Within five miles of my South Florida home, Walmart has four Neighborhood Markets and three Supercenters. Even my close friends who live in rural Tallahassee, in a home where they cannot get food delivered, have a Walmart within a few miles. They don’t have a hospital or convenience store within that range, but Walmart is […]

The sporting goods industry has been shrinking its retail footprint, with major companies, including Nike and Dick’s Sporting Goods, closing stores across the U.S. Economic uncertainty, changing consumer habits, growing competition, and ongoing store evaluations have contributed to the closures, leaving some communities without their nearby sporting goods and sportswear retailers. Now, another sporting goods […]

People rarely think about who owns and operates the hotel they’re staying in. In most cases, if I’m in a Marriott or a Hilton, I just assume that the brand on the marquee is the company running the property. In reality, that’s often not the case and many hotel brands are franchised, with some run […]