and Jenna Kerner discuss how they are revolutionizing the way bras are sold, in this week’s episode of NRF’s Retail Gets Real podcast.

The List of People Shaping Retail’s Future recognizes true originals, determined idealists, inspirational change-makers, champions of retail and fearless leaders of the retail industry. Nominations are open until April 30.

NRF issued a statement after U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer released a list of Chinese imports subject to new tariffs under the Trump administration. “As we’ve said all along, tariffs are taxes on consumers and a drag on the nation’s economy,” said NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay. “Tariffs threaten to hurt consumers, jeopardize job creation and increase the cost of doing business here in the United States.”

Ryder System Inc., a leader in commercial fleet management, dedicated transportation and supply chain solutions, is strengthening its omnichannel fulfillment capabilities through the acquisition of all outstanding equity of MXD Group, an ecommerce fulfillment provider with a national network of facilities, including last mile capabilities. With this acquisition, Ryder is now the second-largest last mile delivery provider of big and bulky goods.

Lenta, one of the largest retail chains in Russia, plans to deploy Revionics Price Optimization across all its hypermarkets and supermarkets in 2018.

Intellicheck, an industry leader in identification authentication solutions, announced that Northern Tool + Equipment is now using Retail ID Mobile at 43 stores in Texas, Florida and Georgia. The nationally recognized provider of tools, construction and industrial equipment is using Retail ID Mobile on handheld Android devices for large in-store purchases and credit card applications, assuring cutting-edge fraud prevention protection to proactively continue its sustained commitment to customer service.

Alibaba Group Holding Limited will acquire all outstanding shares that it does not already own in Ele.me, a leading online delivery and local services platform in China, in a transaction that implies the enterprise value of Ele.me at $9.5 billion.

Teradata, the leading cloud-based data and analytics company, announced that Overstock.com Inc. is using Teradata Path Analysis as part of its customer journey analytics. Overstock, a leader in online retail, needed a path analysis solution to visually analyze customer data from multichannel marketing campaigns and key customer milestones in their journeys. Overstock is leveraging a pathing interface developed by Teradata to put advanced path analysis directly into the hands of marketers, business analysts and non-technical professionals.

Accell Group, N.V., the global leader in e-bikes and the parent company of Accell North America, announced the acquisition of Beeline Bikes, the largest mobile bike service franchise in the United States. The investment in Beeline Bikes solidifies ANA’s position as the world’s most consumer-centric bicycle company by transforming the experience of buying a bike in partnership with independent bicycle dealers.

Carvana, a leading ecommerce platform for buying used cars, has launched its newest Car Vending Machine in Tampa, Fla. The fully automated, coin-operated Car Vending Machine is eight stories high and holds up to 32 vehicles, giving customers a unique and memorable pickup experience for cars they have purchased online. This is Carvana’s second Car Vending Machine in Florida, and the eighth of its kind across the country.

Three independent Piggly Wiggly Store owners, in conjunction with and with the support of C&S Wholesale Grocers, have entered into a definitive agreement with Southeastern Grocers to acquire three BI-LO stores in South Carolina and three Harveys Supermarkets in Georgia. This arrangement is in conjunction with the restructuring support agreement announced by Southeastern Grocers on March 15, 2018.

Certona, the leader in real-time omnichannel personalization for the world’s largest brands and retailers, announced the results of a strategic partnership with British outdoor retailer Mountain Warehouse. After revamping its website and implementing Certona’s advanced personalization solutions, Mountain Warehouse has reported an incremental 10 percent uplift in overall online revenues.

Ace Hardware announced an exclusive paint partnership in the home improvement category with Magnolia Home by Joanna Gaines Paint, marking the brand’s first-ever paint partnership with a hardware co-operative retailer. The interior paint line, created by designer and nationally recognized home renovation expert Joanna Gaines, is now available for purchase on acehardware.com and in nearly 500 Ace stores nationwide, offering consumers 150 timeless interior paint colors personally crafted by Joanna Gaines to choose from as they look to bring a piece of Gaines’ hallmark relaxed and easy “modern farmhouse” style into their own homes.

Emarsys, the largest independent marketing platform company in the world, announced that La Jolla Group, a leading global active-lifestyle apparel company, plans to personalize and enhance its overall customer lifecycle management using the Emarsys artificial intelligence optimized platform. Gaining access to Emarsys advanced data segmentation and analytics capabilities, La Jolla Group plans to become customer-centric through unifying customer experience across email, web and social channels for flagship brands such as O’Neill.