BANKRUPTCY

Retailers Reboot II: The Sequel

What is dead may never die, so long as there’s cash to repurpose old IP into something “new.” This week, Authentic Brands Group shared teaser trailers for two of its revival projects: Barneys New York and Brooks Brothers. 

Take two

During a WWD conference, Authentic Brands Group CEO Jamie Salter said Barneys will reopen in Q1 2021 as two boutiques: one inside Saks Fifth Avenue’s NYC flagship and one in Greenwich, CT. 

• Barneys 2.0’s premiere was originally scheduled for September, but it was pushed back due to Covid-19 concerns.

Details about the products Barneys will carry, or how it’ll live online, are still scarce. But ABG is confident that there’s an appetite for international spin-offs. 

• Barneys is plotting expansions into China, Korea, and Europe over the next two years. 
• ABG will also announce a “personal care and beauty deal” between Barneys and an undisclosed partner company early next week, Salter said. 

My two cents: Unless Barneys is getting into private labels, a successful revival also depends on buy-in from other brands. (It was a department store, after all.) It’s not clear yet whether the designers who turned Barneys into a luxury destination are nostalgic enough to check out the sequel.

On to the next one

Brooks Brothers, which ABG acquired with Simon Property Group in September, shared a first glimpse at its post-bankruptcy strategy this week. I can’t describe the vibe better than GQ writer Cam Wolf: “It’s not so much a revolution as it is switching out an emerald tie with little golfers on it for a crimson one with mallards.” 

• Brooks Brothers will whittle down its men’s assortment to historically best-selling hero items like Oxford shirts and fleece polos. 
• It’s also exploring more aggressive expansion via e-comm, improved women’s and children’s offerings, and brand collaborations. The first, sunglasses with Ray-Ban, arrives next week.

One thing missing: Aside from dabbling in cashmere sweats, Brooks Brothers isn’t straying far from its tailored roots. That could work against it if shoppers stay loyal to 2020’s top apparel trends (all things stretch and lounge) in 2021.

DELIVERY

Like a Freshly Verified Influencer

Instacart’s the only one brands want to carry their bags. The delivery service has now inked partnerships with 500+ retailers, deploying its gig shoppers across nearly 40,000 stores. 

The latest: midwestern supercenter chain Meijer. Yesterday, the retailer said Instacart will begin fulfilling same-day deliveries of groceries, electronics, and more from its 240+ stores. 

Instacart’s another unsurprising 2020 success, up there with designer puppies and three-wick kush candles. Its order volumes have spiked as much as 500% this year as shoppers turned to home delivery, Reuters reports, and it could be valued at $30 billion in an IPO next year.  

The next phase: Becoming an everything delivery service. Meijer’s one of many more-than-grocery clients to join Instacart in recent weeks.

• Best Buy logged on earlier this month for electronics and appliance delivery.
• Sephora joined in September for makeup delivery—and allows shoppers to earn loyalty points on the platform.

Zoom out: Competitors are catching on to Instacart’s expansion strategy. On Tuesday, Uber officially acquired Postmates, which recently started piloting non-grocery deliveries.

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DTC

We Can Still See Your Smile on Zoom

This product launch goes out to anyone who’s six months overdue for a deep teeth cleaning. Quip, the DTC oral care brand, expanded to selling teeth-cleaning gum yesterday. 

• Quip’s new category launches online-only, with plans to expand to retail later on.
• Shoppers will have the option to order subscriptions and a refillable gum dispenser.

Did gum really need disrupting? Cash wrap merchandisers may disagree, but Quip CEO Simon Enever told me there’s a gap for a “convenient and effective” oral care chewing gum. The product is American Dental Association-approved, and was tested by current brand subscribers.

• Plus, Quip already sells another consumable (toothpaste). That means it didn’t need a pricey supply chain overhaul to enter a new category.

Big picture: A year without dental appointments has worked to Quip’s advantage, Enever said. In 2020, Quip has entered five new retail partnerships, including a 3,000+ store deal with Walmart, and launched four new products. 

But most importantly for a DTC brand of a certain aesthetic, Enever said Quip has been profitable since March.

WHAT ELSE IS BREWING

• Francesca’s filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.  
• Madewell joined the 15% Pledge.
• UPS has cut off deliveries for retailers including Gap, L.L.Bean, and Macy’s.
• Express will lay off 10% of its corporate workforce.
• Wayfair will close its only IRL store at the end of the year.
• New marketplace alert: Thirteen Lune, a site for Black-owned beauty products, launched.

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SWAPPING SKUS

More festive than a peppermint stick candle. Sweeter than a gingerbread latte (RIP). It’s today’s roundup of holiday retail reads.

• Christmas tree sales have finally entered the e-comm chat. But taking 7 ft. pines online has unique challenges. (Modern Retail)
• For a year with few good tidings, some greeting card sellers are backing away from Hallmark messages. (Elle)

+ My gift to you: Store Roulette, where one click takes you to a mystery online store. I played for at least an hour yesterday.

FRIEND OR FAUX?

Three headlines below are true, but one was planted by the same aliens behind all those monoliths. Can you spot the fake?

1. Aerie leggings sold out after appearing in a TikTok dance.
2. McDonald’s said it will bring back the McPizza in 2021.
3. 253 Supreme t-shirts can be yours for the low price of $2 million.
4. The holiday season’s hottest candle is already gone. It’s one that smells like Drake.

Keep reading for the answer.

ICYMI

Catch up on the Retail Brew stories you may have missed.

• JCPenney, Inching Back from Bankruptcy, Tries Live Shopping
• Shopping Apps Carried Cyber Weekend Sales
• How DTC Brands Approach Customer Service During the Busy Season

FRIEND OR FAUX? ANSWER

2. Nope, there are no plans to revive the McPizza. You can read about its demise here.