After a cautious exit from the pandemic that saw retail square footage grow by just 0.3% in 2021, with more stores closing than opening, 2022 is shaping up to be a year of relatively rapid expansion, as retailers are predicting the fastest growth since 2015.

Following in the footsteps of the groundbreaking effort at REI’s SoHo New York City store, staff at the outdoor co-op’s Berkeley, CA store petitioned to hold a vote on whether to unionize with the National Labor Relations Board.

Accell Group’s acquisition by a consortium led by affiliates of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. is moving ahead.

The publicly traded Swedish backpack maker has acquired OR-based Giant Loop, which designs and manufactures soft luggage for powersports, for undisclosed terms.