GIVING TEACHERS SOME LOVE When dance teachers are in front of a class, they want to project professionalism and be comfortable. So they’re always on the hunt for stylish apparel that meets their unique needs. For this month’s “What Dancers Want” DRN reached out to three ballet instructors (including Erica Fischbach, director, Colorado Ballet Academy, … More »
LET’S CELEBRATE INDIE RETAIL It’s July, and that means it’s Independent Retailer Month. The annual campaign encourages communities to support their local businesses, pointing out that each dollar spent at a local business creates value for the whole community. Your store can build promotions around the campaign; postcards, posters and other materials are available at … More »
REINVENTING A STORE—AND A BRAND When you build a dancewear store from the ground up, you likely know what you stand for—and so do your customers. But what if you buy an existing business? How do you reinvent and revitalize a store, while honoring its long history and all its strengths? And how do you … More »
STOCKING UP FOR FALL Summer isn’t even officially here, but storeowners already have their eye on fall and the busy back-to-school season. To help you streamline purchasing and make the most of your budget, we’ve gathered deadlines, incentives and contact information from 48 dancewear manufacturers. See our “2018 Back-to-School Ordering Guide.” Don’t miss new tights … More »
SPRING INTO SUMMER Before the back-to-school rush, there are still summer sales to be made! Summer intensives offer the chance to not just stock the leotards, shoes, tights and tools dancers need, but to educate customers and make their lives easier with targeted inventory and packing checklists. Read how storeowner Vicky Lambert is doing just … More »
Optimism and High-Tech at NRF’s Annual Show Over the last year, there was lots of doom-and-gloom talk of a retail apocalypse, with predictions that brick-and-mortars would be crushed by online sellers, particularly Amazon. But holiday sales went surprisingly well, increasing during November and December by 5.5 percent over the same period in 2016—the largest year-over-year … More »
Performance-Readiness Is Not Just for Dancers With spring on the horizon, dance studios are rehearsing and readying their students for recital season, and ballroom dancers may be prepping for their own competitions. But dancers aren’t the only ones who want to be performance-ready. You’ll be making sure your store has all the right stock to … More »
The New Retail Sales Associate Job “The role [now] is less about folding sweaters than it is about selling them, and retailers are looking more and more for people to come into the role with the skills to sell…In turn, higher-caliber workers are looking for more than a paycheck—they want to advance their education. They … More »
Who’s Tried a Morning Huddle? Football players aren’t the only ones who can benefit from a pregame huddle to strategize and motivate. Many managers also call a morning huddle to get the day off to a good start. It’s a quick stand-up meeting—never lasting more than 10 or 15 minutes and ending 5 minutes before … More »
Small and Strong, That’s You Amazon and its battle with Walmart and other big-box and chain retailers dominates retailing news these days. How can small retailers hope to compete? By going with their considerable strengths, concluded a recent online discussion among members of RetailWire’s Brain Trust, a group of retail analysts, business academics, CEOs, marketers … More »
