You’d expect any brand that manufactures products in the US to highlight that fact in their stores, but it’s hard to imagine one doing so more emphatically than Thorogood is.

Thorogood, which has been making work boots since 1892, recently completed a $14.5 million factory in Marshfield, Wisconsin. It reserved a section of the building for its first flagship store and, in a decidedly literal twist on supply chain transparency, the store has four large windows that look directly into the factory.

For Thorogood, which has increased the portion of work boots it makes in the US from about 50% a decade ago to nearly 80% today, the factory-viewing store is meant to highlight the brand’s commitment to domestic production.

Keep reading here.—AAN

There’s nothing better than an ice cream cone or an ice-cold beer after a long run. But at the finish line, many runners are rewarded with snacks of the healthier variety: granola bars, fruit, and water bottles.

Given the physical demands of distance running, healthy snacks may make sense—but sometimes, runners just want a little treat. And they want the brands to know it.

“Food and running comes hand in hand, but a lot of people think you need to be very specific in what types of things you eat and how much you eat,” Justine Huang, a content creator and marathon runner known for her food-centric videos, told Marketing Brew. “Make it fun. After a run, I always want ice cream.”

Brian Kim, a content creator and marathoner who emphasizes good eats in his posts, has worked with fitness-oriented brands like Brooks, Skechers, and Therabody, but if you ask him about his dream sponsorship, he’ll say it’s a chocolate-chip-cookie brand.

Keep reading here on Marketing Brew.—AM

On Wednesdays, we wear pink spotlight Retail Brew’s readers. Want to be featured in an upcoming edition? Click here to introduce yourself.

Summer Weisberg is CEO at crowdsourced testing platform Testlio.

How would you describe your job to someone who doesn’t work in retail? I make sure retail actually works. Think about the last time you tried to buy something online and the checkout button didn’t function, your payment wouldn’t go through, or you simply found website navigation confusing. It’s frustrating, right? My company, Testlio, helps brands prevent that. We test their apps and websites for bugs and usability issues so that when you’re ready to buy, the experience is delightful and effortless.

One thing we can’t guess about your job from your LinkedIn profile? That my path to CEO ran through operations, not a traditional executive track. I joined Testlio in 2020 as COO, became interim CEO, and was recently appointed CEO. What LinkedIn can’t capture is how much of leadership is just showing up consistently—building trust, staying close to customers, and being clear about priorities—long before anyone puts a title on it.

What’s your favorite project you’ve worked on? Helping Testlio grow from a scrappy testing provider into a true digital quality partner has been the project I’m most proud of.

Keep reading here.—EC

Amorepacific, home to brands like Laneige and COSRX, is introducing its wide beauty portfolio overseas in partnership with Amazon and Sephora. Learn more about the increase in demand for this k-beauty brand.