TWIR Weekly Bonus Edition
Retail Wrapped, Changing of the Guard, and Target's new SoHO store
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This weekly bonus edition of TWIR. Most of the exciting stuff happens after the paywall, so if you would like to continue to enjoy premium content like this, please consider upgrading to premium.
Today we are discussing Target’s new SoHo store, some pivotal CEO changes announced this week and a few other ramblings.
With that said, let’s get into it….
This week my feed has been dominated by Spotify wrapped and Strava year in reviews, you know those annual moments when our favorite apps cheerfully expose our most questionable habits—whether that’s looping the same sad song 142 times or calling an entire season a “rest day.” There’s definitely a retail opportunity here, because Spotify Wrapped and Strava Year in Sport have proven that people love turning their personal data into shareable identity moments. Retailers could easily create their own version of a year-end recap, highlighting a shopper’s most-purchased categories, favorite brands, loyalty milestones, or even a fun “shopping personality.” This kind of personalized content becomes marketing fuel—highly shareable, emotionally resonant, and a natural driver of loyalty. Fitness and outdoor retailers could take it even further by blending purchase history with activity data, showing customers how many miles they ran in shoes they bought or how many hikes they completed with their gear. Wrapped-style data becomes not just analytics, but content-unlocking new ways to reward customers, spark community, and create viral end-of-year moments that strengthen the shopper relationship.
In the biggest retail leadership move of the week, Craig Gunckel has been appointed CEO of The ODP Corporation, parent of Office Depot and OfficeMax. The announcement came as Atlas Holdings officially closed its $1 billion all-cash acquisition of ODP, taking the company private and delisting it from Nasdaq. Gunckel steps in for Gerry Smith, who exited upon completion of the transaction. With ODP now privately held, Atlas is expected to aggressively restructure the business, Gunckel’s appointment signals a push for operational discipline and transformation in a category still searching for relevance.
After a decade-long run marked by explosive growth followed by recent U.S. softness, Calvin McDonald will step down as CEO on January 31, 2026. The company will be overseen temporarily by CFO Meghan Frank and Chief Commercial Officer André Maestrini as the board searches for a successor. Leadership turnover at a top-tier athleisure brand underscores the pressure on retailers to adapt quickly to shifting consumer preferences and intensifying competition in premium activewear.
While not a retailer itself, Coca-Cola’s leadership ripple touches grocery, convenience, and foodservice channels. The company confirmed COO Henrique Braun will succeed James Quincey as CEO in March 2026. Coca-Cola’s leadership shift has downstream implications for merchandising, category strategy, and supplier negotiations with retailers heading into 2026.
Target just opened its newest concept store in SoHo, and it’s one of the brand’s boldest bets yet on urban, experience-driven retail. Located at 600 Broadway, the reimagined Target SoHo is less “big box” and more “curated lifestyle studio,” blending fashion, beauty, home, and design into an immersive, social-friendly space built for browsing and discovery.
The store features a fluid, open layout with trend-led merchandising, rotating product drops, and curated edits from tastemakers. Experiences like the Broadway Beauty Bar and a photo-ready Gifting Gondola add a layer of play and creativity you don’t typically associate with Target. The space spans nearly 28,000 square feet and was redesigned in under four months—a fast turnaround for such a design-heavy concept.
This is the first phase of the rollout, with additional experiential zones and seasonal activations planned throughout 2026. The move signals Target’s push to position itself not just as a value destination, but as a style and culture destination in high-traffic urban neighborhoods.
Target is leaning hard into experiential retail at a time when urban shoppers are craving inspiration, storytelling, and community—not just convenience. If the SoHo concept resonates, it could influence future remodels or even inspire a new fleet of specialty, city-center formats.
As we wrap up this bonus edition, it’s clear the industry is heading into 2026 with major leadership transitions, bolder store formats, and an increasing appetite for personalized, data-powered engagement. From Target experimenting with experiential retail in SoHo to brands rethinking how they show up for consumers at the end of the year, the landscape is shifting fast—and the smartest players are using these moments to deepen loyalty and spark conversation. Thanks for reading, and if you want these insights delivered every week with even more depth, upgrading to premium is the best way to support the work.
Until next time…….