This Week in Retail #110
The Final Holiday Sprint: From Super Saturday to CEO exits, retailers make last-minute moves with long-term implications
Hey Friends,
If the past week felt like retail hitting the gas and the brakes at the same time, you’re not wrong. From record-breaking last-minute holiday demand to CEO shakeups, drone deliveries and renewed bets on physical stores, retailers are juggling urgency, reinvention and long-term positioning all at once. Super Saturday is shaping up to be the final stress test of the season — and the headlines below show how brands are recalibrating for what comes next.
This week we’re closing out the holiday sprint and looking ahead to what retailers are resetting for 2026. Expect a snapshot of record-breaking Super Saturday demand, a major CEO transition at Lululemon, Walmart’s expanding push into drone delivery, and renewed confidence in physical retail from brands like L.L. Bean and Calvin Klein. We’re also digging into strategic partnerships, digital investments, consolidation in plus-size apparel, leadership changes in luxury, and why Los Angeles’ aging retail real estate is becoming a constraint on growth.
Let’s get into……..
Nearly 159 million consumers plan to shop on Super Saturday, the final Saturday before Christmas, according to a new National Retail Federation survey, setting a new record and edging past last year’s total. The event, which falls just five days before Dec. 25 this year, remains one of the most important days of the holiday season for retailers. NRF says shoppers will spread their purchases across stores and channels as they rush to pick up last-minute gifts and remaining holiday essentials.
Last week Lululemon announced that CEO Calvin McDonald will step down after seven years, with CFO Meghan Frank stepping in as interim co-CEO while the company searches for a permanent replacement. The news came alongside earnings showing 7% revenue growth to $2.6 billion, though sales in the Americas declined 2% and regional comps fell 5%. Management emphasized the need for a leader with experience in growth and transformation.
