STORES

Erin Cabrey

On Bleecker Street in New York, wedged between a series of neutral-toned buildings, sits the pinkest shop in NYC.

So says the fuchsia, fluorescent sign inside Colorful Natalie, the 500-square-foot apparel and accessories boutique that’s become known by passersby for its rosy exterior, and for those on the internet as the must-visit tourist destination for NYC merch.

It lives up to the name: Its pink walls are adorned with racks of pink hangers holding its many (mostly pink) NYC hoodies, tees, and tanks, along with accessories like slippers, scrunchies, hats, and jewelry—nearly all designed by founder Natalie Acopian.

The store, which opened in 2024, has risen to popularity as Acopian has taken to social media to showcase the store and chronicle the highs (lines down the block) and lows (a very vocal critic of her pink storefront) of the day-to-day operations of her shop, accumulating millions of views and nearly 250,000 followers across Instagram and TikTok.

Chatting with Retail Brew inside Colorful Natalie, Acopian shared the store’s journey from curated e-commerce fashion shop to souvenir hot spot, and the wins and pain points of going viral as a small, self-funded business in NYC.

Keep reading here.—EC

      

From The Crew

Every founder faces a moment they weren’t prepared for. The pivot that wasn’t working. The investor who walked. The hire that broke the culture. Founder Brew exists for those moments. Each issue brings the real decisions, the trade-offs, and the hard lessons from builders who’ve been there.

Whether you’re scaling, fundraising, or just figuring out what comes next, this is the newsletter for you. Subscribe today.

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR & TRENDS

Sopa Images/Getty Images

Sunset used to be a time to slow down and relax but for many Americans, it’s starting to translate to some impulse shopping decisions.

Per the latest survey by CouponFollow, when Americans shop late at night, impulse buying is the norm, with 75% of those surveyed saying they’ve made an unplanned purchase during a nocturnal shopping spree.

Late-night impulse buying is especially common among younger consumers—58% of Gen Z and 57% of millennials reported making unplanned purchases, versus 46% of Gen X and 47% of baby boomers.

In fact, Gen Z “overspends” about $541 per year while shopping in the wee hours.

Keep reading here.—JS

      

MARKETING

Unilever

The 2026 FIFA World Cup has presented a lucrative opportunity for businesses both big and small. Even for a consumer goods behemoth like Unilever, the sporting event is an opportunity to reach a new global audience. Its multiyear partnership, launched in 2023, now includes a variety of initiatives across more than 35 of its personal care brands like Dove, Degree, and Axe.

“[The World Cup] touches everybody in a way that’s really different,” said Ryu Yokoi, chief media and marketing capability officer at Unilever North America. “It’s created a really wonderful opportunity for us to go out and bring our marketing philosophy to life, which is around driving desire at scale and really showing up in the moments of culture that matter for our brands.”

Keep reading here on Revenue Brew.—LI

      

Level up your career with these resources from our sponsors!

swapping skus

Today’s top retail reads.

Milk shake: The Coca-Cola Company temporarily shut down its dairy company, Fairlife, following a cyber attack. (Reuters)

Eating into profits: How GLP-1s and the economy are hurting profits at big food companies, including General Mills and Kraft Heinz. (the Wall Street Journal)

Goal tendered: Why Adidas’s aggressive sponsorship of the World Cup could boost sales. (the New York Times)