REMARKABLE
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Mar 03, 2026
What We Still Get Wrong About Modern Retail, Plus Get Ready to Rumble, Warby Wows, and Is Flat the New Up?
The hosts get ready to rumble at Shoptalk, while the latest retail earnings show strong results from TJX and Warby Parker, as Home Depot and Lowe's continue to tread water. Tariff turmoil is expanding, NVIDIA's growth is explosive, and Saks Global makes some progress through bankruptcy. In an extended segment Steve Dennis unpacks what leaders still get wrong about modern retail, connecting it to his 8 Essentials of Remarkable Retail framework, and prescribing what retailers need to do accelerate progress/
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
Mar 03, 2026
What We Still Get Wrong About Modern Retail, Plus Get Ready to Rumble, Warby Wows, and Is Flat the New Up?
The hosts get ready to rumble at Shoptalk, while the latest retail earnings show strong results from TJX and Warby Parker, as Home Depot and Lowe's continue to tread water. Tariff turmoil is expanding, NVIDIA's growth is explosive, and Saks Global makes some progress through bankruptcy. In an extended segment Steve Dennis unpacks what leaders still get wrong about modern retail, connecting it to his 8 Essentials of Remarkable Retail framework, and prescribing what retailers need to do accelerate progress/
Feb 24, 2026
Dan Frommer on the New Consumer, Plus Tariff Shockwaves, Wayfair Wobbles, and Walmart's Digital Acceleration
Iconic tech journalist and founder of The New Consumer Dan Frommer joins the podcast to dissect key shopper trends, including GLP-1 spending surges, creator-driven commerce, and Gen Z’s AI skepticism. The hosts kick things off with news on Supreme Court tariff upheaval, Walmart earnings and Wayfair's continuing woes. Aritzia’s Fred Segal leap and QVC’s uncertain future are also highlighted.
Feb 17, 2026
Driving Good Retail Returns with JD Sports' Henry Spear and Narvar's David Morin, Plus Saks Consolidates and Target Resets
Live from the Narvar Podcast Studio at the NRF Big Show, Henry Spear, SVP Digital North America, JD Sports, and David Morin, VP Customer Strategy, Narvar, unpack why post-purchase is now a competitive advantage. Plus: Saks Global store closures, luxury bifurcation, Costco’s continued dominance, Kroger’s new CEO, Target’s leadership reset, the folly of month-over-month retail reporting, and building U.S. and Canada bridges.
Feb 10, 2026
Different Not Dead: Creating Irreplaceable Stores with Jack Stratten & Kevin Ervin Kelley, Plus Amazon Earnings, Walmart's Trillion $ Moment, and Luxury Bifurcation.
Steve Dennis and Michael LeBlanc break down Walmart’s $1 trillion market cap milestone, Amazon’s AI-driven capital surge, luxury’s bifurcated earnings, and accelerating grocery e-commerce penetration. Then, live from NRF’s Narvar podcast studio, Jack Stratten (Director, Insider Trends) and Kevin Ervin Kelley (Principal & Co-Founder, Shook Kelley) explore why modern stores must prioritize community, clarity, and emotional connection over frictionless efficiency—arguing that retail’s future belongs to focused brands delivering meaningful, restorative experiences.
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.
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