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The last several years have seen many Americans relocate to states like Texas, Florida, Montana, and Maine. We checked in with another region of the country that’s become a domestic migration hotspot in recent years – South Carolina – to explore what’s attracting movers to the state.
Analyzing domestic migration trends throughout the United States between June 2020 and June 2024 reveals several regions of the country that have attracted new residents over the past four years. Idaho led the charge with positive domestic net migration of 4.5%, meaning that the total number of people that moved to Idaho from elsewhere in the U.S., minus those that left, constituted 4.5% of the state’s June 2024 population.
And South Carolina – with a thriving economy, a robust job market, and plenty of affordable living – came in a close second, with a net domestic migration increase of 3.5%. Several other Southeastern states also saw a net inflow of relocators – including Tennessee (2.0%), Alabama (0.7%), Georgia (0.5%), Florida (2.4%), and North Carolina (2.1%).
To uncover local trends driving South Carolina’s net migration growth we analyzed the quarterly cumulative migration to several of the state’s largest CBSAs, focusing on the period between Q1 2020 and Q2 2024.
Of the CBSAs analyzed, Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach saw the most significant influx of new residents – with a whopping 12.9% cumulative net migration as of Q2 2024. With a low cost of living, a vibrant job market, and plenty of access to the outdoors, it may come as no surprise that Myrtle Beach has become the nation’s fastest-growing city and most popular relocation hotspot. The CBSA is also home to The Grand Strand – a collection of unique communities spanning 60 miles of pristine beaches.
The Charleston-North Charleston metro area also experienced substantial cumulative migration between early 2020 and Q2 2024 (4.7%). The CBSA’s primary municipality, Charleston, has been acclaimed as a top destination for relocators, due in part to its rich history, culture, and sense of community. And like Myrtle Beach, Charleston is also on the coast.
And diving deeper into population growth patterns in South Carolina’s Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach metro area showcases the unique lifestyle that is attracting many new residents. In many regions of the country, suburban areas are experiencing the most substantial population growth. But in Myrtle Beach – and in South Carolina more generally – it is urban areas that are on the rise.
Between June 2020 and June 2024, South Carolina’s urban population grew by 4.3%, compared to 3.3% for suburban communities, and 2.3% for rural ones. Over the same period, urban areas in the Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach metro area saw a remarkable 9.9% population increase, likely driven by the popularity of hubs like Myrtle Beach and North Myrtle Beach – coveted by lovers of the year-round beach lifestyle. Still, the CBSA’s suburban and rural communities also experienced significant population growth, outperforming statewide baselines.
South Carolina is home to several metro areas seeing positive net migration, and its coastline is one of the most popular regions for new residents. Will these areas continue to see population growth? Which other parts of the country are popular for those taking on relocation?
Visit Placer.ai to find out.
Summer events and concerts are more than just entertainment – they drive community engagement and have a significant economic impact on local businesses.
We took a closer look at the effect of major summer events, like Lollapalooza in Chicago and Governors Ball in New York, on foot traffic to local venues.
The first Lollapalooza – a four-day music festival – took place in 1991. Chicago’s Grant Park became the event’s permanent home (at least in the United States) in 2005, drawing thousands of revelers and music fans to the park each year.
This year, the festival once again demonstrated its powerful impact on the city. On August 1st, 2024, visits to Grant Park surged by 1,313.2% relative to the YTD daily average, as crowds converged on the park to see Chappell Roan’s much-anticipated performance. And during the first three days of the event, the event drew significantly more foot traffic than in 2023 – with visits up 18.9% to 35.9% compared to the first three days of last year’s festival (August 3rd to 5th, 2023).
Lollapalooza led to a dramatic spike in visits to Grant Park – and it also attracted a different type of visitor compared to the rest of the year.
Analyzing Grant Park’s captured market with Spatial.ai’s PersonaLive dataset reveals that Lollapalooza attendees are more likely to belong to the “Young Professionals” and “Ultra Wealthy Families” segment groups than the typical Grant Park visitor.
By contrast, the “Near-Urban Diverse Families” segment group, comprising middle-class diverse families living in or near cities, made up only 6.5% of visitors during the festival, compared to 12.0% during the rest of the year.
Additionally, visitors during Lollapalooza came from areas with higher HHIs than both the nationwide baseline of $76.1K and the average for park visitors throughout the year. Understanding the demographic profile of visitors to the park during Lollapalooza can help planners and city officials tailor future events to these segment groups – or look for ways to make the festival accessible to a wider range of music lovers.
Lollapalooza’s impact on Chicago extended beyond the boundaries of Grant Park, with nearby hotels seeing remarkable surges in foot traffic. The Congress Plaza Hotel on South Michigan Avenue witnessed a staggering 249.1% rise in visits during the week of July 29, 2024, compared to the YTD visit average. And Travelodge on East Harrison Street saw an impressive 181.8% increase. These spikes reflect the festival’s draw not just for locals but for out-of-town visitors who fill hotels across the city.
The North Michigan Avenue retail corridor also enjoyed a significant increase in foot traffic during the festival, with visits on Thursday, August 1st 56.0% higher than the YTD Thursday visit average. On Friday, August 2nd, visits to the corridor were 55.7% higher than the Friday visit average. These numbers highlight Lollapalooza’s role in driving economic activity across Chicago, as festival-goers venture beyond the park to explore the city’s vibrant retail and hospitality offerings.
City parks often serve as community hubs, and Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens, NY, has been a major gathering point for New Yorkers. The park hosted one of New York’s most beloved summer concerts – Governors Ball – which moved from Governors Island to Flushing Meadows in 2023.
During the festival (June 9th -11th, 2024), musicians like Post Malone and The Killers drew massive crowds to the park, with visits soaring to the highest levels seen all year. On June 9th, the opening day of the festival, foot traffic in the park was up 214.8% compared to the YTD daily average, and at its height, on June 8th, the festival drew 392.7% more visits than the YTD average.
The park also hosted other big events this summer – a July 21st set by DMC helped boost visits to 185.1% above the YTD average. And the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival on August 3rd and 4th led to major visit boosts of 221.4% and 51.6%, respectively.
These events not only draw large crowds, but also highlight the park’s role as a space where cultural and civic life can find expression, flourish, and contribute to the health of local communities.
Analyzing changes in Flushing Meadows Corona Park’s trade area size offers insight into how far people are willing to travel for these events. During Governors Ball, for example, the park’s trade area ballooned to 254.5 square miles, showing the festival's wide appeal. On July 20th, by contrast, when the park hosted several local bands and DJs, the trade area was a much more modest 57.0 square miles.
Summer events drive community engagement, economic activity, and civic pride. Cities that invest in their parks and event hubs, fostering lively and inclusive spaces, can create lasting value for both residents and visitors, enriching the cultural and social life of urban areas.
For more data-driven civic stories, visit Placer.ai.
With summer winding down (sigh!) and undergrads nationwide heading back to campus, we dove into the data to explore consumer behavior in college towns – where students and other university-affiliated communities make up a substantial share of the overall population.
Once again, we focused our analysis on nine CBSAs dominated by the comings and goings of a university-centered community – including Ithaca, NY (Cornell University); State College, PA (Penn State); Bloomington, IN (Indiana University); Lawrence, KS (University of Kansas); College Station-Bryan, TX (Texas A&M); Columbia, MO (University of Missouri); Champaign-Urbana, IL (University of Illinois); Ann Arbor, MI (University of Michigan); and Gainesville, FL (University of Florida). How does college life impact local retail performance? And what lies ahead for popular back-to-college shopping destinations as the school year begins?
We dove into the data to find out.
Retail giants Target and Walmart have been thriving in recent months. And nowhere has this been more true than in college towns, where the two behemoths are popular destinations for college students. Nationwide, college students make up just small percentages of the chains’ customer bases. But in college towns, the picture is very different.
In Q2 2024, STI: Landscape’s “Collegian” segment – a group encompassing currently enrolled college students living both on and off campus – made up a remarkable 19.4% of Target’s captured markets in the analyzed CBSAs. Though Walmart’s audiences in these cities included smaller shares of undergrads, the coveted demographic comprised an impressive 11.4% of its local captured markets.
And superstore locations in the analyzed college towns experienced higher-than-average YoY visit growth in Q2 – showcasing the power of this demographic to drive retail success. Target, for example, saw a 2.6% YoY increase in average monthly visits per location in college towns – compared to 1.4% nationwide. And Walmart followed a similar pattern, with average monthly visits per location up 5.8% in college towns, compared to 4.1% nationwide.
With a strong Q2 2024 under their belts, Target and Walmart both appear poised to enjoy an even stronger back-to-college shopping season. And a look at seasonal fluctuations in visits to the two retailers shows just how important the summer shopping scramble is for retailers in these CBSAs.
Nationwide, Target experiences its biggest monthly visit spike in December, when consumers throughout the country fill up their carts with holiday fare and gifts for loved ones. But in college towns, Target’s August visit spike is even bigger than its December one – as students load up on everything from dorm furniture to school supplies. Walmart, too, experiences a college-town August visit bump outpacing the one seen in the run-up to Christmas.
College students may eat many of their meals on campus – but they also frequent grocery stores, whether to pick up snacks or to buy ingredients for off-campus, home-cooked meals. And like superstores, grocery chains in college towns follow unique seasonal rhythms of their own.
Nationwide, grocery stores tend to see weekly visits peak in November and December. But in college towns, these holiday retail milestones carry less weight, as many collegians head home for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Instead, weekly grocery store foot traffic in these CBSAs reaches its high point in August, when collegians likely converge on stores all at once as they head back to campus.
And taking a closer look at value grocer Aldi – which features locations in all nine analyzed CBSAs – highlights other differences in the shopping habits of college town residents. Aldi has been crushing it in recent months, ranking high on the Placer 100 Retail & Dining Index visit growth lists throughout the summer. Like Target and Walmart, the discount supermarket enjoyed even greater visit-per-location growth in college towns than in other areas of the country.
And comparing Aldi visitation patterns in the analyzed CBSAs to those nationwide shows that in college towns, shoppers tend to do their grocery shopping later in the day. In Q2 2024, some 40.3% of visits to Aldi in college towns took place between 4:00 PM and 8:00 PM – compared to just 37.4% nationwide. And on the flip side, just 27.9% of college town Aldi visits took place in the morning, compared to 30.1% nationwide. Whether because they’re busy attending classes, or because they prefer to (ahem) sleep in, college students appear less likely than others to visit grocery stores in the morning.
Americans spend billions of dollars each year on back-to-college shopping – and this year is shaping up to be no different. For superstores and grocery chains in college towns, recent strong performance offers plenty of reason for optimism as the August shopping bonanza continues.
For more data-driven retail analyses, follow Placer.ai.
Discount and Dollar Stores as a whole had resounding success in Q2 2024. We dove into the data for Five Below and Ollie’s Bargain Outlet to take a closer look at what’s driving the recent foot traffic gains to these discount chains.
Five Below and Ollie’s have been on a growth trajectory for quite some time. In 2023, Five Below opened a company-record 205 new stores, and in fiscal Q1 2024 opened another 61 locations. Ollie’s grew its real estate footprint by 45 locations in 2023 and added 4 new stores in fiscal Q1 2024.
Ollie and Five Below’s visit growth has at least partly been fueled by their growing fleets. In Q2 2024 (April-May), Five Below and Ollie’s saw YoY visit increases of 14.0% and 17.1%, respectively.
And while both brands have plans to continue their physical-world expansions in the near future, a robust digital and social media presence also appears to be part of both Ollie’s and Five Below’s long-term strategies.
An examination of changes in visitor engagement with these two chains indicates that increasing consumer loyalty has been a significant factor for both Five Below and Ollie’s in recent years.
Five Below’s focus on recreational items appears to be a key driver of visitor frequency and visits – especially during the holidays. And visitor frequency is on the rise for the chain. In December 2021 and 2022, the share of visitors that visited Five Below at least twice during the month peaked at 18.3% and 18.2%, respectively. But in December 2023, the share of Five Below’s repeat visitors climbed to 20.1%. This could be due in part to the company’s doubling down on the Five Beyond store-in-store concept, which offers merchandise beyond the chain’s traditional $5 price-ceiling – broadening their offerings and enhancing the treasure-hunting experience. With the addition of a loyalty program next year, Five Below could expect to see an even greater share of frequent visitors.
Meanwhile, Ollie’s closeout business model and recruitment of consumers into its “army” likely encourage frequent visitation to the chain throughout the year. And still-high prices appear to have consumers visiting Ollie’s more often than in previous years, perhaps as they keep their eyes out for bargains on everyday items and home goods to help stretch their dollars.
Visits to Five Below and Ollie’s remain elevated as consumers appear hungry-as-ever for bargains on items that excite and fill everyday needs. Will foot traffic to these retailers remain strong through the second half of 2024?
Visit Placer.ai to find out.
Department stores across the country have been evolving to meet changing consumer wants and needs, and Macy’s & Bloomingdale’s are no exception. Owned by the same company – Macy’s, Inc – these two brands have been recalibrating their store fleets and experimenting with new formats.
We took a closer look at visitation trends to both brands to understand how they diverge, analyze their respective strengths, and explore what might be ahead for both.
In recent years, Macy’s, Inc. has focused on optimizing its store fleet, a long-running project that gained momentum with the 2023 appointment of former Bloomingdale’s executive Tony Spring as CEO. This change coincided with a turnaround strategy involving the closing of some 30% of the brand’s traditional department stores; the expansion of Macy’s small-format model; and the addition of more Bloomingdale’s locations.
And a look at foot traffic trends at Bloomingdale’s shows that the high-end brand is indeed experiencing an uptick in demand, making it ripe for expansion. For much of the period between January and July 2024, Bloomingdale’s saw YoY monthly visit increases, with only January, April, and July seeing YoY declines. January’s drop was likely due to the inclement weather that weighed on retailers nationwide, while the April 2024 YoY downturn may have been due in part to the comparison to an April 2023 that had five weekends. And though July 2024 as a whole saw visits down 1.5% YoY, a look at weekly foot traffic to Bloomingdale’s shows that throughout most of that month and into August, the chain continued to draw more visits than in 2023.
Macy’s, for its part, had a slower start to 2024 – with YoY monthly visits down through April 2024. But in May and June, Macy’s visit gap closed, with foot traffic just above 2023 levels. And though Macy’s also saw monthly YoY visits decline in July, the chain’s weekly foot traffic has remained at or above 2023 levels since the middle of the month – likely spurred by back-to-school shopping and sales.
With the upcoming holiday season expected to bring a surge in foot traffic, both Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s are well-positioned to capitalize on these opportunities and potentially drive further growth.
Analyzing the median household incomes (HHI) of Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s captured markets shows how Macy’s, Inc.’s revitalization strategy is helping the company further diversify the range of options available for shoppers of all kinds underneath its umbrella.
Between January and July 2024, for example, luxury-focused Bloomingdale’s attracted visitors from areas with the highest median HHI of the three brands – $122.2K, well above the nationwide average of $76.1K. Bloomingdale’s affluent audience may be less prone to inflation-driven cutbacks than the average American, contributing to the chain’s stronger positioning this year.
By contrast, Macy’s shoppers came from areas with a median HHI of $82.4K, while visitors to Macy’s small-format stores (some 13 locations nationwide) came from areas with a median HHI of $78.5K – just above the nationwide baseline. By expanding its small-format footprint, Macy’s may succeed at increasing its draw among more average-income shoppers.
This income variation underscores the broad retail potential of each chain, ensuring that consumers can find options that cater to their specific needs across Macy’s diverse offerings.
Analyzing the psychographic characteristics of Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s captured markets can shed additional light on how the chain’s turnaround strategy may help it reach new audiences. Macy’s traditional department stores already draw a diverse mix of consumers. But the addition of new Bloomingdale’s locations will help the company make further inroads into affluent segment groups like “Ultra Wealthy Families” – which makes up a whopping 32.0% of Bloomingdale’s captured market. At the same time, Macy’s smaller-format stores will offer the company greater access to the more modest-income “City Hopefuls” and “Near-Urban Diverse Families”, as well as the upper-middle-class “Upper Suburban Diverse Families”.
Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s continue to adapt to shifting consumer preferences by focusing on their strengths in specific markets and among their demographic segments, and by expanding its small-format stores. With the holiday season approaching, can both chains continue to drive visits?
Visit Placer.ai to keep on top of the latest data-driven retail news.
Summer 2024 has seen fierce competition among fast food and dining chains, with many embracing limited-time offers (LTOs) to attract customers and drive visits. As restaurant price wars continue unabated, these promotions are proving crucial in keeping consumer interest alive.
We dove into the visit performance of four brands – McDonald’s, Burger King, Taco Bell, and Smoothie King – to see how their LTOs are driving visits.
On June 25th, 2024, McDonald’s launched a limited-time offer, allowing customers to purchase a McDouble or McChicken, a 4-piece Chicken McNuggets, small fries, and a small soft drink for just $5. Originally intended to run for about a month, the promotion was so successful that it was extended through August. Foot traffic began to trend upwards following the promotion’s launch, with visits during the week of June 24th up 2.5% compared to the chain’s weekly average between April 1st and August 5th. And foot traffic to McDonald’s has remained consistently elevated in the weeks since.
Like McDonald’s, Burger King has also been leaning into value-driven promotions, launching the "$5 Your Way" value meal on June 10th, 2024. And the promotion seems to be driving visits in a significant way. While weekly YoY visits to the chain have fluctuated throughout 2024, they jumped 3.8% YoY during the week of June 10th, and have remained consistently elevated since. Burger King, recognizing the power of the value meal, has chosen to keep the special running until October.
And following its recent rightsizing efforts, Burger King isn’t resting on its laurels. Building on the success of its $5 value meal, the chain also launched a limited-time, extra-spicy menu update on July 18th. This new offering appears to have helped keep visits elevated: After waning slightly during the week of July 8th, foot traffic to Burger King picked up once again during the week of the launch.
Tex-Mex favorite Taco Bell kicked off the 20th anniversary of its popular lime-flavored drink, Baja Blast, with a special "Bajaversary" promotion on July 29th, 2024, offering free drinks and freezes both in-store and on the app. The deal seems to have resonated strongly with customers, with visits growing by 12.3% year-over-year (YoY) for the week of July 29th. Daily visits also experienced a major increase – on the day of the special, visits surged by 17.1% compared to the YTD Monday visit average and were 5.9% higher than the overall YTD visit average.
The Summer Olympics were a major event, with millions of viewers tuning in to watch athletes at their best. And many fast food chains jumped on the Olympics bandwagon, offering discounts, deals, and limited-time menu items inspired by the event.
Smoothie King, known for its health-focused beverages, was one such brand with an Olympics special. The chain offered 32-oz smoothies for just $5 on Friday, July 26th, 2024, to coincide with the Olympic kickoff. The deal ran for one day only and fueled a significant foot traffic boost. Visits to Smoothie King on July 26th were 22.9% higher than the YTD Friday visit average – highlighting the effectiveness of well-timed, event-based offers.
For now at least, it seems that LTOs – particularly those focused on offering diners more bang for their buck – are reigning supreme in the fast-food space.
Will these promotions continue to drive foot traffic and maintain customer engagement?
Visit Placer.ai for the latest data-driven dining news.
Many retail and dining chains performed well in 2024 despite the ongoing economic uncertainty. But with the consumer headwinds continuing into 2025, which brands can continue pulling ahead of the pack?
This report highlights 10 brands (in no particular order) that exhibit significant potential to grow in 2025 – as well as three chains that have faced some challenges in 2024 but appear poised to make a comeback in the year ahead. Which chains made the cut? Dive into the report to find out.
Through 2024, visits to Sprouts Farmers Market locations increased an average of 7.2% year-over-year (YoY) each month, outpacing the wider grocery segment standard by an average of six percentage points. And not only were visits up – monthly visits per location also grew YoY.
The promising coupling of overall and visits per location growth seems driven by the brands’ powerful understanding of who they are and what they bring to the market. The focus on high quality, fresh products is resonating, and the utilization of small- format locations is empowering the chain to bring locations to the doorstep of their ideal audiences.
This combination of forces positions the brand to better identify and reach key markets efficiently, offering an ideal path to continued growth. The result is a recipe for ongoing grocery success.
CAVA has emerged as a standout success story in the restaurant industry over the past several years. Traditionally, Mediterranean concepts have not commanded the same level of demand as burger, sandwich, Mexican, or Asian fast-casual concepts, which is why the category lacked a true national player until CAVA's rise. However, evolving consumer tastes have created a fertile landscape for Mediterranean cuisine to thrive, driven by factors such as social media influence, expanded food options via third-party delivery, growing demand for healthier choices, the rise of food-focused television programming, and the globalization of restaurant concepts .
CAVA’s success can be attributed to several key factors. Roughly 80% of CAVA locations were in suburban areas before the pandemic, aligning well with consumer migration and work-from-home trends. Additionally, CAVA was an early adopter of digital drive-thru lanes, similar to Chipotle’s "Chipotlanes," and began developing these store formats well before the pandemic. The brand has also utilized innovative tools like motion sensors in its restaurants to optimize throughput and staffing during peak lunchtime hours, enabling it to refine restaurant design and equipment placement as it expanded. CAVA’s higher employee retention rates have also contributed to its ability to maintain speed-of-service levels above category averages.
These strengths allowed CAVA to successfully enter new markets like Chicago in 2024. While many emerging brands have struggled to gain traction in new areas, CAVA’s visit-per-location metrics in recently entered markets have matched its national averages, positioning the brand for continued growth in 2025.
Ashley’s recent strategy shift to differentiate itself through experiential events, such as live music, workshops, and giveaways, is a compelling approach in the challenging consumer discretionary category. Post-pandemic, commercial property owners have successfully used community events to boost visit frequency, dwell time, and trade area size for mall properties. It’s no surprise that retailers like Ashley are adopting similar strategies to engage customers and enhance their in-store experience.
The decision to incorporate live events into its marketing strategy reflects the growing demand for experiential and immersive retail experiences. While home furnishings saw a surge in demand during the pandemic, the category has struggled over the past two years, underperforming other discretionary retail sectors compared to pre-pandemic levels. Recognizing this challenge, Ashley’s rebrand focuses on creating interactive and memorable experiences that allow customers to engage directly with its products and explore various design possibilities. In turn, this has helped to drive visits from trade areas with younger consumers with lower household incomes.
Ashley has leaned into collaborations with interior designers and industry experts to offer informative sessions and workshops during these events. These initiatives not only attract traffic but also provide valuable insights into customers’ preferences, which can be used to refine product offerings, enhance customer service, and shape future marketing efforts. This approach is particularly relevant as millennials and Gen Z drive new household formation. While still early, Ashley’s pivot to live events is showing promising results in attracting visits and increasing customer engagement.
Department stores have had many challenges in navigating changing consumer behavior and finding their place in an evolving retail landscape. Nordstrom, an example of department store success in 2024, has been able to maintain a strong brand relationship with its shoppers and regain its footing with its store fleet. While the chain has certainly benefited from catering to a more affluent, and less price sensitive, consumer base, it still shines in fostering a shopping experience that stands out.
Value might be a driver of retail visitation across the industry, but for Nordstrom, service and experience is paramount. The retailer has downplayed promotional activity in favor of driving loyalty among key visitors. Nordstrom also has captured higher shares of high-value, younger consumer segments, which defies commonly held thoughts about department stores. The chain was a top visited chain during Black Friday in 2024, showcasing that it’s top of mind for shoppers for both gift giving and self-gifting.
What’s next? Nordstrom announced at the end of December that it plans to go private with the help of Mexican retail chain Liverpool. We expect to see even more innovation in store experience, assortments and services with this newfound flexibility and investment. And, we cannot forget about Nordstrom Rack, which allows the retailer to still engage price-conscious shoppers of all income levels, which is certainly still a bright spot as we head into 2025.
Visits are up, and the audience visiting Sam’s Club locations seems to be getting younger which – when taken together – tells us a few critical things. First, Sam’s Club has parlayed its pandemic resurgence into something longer term, leveraging the value and experience it provides to create loyal customers. Second, the power of its offering is attracting a newer audience that had previously been less apt to take advantage of the unique Sam’s Club benefits.
The result is a retailer that is proving particularly adept at understanding the value of a visit. The membership club model incentives loyalty which means that once a visitor takes the plunge, the likelihood of more visits is heightened significantly. And the orientation to value, a longer visit duration, and a wide array of items on sale leads to a larger than normal basket size.
In a retail segment where the value of loyalty and owning ‘share of shopping list’ is at a premium, Sam’s Club is positioned for the type of success that builds a foundation for strength for years to come.
Raising Cane’s exemplifies the power of focus by excelling at a simple menu done exceptionally well. Over the past several years, the chain has been one of the fastest-growing in the QSR segment, driven by a streamlined menu that enhances speed and efficiency, innovative marketing campaigns, and strategic site selection in both new and existing markets. Notably, Raising Cane’s ranked among the top QSR chains for visit-per-location growth last year. Unlike many competitors that leaned on deep discounts or nostalgic product launches to boost traffic in 2024, Raising Cane’s relied on operational excellence to build brand awareness and drive visits. This approach has translated into some of the highest average unit sales in the segment, with restaurants averaging around $6 million in sales last year.
Raising Cane’s operational efficiency has also been a key driver of its rapid expansion, growing from 460 locations at the end of 2019 to more than 830 heading into 2025. This includes over 100 new store openings in 2024 alone, placing it among the top QSR chains for year-over-year visit growth. The chain’s ability to maintain exceptional performance while scaling rapidly highlights its strong foundation and operational strategy.
While Life Time has fitness at its core, it has also expanded to become a lifestyle. Healthy living is its mantra and this extends to both the gym aspect, but also the social health of its members with offerings like yoga, childcare, personalized fitness programs, coworking, and even an option for luxury living just steps away.
With all these choices, it’s no wonder that its members are more loyal than others in its peer group.
To the delight of book lovers everywhere, Barnes & Noble is back in force. With a presence in every single state and approximately 600 stores, location options are growing to browse bestsellers, chat with in-store bibliophiles, or grab a latte. Stores are feeling cozier and more local, with handwritten recommendations across the store. The chain’s extensive selection of gifts and toys mean that one can stop in for more than just books. The membership program is also relaunching, rewarding members for their purchases. Even though some locations have downsized, efficiency is up with average visits per square foot increasing over the last 3 years. Customers are also lingering, with nearly 3 in 10 visitors staying 45 minutes or longer.
With options for a “third place” that’s not home or work dwindling, Barnes & Noble is poised to fill that hole.
From its origins as a corner grocery store in Queens, NY 42 years ago, H Mart now boasts over 80 stores throughout the US. Shoppers are enticed by the aroma of hot roasted sweet potatoes wafting through the store, the opportunities to try new brands like Little Jasmine fruit teas, and the array of prepared foods such as gimbap and japchae. In addition to traditional Korean, Chinese, and Japanese groceries, H Mart’s assortment has expanded to staple items and American brands as well like Chobani yogurt or Doritos.
As the Hallyu wave sweeps across the nation and K-pop stars like Rose top the charts for the eight straight week with the catchy “APT”, so too is the appetite for Asian food. At the second-most visited H Mart in the nation in Carrollton, TX, the ethnic makeup of customers is 39% White, 14% Black, 23% Hispanic or Latino, and 20% Asian – reflecting the truly universal appeal of this supermarket chain.
Beauty retail had a transformative 2024, with a general cooling off in demand for the category. Competition between chains has increased and delivering quality products, expertise and services is critical to maintain visits. Against this backdrop, Bluemercury stands out as a shining star in parent company Macy’s portfolio of brands, with the brand well positioned to take on this next chapter of beauty retail.
Bluemercury’s success lies in its ability to be a retailer, an expert, and a spa service provider to its consumers. Placer data has shown that beauty chains with a service and retail component tend to attract more visitors than those who just specialize in retail offerings, and Bluemercury is no exception. The chain also focuses solely on the prestige market within the beauty industry and caters to higher income households compared to the broader beauty category; both of those factors have contributed to more elastic demand than with other retailers.
Bluemercury’s bet on product expertise and knowledge combined with a smaller format store help to foster a strong connection between the beauty retailer and its consumers. The brand overindexes with visitors “seeking youthful appearance” and has cemented itself as a destination for niche and emerging beauty brands. As the larger Macy’s brand grapples with its transformation, Bluemercury’s relevance and deep connection to its consumer base can serve as an inspiration, especially as the beauty industry faces mounting uncertainty.
Competitors like Dutch Bros and 7Brew are on the rise, critical office visitation patterns remain far behind pre-pandemic levels, and the chain did not end the year in the most amazing way in terms of visit performance. But there is still so much to love about Starbucks – and the addition of new CEO Brian Niccol positions the coffee giant to rebound powerfully.
The focused attention on leaning into its legendary ‘third place’ concept is in excellent alignment with the shift to the suburbs and hybrid work and with audiences that continue to show they value experience over convenience. But the convenience-oriented customer will likely also benefit from the brand’s recent initiatives, including pushes to improve staffing, mobile ordering alignment and menu simplification. In addition, the brand is still the gold standard when it comes to owning the calendar, as seen with their annual visit surges for the release of the Pumpkin Spice Latte or Red Cup Day and their ability to capitalize on wider retail holidays like Black Friday and Super Saturday.
The combination of the tremendous reach, brand equity, remaining opportunities in growing markets and the combined ability to address both convenience and experience oriented customers speaks to a unique capacity to regain lost ground and drive a significant resurgence against the expectations of many.
Retail has had its challenges this year, with many consumers opting for off-price to snag deals – but the strength of the Adidas brand should not be underestimated. Gazelles and Sambas are still highly coveted, and a partnership with Messi x Bad Bunny racked up over a million likes. Consumers are favoring classic silhouettes across both shoes and clothing, and nothing says classic like those three stripes.
Gap, and its family of brands including Old Navy and Banana Republic, are synonymous with American apparel retail. The namesake brand has always been at the center of comfort, value and style, but over time lost its way with consumers. However, over the past year and a half, the reinvigoration of the Gap family of brands has started to take shape under the direction of CEO Richard Dickson.
New designs, collaborations, splashy marketing campaigns and store layouts have taken shape across the portfolio. While we haven’t seen a lot of change in visitation to stores over the past year, trends are certainly moving in the right direction and outpacing many other brands in the apparel space. Gap has also reinserted itself into the fabric of American fashion this past year with designs for the Met Gala.
The benefit of Gap Inc.’s portfolio is that each brand has a distinct and unique audience of consumers that it draws from. This allows each brand to focus on meeting the needs of its visitors directly instead of trying to be all things for a broader group of consumers. Old Navy in particular has a strong opportunity with consumers as value continues to be a key motivator.
Gap has done all of the right things to not only catch up to consumers’ expectations but to rise beyond them. Even as legacy store-based retail brands have seen more disruption over the past few years, Gap is ready to step back into the spotlight.
The diversity of brands featured in this report highlight the variety of categories and strategic initiatives that can drive retail and dining success in 2025.
Sprouts’ focus on quality products and small-format stores, CAVA’s rise as a suburban dining powerhouse, and Nordstrom’s commitment to customer experience all highlight how understanding and responding to consumer needs can drive success. Brands like Ashley Furniture, Sam’s Club, H Mart, and Life Time have shown how offering a unique value proposition within a crowded segment, leveraging loyalty, and creating memorable experiences can fuel growth. And Raising Cane’s demonstrates the power of simplicity and operational efficiency in building momentum.
At the same time, niche players like Bluemercury are excelling by catering to specific audiences with authenticity and expertise. And while Starbucks, Adidas, and Gap Inc. face challenges, the three companies’ brand equity and revitalization efforts suggest potential for a significant comeback.
The holiday shopping season traditionally stretches from Black Friday to New Years Eve: Shoppers looking to snag deals, purchase gifts, or enhance their celebrations drive visit spikes at retailers across the country. And although many consumers expressed concern over high prices impacting their holiday budget, spending in 2024 actually increased compared to 2023, with brick-and-mortar stores playing a key role in last year’s holiday season.
So where were the largest holiday spikes? How did last year’s calendar configuration impact retail traffic? Which segment came out ahead – and how did dining fit into the mix? Most importantly – what can we learn from the 2024 holiday season to prepare for 2025?
The holiday shopping season is the busiest time of the year for many retail categories. Between Black Friday and December 31st 2024, daily visits to brick-and-mortar stores increased 12.7%, on average, compared to the rest of the year.
Department stores led the pack, with visits to the segment 102.1% higher than the pre-holiday season average – likely aided by strong Black Friday performances. Other favorite gifting categories, including beauty & self care (72.7%), hobbies, gifts & crafts (60.9%), recreational & sporting goods (55.5%), clothing (41.8%), and electronics stores (32.7%) also received significant traffic boosts. Shopping centers benefited as well with a 24.8% increase in daily visits over the holiday season. Retailers in these segments can capitalize on their holiday popularity and stand out amidst the crowd by promoting their brand early and ensuring their staffing and inventory can accommodate the season’s traffic increases.
The holidays are also a time for entertainment – and purchasing gifts for hosts – which likely helped drive the 48.4% and 41.7% traffic increases at liquor stores and at furniture & home furnishings retailers, respectively. Superstores and discount & dollar stores – with their selection of affordable giftable products and entertainment essentials – also saw holiday-driven visit bumps of 21.2% and 20.2%, respectively. Retailers may choose to highlight seasonal items and hosting-friendly products to increase these traffic bumps in 2025.
Pet stores & services received a smaller (10.0%) bump than the wider retail average – indicating that, although some shoppers buy gifts for their fur babies, pets may not be at the top of most Americans’ gift lists. And visits to the home improvement segment were essentially on par with the pre-holiday period – indicating that the holidays are not the time for extensive home renovation projects. But home improvement chains looking to get in on the holiday action might consider promoting decorations and smaller giftable items in December.
And despite the grocery frenzy of Turkey Wednesday and Christmas Eve Eve, the Grocery segment received a relatively minor holiday boost of 5.0% – perhaps due to holiday travelers skipping their weekly grocery haul. Grocers who lean into prepared foods or pre-packaged meal kits might get an additional bump.
Although the holidays drive retail visit surges across the country, some regions see a bigger traffic bump than others.
In December 2024, almost all 50 states (with the exception of Wyoming ) received a holiday-driven retail traffic boost ranging from a 3.3% (Montana) to a 16.8% (New Hampshire). On a regional basis, the South received the largest increase: The West South Central, East South Central, and South Atlantic divisions received a collective 12.2% increase in daily visits between Black Friday and New Years Eve compared to the pre-Black Friday daily average. (Washington, D.C. saw a slight visit decline of 0.4%, likely due to the many residents leaving the capital for the holiday break.) Retailers in this region may choose to increase staffing and inventory ahead of the 2025 holiday season to handle the increased demand.
Meanwhile, the Midwest region had the smallest holiday-driven traffic spike (9.2%) – despite starting the season ahead of the pack, with the highest Black Friday weekend visit boost. This suggests that Midwestern retailers may have more success with early promotions than with last-minute discounts.
While the holiday season drove an overall retail visit boost nationwide, diving deeper into the data reveals that different retail segments peak at different points of the holiday season.
Most categories – especially the ones that tend to offer steep post-Thanksgiving discounts, such as recreational & sporting goods, department stores, electronics stores, and beauty retailers – received the biggest visit spikes on Black Friday. Retailers in these categories may benefit from promotional campaigns ahead of Thanksgiving to cater to early shoppers and maximize their performance on their busiest day.
Other segments that carry more affordable gifts, stocking stuffers, and food items gained momentum as Christmas approached – with superstores visits spiking on December 23rd and discount & dollar stores peaking on December 24th. These retailers may get even larger end-of-year visit bumps by offering discounts and bundles to last-minute shoppers.
The grocery segment received its largest boost ahead of Thanksgiving, with visits also surging on the days before Christmas as home cooks picked up supplies for the holiday dinner. Grocers who can save their shoppers time during this busy period by offering curbside pickup, pre-prepped ingredients or meal kits, and other conveniences may see particularly strong performances in 2025.
Calendar shifts also play an important role in shaping holiday shopping patterns. Last year, Super Saturday and “Christmas Eve Eve” – each a significant milestone in its own right – coincided on December 23rd, 2023 to create a supercharged shopping event that generated massive visit spikes at retailers across categories.
But in 2024, when the milestones occurred separately, important differences emerged between retailers. Gift-shopping destinations like Macy’s, Nordstrom, and Best Buy saw bigger visit spikes on Super Saturday, while retailers like Target, Walmart, and Costco – carrying both gifts and food items – saw visits surge higher on December 23rd. Dollar Tree, a prime destination for affordable stocking stuffers, also experienced a more pronounced visit spike on Super Saturday.
Predictably, this year’s pre-Christmas milestones generally drove smaller individual visit spikes, as shoppers spread their errands across a longer period. But the stand-alone Super Saturday on December 21st 2024 also allowed consumers to prioritize gift-shopping on Saturday and shop for groceries and last minute stocking stuffers on December 23rd – benefiting certain retailers.
Nordstrom, for instance, saw visits soar to 215.9% above the chain’s 2024 daily average on December 21, 2024 – surpassing the 196.2% increase recorded on December 23, 2023. Macy’s also experienced a slightly higher Super Saturday visit boost this year. Next year, retailers can expect another spread-out pre-Christmas shopping period, with Super Saturday falling on December 20th, 2025 – five days before the holiday. Gift-focused retailers can leverage this timing by ramping up promotions in the run-up to Super Saturday – or by enhancing offerings on December 23rd to capture more late-season shoppers.
Big box retailers like Target, Walmart, and Costco, conversely, can double down on December 23rd or amplify earlier deals to capture a larger share of Super Saturday traffic. And retailers across categories can benefit from the more extended last-minute shopping period by implementing multi-day sales and promotions that encourage repeat visits and drive traffic throughout the week.
Turkey Wednesday – the day before Thanksgiving – is traditionally the grocery sector’s time to shine. And this year didn’t disappoint: On November 27th, 2024, visits to traditional grocery mainstays like Kroger, Safeway, and H-E-B shot up by a remarkable 66.9% to 79.2% compared to the 2024 daily average. And on December 23rd, foot traffic to the chains rose once again, though somewhat more moderately, as shoppers geared up for Christmas celebrations.
But the holiday season stock-up, it turns out, is about more than just food. Whether to help smooth out the rough edges of family interactions or to take celebrations to the next level, consumers also make pre-holiday runs to liquor stores. On Turkey Wednesday, leading spirit purveyors outperformed traditional grocery stores with epic 140.1% to 236.5% visit spikes. And the day before Christmas Eve was an even bigger milestone for the segment, with foot traffic skyrocketing by a staggering 153.6% to 283.8% above daily averages.
Ethnic supermarkets – chains like El Super and Vallarta Supermarket – also thrived on these traditional pre-holiday grocery store milestones. But like liquor stores, they saw bigger visit spikes on December 23rd, as customers likely sought out ingredients for their festive holiday dinners.
Grocery stores seeking to maximize the power of these pre-holiday milestones in 2025 could enhance their liquor selections and launch targeted promotions in the lead-up to both Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Dining venues are also impacted by the rhythms of the holiday season – but each segment within the dining industry follows its own unique seasonal trajectory.
Visits to the fast-casual, coffee, and fine-dining segments increased the week before Thanksgiving, with fast-casual and coffee visits peaking on Wednesday and fine-dining peaking on Thanksgiving day. Both coffee and fine-dining chains also received a small traffic bump on Black Friday, with coffee traffic likely aided by consumers looking to refuel during their shopping.
But beginning in mid-December, the fine-dining category pulled ahead of the other dining segments, picking up steam as the month wore on before peaking on December 23rd and 24th. And while traffic predictably declined on Christmas Day, the drop was less pronounced than for the other analyzed segments. Fine dining then resumed its strong showing on December 26th, maintaining elevated visits through the following days, potentially reflecting its appeal as a festive holiday dining destination for families.
Coffee chains and fast-casual restaurants also enjoyed moderately elevated December traffic, with smaller visit spikes on December 23rd. Traffic to both segments then slowed during the holiday – though coffee chains continued to see higher-than-average foot traffic on Christmas Eve – before tapering off as the month drew to a close.
Looking ahead to 2025, each dining segment can take steps to maximize its holiday impact. Fine dining chains can attract more special-occasion celebrants with unique holiday-themed menu items – paired with targeted promotions that make its premium offerings more accessible to families. Meanwhile, fast-casual and coffee chains can capitalize on high-traffic days like December 23rd by catering to the needs of busy holiday shoppers – extending operating hours and offering streamlined ordering and pickup options.
The 2024 holiday season proved strong for most retail categories, with each retail category displaying a different holiday visit pattern. This year’s calendar layout also presented a unique advantage, with a longer stretch between Super Saturday and Christmas compared to last year.
By analyzing 2024 holiday regional visit trends, understanding the role that each year’s specific calendar configuration plays in shaping consumer behavior, and identifying the unique retail milestones for each chain and category, retail and dining stakeholders can refine their strategies and make the most of the 2025 holiday season.
