We barely finished celebrating 4th of July Independence Day events when, in mid-July, major chain store retailers and discount shoe chains started flighting broadcast ads to prepare for going back to school and college. Many school systems had finished up their academic year only a month before. Those who track the retail merchandise industry thought [...]

This is the story of an ugly, beloved shoe.
We ran an item in September on back-to-school gear, mainly targeting retailers of backpacks and book bags. In addition to the hottest (messenger bags) and the most colorful (Victoria Secret’s Pink line backpacks), we included some health and safety cautions.
Parents were being advised to watch size and [...]