Opinion

Features Opinion
Snatching Defeat Out of The Jaws of Victory

Looking back at my October 2017 column, I was armed with facts proclaiming that brick-and-mortar retail was rock solid, despite what we all saw in the news. Sixteen months later, following the 2018 Christmas season, I was curious: Had those predictions been accurate? Did brick-and-mortar actually weather the Amazon storm of the past two seasons?

Features Opinion
Observations & Opinions: Surviving, and Thriving?
After four consecutive years of growth in the toy industry, 2018 saw its first drop, with annual toy sales down two percent compared to 2017, according to The NPD Group. U.S. total toy sales for the year were at $21.6 billion. Not bad news when taking into account an entire chain devoted to selling only toys closed its doors.   What I do find disturbing about this news is that…