Modern Retail

Nuuly’s new Thrift Shop is similar in name but different in structure from?Nuuly Thrift, a peer-to-peer marketplace it rolled out in 2021. Nuuly Thrift, which was quietly shuttered earlier this year, operated as its own app in which shoppers could buy and sell gently-used apparel and accessories belonging to any brand. The new Thrift Shop is limited to Nuuly’s inventory only, and it does not function as a peer-to-peer model.

The espresso martini has been having a moment for the last few years. According to NIQ CGA’s cocktail tracker, in 2023, orders for espresso martinis doubled in velocity and dethroned the Long Island Iced Tea as the sixth most popular cocktail. Riding this wave is the coffee liqueur Mr Black Spirits, which, since its U.S. launch in 2017, has driven one-third of the total retail sales growth in the coffee liqueur category. Mr. Black launched in Australia but has become an international phenomenon; it was acquired by Diageo in 2022. According to the brand’s co-founder and now-creative director, Tom Baker, though the espresso martini wasn’t popular when it launched, he had a feeling a well-crafted coffee-based liqueur would be a global hit. “I just had this sense that every bar in the world would one day want to buy this product from us,” he said on the Modern Retail Podcast. “And that was all the strategy that went into it.” There were a few elements that led to Mr. Black’s growth. For one, it became a key ingredient in a popular cocktail. Additionally, Baker knew that the brand’s success was predicated on key placements in New York City. “It was sort of the hub of cocktail culture,” he said. “All roads kind of lead there, especially in liquor.” So, Baker and a friend went door to door to get some of the best bars and liquor stores to sell the product. From there, the company made sure to keep the right celebrities and influencers abreast with its growth. One thing led to another, and Mr. Black was able to reach the big time. “All of a sudden, without you knowing, it’s [Stephen] Colbert and [Hugh] Jackman drinking a Mr. Black Espresso Martini,” he said. “So it definitely is equal parts an extraordinary amount of hard work and an extraordinary amount of luck.” Listen to the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/dstQyKMU

The espresso martini has been having a moment for the last few years. According to NIQ CGA’s cocktail tracker, in 2023, orders for espresso martinis doubled in velocity and dethroned the Long Island Iced Tea as the sixth most popular cocktail. Riding this wave is the coffee liqueur Mr Black Spirits, which, since its U.S. launch in 2017, has driven one-third of the total retail sales growth in the coffee liqueur category. Mr. Black launched in Australia but has become an international phenomenon; it was acquired by Diageo in 2022. According to the brand’s co-founder and now-creative director, Tom Baker, though the espresso martini wasn’t popular when it launched, he had a feeling a well-crafted coffee-based liqueur would be a global hit. “I just had this sense that every bar in the world would one day want to buy this product from us,” he said on the Modern Retail Podcast. “And that was all the strategy that went into it.” There were a few elements that led to Mr. Black’s growth. For one, it became a key ingredient in a popular cocktail. Additionally, Baker knew that the brand’s success was predicated on key placements in New York City. “It was sort of the hub of cocktail culture,” he said. “All roads kind of lead there, especially in liquor.” So, Baker and a friend went door to door to get some of the best bars and liquor stores to sell the product. From there, the company made sure to keep the right celebrities and influencers abreast with its growth. One thing led to another, and Mr. Black was able to reach the big time. “All of a sudden, without you knowing, it’s [Stephen] Colbert and [Hugh] Jackman drinking a Mr. Black Espresso Martini,” he said. “So it definitely is equal parts an extraordinary amount of hard work and an extraordinary amount of luck.” Listen to the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/dstQyKMU

The espresso martini has been having a moment for the last few years. According to NIQ CGA’s cocktail tracker, in 2023, orders for espresso martinis doubled in velocity and dethroned the Long Island Iced Tea as the sixth most popular cocktail. Riding this wave is the coffee liqueur Mr Black Spirits, which, since its U.S. launch in 2017, has driven one-third of the total retail sales growth in the coffee liqueur category. Mr. Black launched in Australia but has become an international phenomenon; it was acquired by Diageo in 2022. According to the brand’s co-founder and now-creative director, Tom Baker, though the espresso martini wasn’t popular when it launched, he had a feeling a well-crafted coffee-based liqueur would be a global hit. “I just had this sense that every bar in the world would one day want to buy this product from us,” he said on the Modern Retail Podcast. “And that was all the strategy that went into it.” There were a few elements that led to Mr. Black’s growth. For one, it became a key ingredient in a popular cocktail. Additionally, Baker knew that the brand’s success was predicated on key placements in New York City. “It was sort of the hub of cocktail culture,” he said. “All roads kind of lead there, especially in liquor.” So, Baker and a friend went door to door to get some of the best bars and liquor stores to sell the product. From there, the company made sure to keep the right celebrities and influencers abreast with its growth. One thing led to another, and Mr. Black was able to reach the big time. “All of a sudden, without you knowing, it’s [Stephen] Colbert and [Hugh] Jackman drinking a Mr. Black Espresso Martini,” he said. “So it definitely is equal parts an extraordinary amount of hard work and an extraordinary amount of luck.” Listen to the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/dstQyKMU

On Tuesday,?Amazon said it won’t raise Fulfillment by Amazon fees for its third-party sellers in 2025.?The announcement was a welcome relief for many, but not all sellers. In this piece by Allison Smith, we speak to Craig Leslie of The Bean Coffee Company, Lesley Hensell of Riverbend Consulting, and Judah Bergman of Jool Baby.

Although Saks Fifth Avenue is scrapping its signature holiday light show this year,?the luxury retailer is getting into the season via other marketing channels.?Here's what the company has in store. In this piece by Julia Waldow, we speak to Emily Essner, and Bryan Gildenberg of Confluencer Commerce.

TikTok-viral tote bag brand Bogg is entering Target's more than 1,900 stores nationwide with exclusive products, including a tote bag that features Target's red-and-white bullseye logo. In this piece by Allison Smith, we speak to Kim Vaccarella of Bogg Bag, and Melissa Minkow of CI&T.

For many people, the name Segway brings to mind an image of a bulky, two-wheeled, self-balancing scooter — the same one featured in the 2009 film “Paul Blart: Mall Cop” and used in sightseeing tours throughout the 2010s. But Segway?retired that model?in 2020, and for the past four years, it’s worked to rebrand as a major name in electric transportation.

Tom Baker, co-founder and creative director of the coffee liqueur brand Mr Black Spirits, spoke about the company's rise. It involved years of work alongside the rising popularity of the espresso martini.

As part of his "MAHA" agenda,?Robert Kennedy Jr. says he wants to take things like artificial food dyes and seed oils out of the American food system.?Better-for-you brands say it would be a win.? In this piece by Gabriela Barkho, we speak to Elly Truesdell of New Fare, Jesse Konig ?? of Jesse & Ben's, Carmel Hagen of Supernatural Inc, and Daniel Goetz of GoodPop.