When Moravian University took over America’s oldest bookstore in 2018, the retail experience was closer to a knickknack shop than anything else. Managed by the Moravian Church to provide pension revenue for ministers, the Moravian Book Shop in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, had taken an eclectic turn that wasn’t great for business.

“They had cooking pots and pans. They had penny candy. It was anything under the sun, and people loved it, because it was like grandma’s attic,” Moravian University President Bryon Grigsby told Retail Brew. “But not everybody was buying.”

So after the university took over the location, it partnered with Barnes & Noble Education—which spun off from Barnes & Noble in 2015—to help stabilize its finances. That process involved removing items from the store that weren’t selling and bringing fresh inventory that would attract buyers. The combination of local leadership and corporate expertise ultimately allowed a shop founded in 1745 to get a new lease on life.

Now, after eight years as a typical university bookstore with a combination of student merchandise, trade books, and best-sellers, the store is going independent again at another crucial juncture in its 300-plus-year history.

Keep reading here.—AV

Sustaining a business focused on one hero product—the Burberry trench coat and Levi’s 501 jeans, for example—is no small feat. It’s an even bigger feat when that singular product spurs consistent year over year growth (and $100 million in revenue in 2024). But that’s the story for Bogg Bag, the lifestyle brand known for its perforated rubber bags made from EVA (ethylene-vinyl acetate).

“For some of our customers, it’s aspirational. For some of our customers, it’s attainable,” said founder and CEO Kim Vaccarella. “They want to make life a little bit easier, so Bogg Bag is the perfect vehicle for that.”

Keep reading here on Revenue Brew.—LI

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Ratna Rao is founder and CEO of RK Beauty and CPG consultancy RK Ventures.

How would you describe your job to someone who doesn’t work in retail? I help founders in the CPG space launch and grow their brand. This includes creating a pitch deck, determining the actual cost of making the product, predicting future expenses, planning when and where to make products, finalizing the sale price, reviewing where to sell (their own website, retailers like Sephora, Amazon, etc.) and even how best to use AI to help them out! Basically I support them in anything and everything related to launching their brand. It’s very broad intentionally because I focus on indie brands that need a whole spectrum of support.

One thing we can’t guess about your job from your LinkedIn profile? Because my job is to create clarity from chaos, I have to zoom in and out constantly. I need to be able to see the forest from the trees separately and together at the same time.

What’s your favorite project you’ve worked on? I’m currently working on a favorite project! I’m working with female founders to support the launch of their beauty brand. It’s very fulfilling while making me grow so much simultaneously.

Which emerging retail trend are you most excited about right now, and why? I’m most excited at how indie brands are getting more moments to shine. I love the underdog, and working with them directly has made me appreciate them so much more.

Keep reading here.—EC

Brands are plugging AI anywhere they can to make work more efficient and the in-store experience more productive. Here’s what you need to know about the use of AI in retail.