REMARKABLE
RETAIL PODCAST
LISTEN TO THE LATEST EPISODE
Feb 03, 2026
Amazon's and Saks' Retail Reset, Plus Live from the Big Show: NRF Top Voices Billy May and David J. Katz
Steve Dennis and Michael LeBlanc open with a fast-paced news round on Amazon shutting its Fresh stores, big layoffs across retail, Saks Global’s bankruptcy fallout, weak luxury signals from LVMH, and Starbucks’ fragile comeback. They then welcome fellow NRF Top Voices Billy May, Brooklinen CEO and David J Katz, Randa Apparel's EVP and CMO, for a wide-ranging conversation on value, pricing strategy, consumer trust, AI, leadership, and disruption recorded live together in the Narvar podcasting studio at the NRF Big Show. The episode closes with remarkable stories on the expanding AI bubble and TikTok’s shifting and dubious commerce model.
TOP EPISODES
Oct 24, 2023
The Remarkable House of Brands That Is LVMH with Anish Melwani, Chairman & CEO, North America
Our guest this week is Anish Melwani, Chairman and CEO of LVMH, North America. LVMH is the home to 75 distinguished Houses rooted in six different sectors and includes some of the most iconic global luxury brands including Louis Vuitton, Dior, Fendi, Tiffany, Bulgari, Sephora, and many more. We explore the differences between LVMH's North American business and the rest of the world, along with understanding the connective tissue and values that run through all the brands.
May 23, 2023
What We (Still) Get Wrong About Physical Retail--And Why It Matters
This week we go guest free to tackle some of the more pernicious misperceptions, missteps, and false narratives that continue to get in the way of retailers' making the strategic progress they so urgently need. As the Covid sales bump disappears and consumer demand wanes we will--as Warren Buffet famously said--"get to see who's been swimming naked." Without aggressive action retailers stuck in the unremarkable middle will soon face a harsh reckoning.
Apr 11, 2023
Going Global with Judith McKenna, President & CEO, Walmart International
Joining us for the first of several episodes recorded at the Wizeline remote podcast studio/beach cabana at Mandalay Bay during Shoptalk is Judith McKenna, who heads up Walmart International. We touch on Judith's journey across the pond to lead Walmart's $100 billion plus division, which operates across 19 countries, before jumping into the challenges and opportunities of executing the Walmart brand promise and purpose while staying attuned to diverse market needs ("strong local businesses powered by Walmart").
PAST EPISODES
Feb 03, 2026
Amazon's and Saks' Retail Reset, Plus Live from the Big Show: NRF Top Voices Billy May and David J. Katz
Steve Dennis and Michael LeBlanc open with a fast-paced news round on Amazon shutting its Fresh stores, big layoffs across retail, Saks Global’s bankruptcy fallout, weak luxury signals from LVMH, and Starbucks’ fragile comeback. They then welcome fellow NRF Top Voices Billy May, Brooklinen CEO and David J Katz, Randa Apparel's EVP and CMO, for a wide-ranging conversation on value, pricing strategy, consumer trust, AI, leadership, and disruption recorded live together in the Narvar podcasting studio at the NRF Big Show. The episode closes with remarkable stories on the expanding AI bubble and TikTok’s shifting and dubious commerce model.
Jan 27, 2026
2026 Provocative Predictions for Retail's Future
Steve Dennis and Michael LeBlanc open with the retail news of the week: the latest twist in the U.S. TikTok deal, fresh tariff/geopolitical volatility, Amazon noting tariff-driven price creep, and Gap’s new Chief Entertainment Officer role. Steve then delivers his 2026 retail predictions, from the “Great Concentration” and agentic AI to faster delivery, uneven luxury, resale momentum, wellness, and a bold Sephora–Kohl’s call. They close with Lululemon’s sheer-product debacle, congrats to prior guest on the podcast Walmart's Chris Nicholas, and bond-market jitters “around the corner.”
Jan 20, 2026
AI Gets Pragmatic, Saks Hits the Wall, and Away CEO Jessica Schinazi Talks DTC Reinvention
Steve Dennis and Michael LeBlanc deliver a sharp breakdown of the retail news that matters including AI’s move from experimentation to pragmatic execution, the unraveling of Saks Global, and the growing retail implications of GLP-1 drugs. They are then joined by Jessica Schinazi, CEO of Away, for an in-person conversation at the Narvar remote podcasting studio on the NRF Big Show trade show floor on evolving a DTC icon into an powerful omnichannel brand.
Jan 13, 2026
“The Analysts”: Simeon Siegel and Sucharita Kodali’s 2026 Retail Playbook
Steve Dennis and Michael LeBlanc kick off 2026 by unpacking the latest retail headlines—from holiday sales and slowing job growth to looming bankruptcies and tariff decision uncertainty—before welcoming back guest Simeon Siegel of Guggenheim Partners and Sucharita Kodali of Forrester for another edition of The Analysts. The conversation cuts through macro noise to focus on execution, market share shifts, e-commerce maturity, AI realism, along with key perspectives on Saks looming bankruptcy and the state of turnarounds at Nike, Gap, and Target.
Jan 06, 2026
We're Back with the No-BS Perspectives You Need: Get Ready for a Brand New Season of the Remarkable Retail Podcast
Get ready for an all new season of The Remarkable Retail podcast! With AI reshaping just about everything, when making sense of competing narratives has never been more challenging, and when so many brands face an existential choice between becoming remarkable or risking irrelevance, Steve Dennis & Michael LeBlanc are here to give you the no-BS perspectives you need to aim higher, move faster, and take the bold actions you must.
Dec 19, 2025
From Department Stores to GLP-1s and Back Again: Annual Retail Predictions Reckoning (Part 2)
This bonus episode of The Remarkable Retail Podcast closes Season 11 with a discussion on Amazon’s grocery strategy and early impressions of the new Dallas Netflix House, before turning to a review of the second half of Steve Dennis’s 2025 retail predictions. The conversation assesses department store performance, Target’s leadership changes, store closures versus openings, muted dealmaking, and the real impact of GLP-1 drugs.
Dec 16, 2025
From TikTok to Tariffs and Back Again: Annual Retail Predictions Reckoning (Part 1)
This episode breaks down the week’s key retail and economic developments—including interest rate uncertainty, mixed earnings results, tariff pressure, and leadership changes at Lululemon—before moving into Part 1 of a perennial favorite episode: Steve’s annual review of his retail predictions. The conversation connects current headlines to bigger retail forces, from the continued dominance of super-scale retailers to evolving technology, returns challenges, and shifting consumer behavior.
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