It’s been another week with far more retail news than there is time in the day. Below, we break down some things you may have missed during the week, and what we’re still thinking about.
From Inkey List launching at Ulta Beauty to Sanrio partnering with The Children’s Place, here’s our closeout for the week.
What you may have missed
J.C. Penney partners with Joaquina
J.C. Penney partnered with Latin Grammy Winner Joaquina on a limited-time back-to-school collection. The Be Electric collection was inspired in part by Joaquina’s love of ’90s fashion. The singer will be performing in Miami as “the finale act” to the department store’s “Summer Deal Jam,” according to a company announcement.
Image courtesy of J.C. Penney
“I poured my younger self into this collection – the girl who mixed Spanish + English like her own secret language and never saw herself in the dressing room mirror,” Joaquina said in a statement. “J.C. Penney let me tell my story in every stitch. I hope these pieces feel like claiming identity and dressing for the life you dream of.”
Big 5 Sporting Goods sells itself
Early last week, Big 5 Sporting Goods announced it would sell itself to Worldwide Golf and private equity firm Capitol Hill Group. The sporting goods company will become a private retailer following the close of the transaction and will no longer be listed on the Nasdaq. The all-cash deal, valued at $112.7 million, also included the assumption of about $71.4 million in credit line borrowings that Big 5 had as of June 29.
The acquisition combines Big 5’s 414 U.S. stores with Worldwide Golf’s footprint of more than 95 across the U.S. and Canada. Capitol Hill Group will provide financial resources to the pair, giving Big 5 “the long-term capital and strategic support to re-energize growth and further build on its competitive position in the sporting goods retail sector.” It will remain an independent company within the private equity firm’s portfolio.
“This transaction marks an exciting new chapter for Big 5 that allows the company to carry on its legacy of serving customers with quality sporting goods at an exceptional value while maximizing value for our stockholders,” Steven Miller, chairman, president and CEO of Big 5, said in a statement.
The acquisition, which is subject to closing conditions, will give Big 5 stockholders $1.45 per share in cash, a roughly 36% premium of the stock’s weighted average over the past two months. The deal has been approved by Big 5’s board of directors and is expected to close in the second half of this year.
An Ink-credible development
The Inkey List announced that it will launch in all Ulta Beauty stores and on its website on Sunday. Products range across skin, body, hair and scalp care and cost between $7 and $26.50, according to the company. Additionally, Ulta will debut new Inkey products and will exclusively carry some items.
“Our guests are constantly looking to upgrade their skincare routines, especially as these daily rituals become a form of self-care,” Penny Coy, Ulta’s senior vice president of merchandising, said in a statement. “As the nation’s largest beauty retailer, we want to ensure our assortment reflects their beauty needs and goals, which is why The Inkey List is the perfect addition to our growing assortment.”
Retail therapy
Laneige, Baskin-Robbins and Sydney Sweeney team up for sherbet-inspired lip mask
Korean skincare brand Laneige is launching a rainbow sherbet-inspired version of its lip mask in partnership with Baskin-Robbins, according to a Thursday press release.
Image courtesy of Laneige x Baskin-Robbins
The $25 multicolored lip product — available exclusively at Sephora — features orange, pineapple and raspberry scents based on the Laneige global ambassador Sydney Sweeney’s favorite scoop from the ice cream chain. It will be available for a limited time online and in stores with the mass beauty retailer starting Tuesday.
“Rainbow Sherbet has always been a fan favorite at Baskin-Robbins, and hearing Sydney Sweeney call it her all-time favorite just made the flavor feel even more special,” Baskin-Robbins Vice President of Brand Marketing and Culinary Nicole Boutwell said in a statement. “Teaming up with Laneige to bring the bright, fruity fan favorite to life in such a fun and unexpected way was a dream collab.”
The Children’s Place partners with Sanrio on a multiseason collab
The Sanrio characters have entered The Children’s Place for a multiseason partnership. Their first collection will drop in the fall, with the partnership continuing through the spring of 2026 “and beyond,” according to a press release.
The Perfect Paris capsule collection inspired by Hello Kitty launches on Sept. 11. Future collections include Trick or Treat with Hello Kitty and Friends for Halloween, Forever Fancy for the holiday season and Galentine’s with Hello Kitty and Friends coming in the spring.
“Partnering with Sanrio allows us to tap into a multigenerational icon in Hello Kitty and Friends that resonates just as deeply with millennial parents as it does with their children,” Claudia Lima-Guinehut, brand president of The Children’s Place, said in a statement. “Each drop is intentionally designed to celebrate that cross-generational connection, blending Sanrio’s spirit of friendship and fun with the everyday style, quality, and value that families expect from The Children’s Place.”
What we’re still thinking about
83
That’s how many stores across the U.K. and Ireland that Ulta now has access to through its acquisition of British retailer Space NK. Ulta bought the beauty retailer off of private equity firm Manzanita Capital and paid for the deal with cash on hand and capacity under its existing credit facility, though official terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The deal comes amid a broader group of expansion efforts at Ulta, which is planning to open its first stores in Mexico City, Kuwait City and the United Arab Emirates’ Dubai later this year. CEO Kecia Steelman praised Space NK’s “differentiated beauty experience” and said international expansion is “an integral part” of Ulta’s growth strategy.
$1
That’s the maximum price for over 70 back-to-school items at Dollar General — with some products even lower — this season, according to a company press release Thursday.
The discount retailer is also providing exclusive discounts for educators, including 30% off select stationery for verified teachers through Sept. 6.
“Dollar General stands ready to deliver on our commitment of everyday value to help families as they shop for back-to-school items,” Steve O’Brien, Dollar General vice president and division merchandise manager, said in a statement. “Whether you’re a parent stocking up on supplies, a teacher preparing their classroom or a student getting ready for dorm living, we offer the essentials you need at prices that will help support a confident start to the school year.”
What we’re watching
New York mandates disclosures around algorithm pricing before NRF gets a hearing
A consumer-protection regulation in New York that applies to algorithmic pricing, also known as surveillance pricing, took effect this week without a preliminary injunction requested by the National Retail Federation.
Businesses in New York, with some exceptions, must now let customers know when a price is set by an algorithm that leverages their personal data. In a May 9 statement, released when Gov. Kathy Hochul signed the bill into law, the governor’s office said the practice is “opaque and strips consumers of their ability to comparison shop and plan for the price of goods and services.”
In a claim filed July 2 in federal court in the Southern District of New York, the NRF contradicts that, stipulating that, rather, it “permits retailers to offer similar promotions in more sophisticated ways and on a larger scale.” The group also argues that it’s unconstitutional.
This statute is now on the books unless a judge says otherwise, though NRF hopes “that the New York Attorney General agrees to refrain from enforcing the law voluntarily” until the court schedules a hearing, per an emailed statement from Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel Stephanie Martz. Attorney General Letitia James’ office declined to comment.