The Week In News, But Shorter
June 2 – 8, 2025

We don’t typically focus on climate change in this newsletter, but a recent piece from Propmodo grabbed our attention—and it should grab yours, too. While climate change has many implications for property owners, this article zeroes in on a particularly urgent one: climate-related risk. From guiding investment decisions to reshaping portfolio strategy, the growing pressure to account for climate exposure is real. The part that stood out most to us? The increasing role of technology in both identifying and mitigating that risk—and, importantly, in reducing your properties’ direct environmental footprint. Chances are, you’re already collecting valuable data through systems you have in place. The opportunity lies in connecting the dots. That’s not always simple, especially if you don’t know what to look for. But that’s where we come in – let’s talk or take a listen to some recent discussions in this area.

This week we continued to see predictions about where the American economy is headed based on how consumers are funding their purchases and based on what retailers plan to do with their pricing strategies. We also saw more headlines on the role ChatGPT is playing in the shopping journey, and of course on AI overall. We’re over on LinkedIn as usual, and hope you’ll connect with us there!

Digital Meets Physical

Online grocer FreshDirect to make physical debut with pop-up store [Chain Store Age] After more than two decades in business, FreshDirect is opening its first physical store. The online grocer will open its debut brick-and-mortar location, dubbed FreshDirect on Main, in Southampton, N.Y. on Long Island.

PayPal, Klarna launch physical payment cards [Chain Store Age] Two prominent digital payment platforms are both releasing new physical payment cards. PayPal is introducing a new physical credit card issued by Synchrony, while Klarna is piloting a physical debit card. Following are brief overviews of each new payment product.

Is ChatGPT helping us make better decisions around online shopping? [The Drum] “Isn’t that just what Google or Bing already does?” I hear you ask. Well, yes. But crucially, ChatGPT’s results are not sponsored ads nor based on an algorithm. They are independently selected and tailored to relevant information the user may have previously expressed across ChatGPT interactions.

Misfits Market acquires AI-powered delivery platform [Chain Store Age] Misfits Market has made a sustainability-focused acquisition. The online grocer, known for selling products that curb food waste, has acquired AI-powered last mile delivery platform The Rounds.

Kurt Geiger Deploys Omnichannel POS Across 70+ U.S. and UK Stores [Retail TouchPoints] Footwear and accessories brand Kurt Geiger has rolled out the mobile-based NewStore Omnichannel POS across more than 70 stores in the U.S. and UK. The deployment, which also encompasses Kurt Geiger’s Carvela brand, enables store associates to not only complete purchases but also to provide endless aisle, ship-to-store, BOPIS and BORIS transactions using only an iPhone or iPad device anywhere in the store.

PropTalk

Placer.ai: Are malls cool again? [Chain Store Age] Macy’s and JCPenney still play a key role in drawing customers to malls, but empty anchor implants like entertainment brands, fitness centers, and restaurants are increasingly building new traffic across longer ranges of hours, declares Placer.ai’s latest Mall Report.

Consumers Are Financing Their Groceries. What Does It Say About the Economy? [The New York Times] Nearly a quarter of consumers using buy now, pay later loans finance groceries, up from 14 percent a year ago, according to a recent LendingTree survey. And it’s not just groceries; more Americans are using these loans to pay for recurring monthly bills, such as electricity, heat, internet and streaming services like Hulu.

CEO Talks: Over 110 Years, Bealls Has Quietly Become One of the Country’s Largest Off-pricers [WWD] The story starts in 1915 when cotton farmer Robert Beall moved from Georgia to Florida to escape a boll weevil infestation that had devastated his crops. He settled in Bradenton and decided to open a dry goods store called the Dollar Limit, where nothing cost more than $1. Eventually, that business was transformed into Bealls, a department store where merchandise was still sold at value prices — albeit a bit more than $1.

Large Property Investors Are Increasingly Considering Their Portfolio’s Climate Risk [Propmodo] How a building is constructed plays a major role in how well it can withstand different weather events. For example, the location of the electrical panel and the materials used on the first floor affect its ability to handle flooding. The type of windows can influence its vulnerability to high winds, tornadoes, and hurricanes. And the level of pipe insulation will determine the risk of bursting during a hard freeze.

Why Tariffs Haven’t Led to Soaring Prices – Yet [Business of Fashion] Fashion brands will eventually need to offset higher costs for imports. But after raising prices again and again since the pandemic, some retailers are more worried about alienating shoppers than how they’ll pay their customs duties.

Tech-Driven Experiences Reposition Northeast Malls for Next Generation of Shoppers [Rebusiness Online] Malls are shedding their images as static retail venues and transforming into immersive, tech-enabled destinations — and it’s not traditional retail driving the charge. It’s Gen Z, a digitally native, experience-driven cohort that’s redefining what mall real estate can and should be.