by Take a minute and think about the business of the casual industry and how it’s changed over the past few years.
Where do you find information about the category? Who’s providing the information? And who do you turn to when there’s a big issue that needs to be discussed?
At Casual News Now, we asked ourselves this very question and found a surprising answer: the number of trade publications for the outdoor industry is decreasing, and there are few—if any—editors who are fully dedicated to the category.
But that changes today.
As the new Editor in Chief of Casual News Now, I’m making it my goal for CNN to be the dedicated source of information for the casual industry.
Executive Editor and casual industry veteran Jennifer Bringle and I will deliver useful and interesting strategies and information that casual retailers and manufacturers can use to better their businesses and brands.
And we’re not afraid to talk about the hard truths—like how the number of independent casual retailers has shrunk dramatically over the last five years, or how full-line furniture stores have been eating up independent retailers’ shares of the market recently.
These are cold hard facts that need to be talked about because if we just keep avoiding them and pretending it’s not happening, we will never find a solution.
Now, I’m not saying I’m going to solve the problem of shrinking independent outdoor retailers, but I think there’s an opportunity here to bring new ideas to the table, make a difference in our industry and bring together the casual community so you can not only survive, but thrive.
That said, I want to know which industry issues are important to you and your business and what you want to read about.
Casual News Now isn’t here for us, it’s here for you, and the best way possible to provide the information you want and need is to talk to those of you on the frontlines about the real issues you’re facing and how you can overcome them.
I’m overjoyed to be a part of the casual category and to be named to this important role, and I think there is a real opportunity and great days ahead of us. We just need to work together.
Please, reach out to me at any time at alex@homenewsnow.com. I’d love to discuss the industry with you, or even just meet you to introduce myself.
