--- title: December Monthly Roundup description: Monthly retail news roundup - December 2018. image: https://blog.traub.io/hubfs/December%20News%20Image.jpg --- [![logo-vert-traub (2)](https://blog.traub.io/hs-fs/hubfs/TRAUB_September2019/Image/logo-vert-traub%20(2).png?width=456&height=312&name=logo-vert-traub%20(2).png "logo-vert-traub (2)")](http://traub.io/) - [Who We Are](https://www.traub.io/who-we-are/) - [What We Do](https://www.traub.io/what-we-do/) - [Meet Our Team](https://www.traub.io/our-team/) - [See Our Work](https://www.traub.io/case-studies/) - [Read Our Content](https://www.traub.io/read-our-content/) - [Traub Capital](https://www.traub-capital.com/) # December Monthly Roundup By [Michal Edelman Tepper](https://blog.traub.io/blog/author/michal-edelman-tepper) On January 08, 2019 [![Share on facebook](https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hub/3275719/hubfs/hs_marketplace_assets/modules/Social_Sharing/81/facebook-color.png?width=24&name=facebook-color.png)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://blog.traub.io/blog/december-monthly-round-up&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook) [![Share on linkedin](https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hub/3275719/hubfs/hs_marketplace_assets/modules/Social_Sharing/81/linkedin-color.png?width=24&name=linkedin-color.png)](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://blog.traub.io/blog/december-monthly-round-up&utm_medium=social&utm_source=linkedin) [![Share on twitter](https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hub/3275719/hubfs/hs_marketplace_assets/modules/Social_Sharing/81/twitter-color.png?width=24&name=twitter-color.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https://blog.traub.io/blog/december-monthly-round-up&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&url=https://blog.traub.io/blog/december-monthly-round-up&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&source=tweetbutton&text=) We are pleased to share with you our TRAUB monthly news roundup from December 2018.  In case you missed it, we are excited to share our 2018 New Davids report. If you haven't already, please download the report and let us know what you think.   [![Download New Davids Whitepaper](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/5117216/993b8b60-bca8-4ff5-95cc-b23790149b9e.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/5117216/993b8b60-bca8-4ff5-95cc-b23790149b9e)   The [US holiday shopping season was the strongest in six years](https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/news-analysis/us-holiday-shopping-season-was-strongest-in-six-years-report) with sales rising 5.1% to over $850B, according to a Mastercard report. After its record breaking Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, [Amazon again broke records](https://wwd.com/business-news/financial/amazon-holiday-shopping-records-1202941481/)by selling its most products ever. While the topline numbers for retailers were great, [many retailers will feel the impact of increased expenses](https://wwd.com/business-news/retail/christmas-2018-retail-check-1202941214/?_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8pwWliE2CpP0LoY0cGlWbywdle6tUg2zcvSuNl38elJo7vmcpqt8CsBLwkmK2vI2KzRrXB) in advertising and marketing as well as shipping and increased service on the bottom line.    Brands continued to experiment with different retail formats including [Ikea who announced it would be downsizing](https://www.cnbc.com/2018/12/03/ikea-moves-into-manhattan-with-its-first-city-center-store-in-2019.html)for its first 'city center' store in Manhattan and [Zola who is planning a pop-up in NYC](https://www.retaildive.com/news/zola-plots-nyc-pop-up-for-engagement-season/544309/). Saks announced the [closing of its women's store](https://wwd.com/business-news/retail/saks-to-close-brookfield-place-store-1202936681/?_hsenc=p2ANqtz--Tw4mS7CZGA26SnYXsUL8dBXzOw2w2Q0iTNoyUjNpMEzi3weNDR3Cmmk0gmTKg0VofX4yq) in Brookfield Place and Birchbox is [closing its Soho store](https://wwd.com/beauty-industry-news/beauty-features/birchbox-to-close-soho-store-1202938627/?_hsenc=p2ANqtz--Tw4mS7CZGA26SnYXsUL8dBXzOw2w2Q0iTNoyUjNpMEzi3weNDR3Cmmk0gmTKg0VofX4yq) to focus on its shop-in-shops at Walgreens. The Bleecker Street retail revival received attention in the press for the [neighborhood feel](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/04/style/bleecker-street-storefronts.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fstyle&action=click&contentCollection=style%C2%AEion=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=sectionfront&utm_source=Lingua+Franca&utm_campaign=2b8666b359-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_12_04_02_49&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_2f66fdcf87-2b8666b359-95694617) of its retail stores and the [men's brands](https://wwd.com/menswear-news/mens-retail-business/mens-brands-breathe-new-life-onto-bleecker-street-1202938005/?_hsenc=p2ANqtz--Tw4mS7CZGA26SnYXsUL8dBXzOw2w2Q0iTNoyUjNpMEzi3weNDR3Cmmk0gmTKg0VofX4yq)it features.    Public and private market activity continued at its robust pace through the month of December. Acquisitions in December included [LVMH's acquisition of Belmond ($2.6B)](https://wwd.com/business-news/financial/lvmh-buys-luxury-travel-operator-belmond-1202935170/), [Farfetch's acquisition of Stadium Goods ($250M)](https://www.retaildive.com/news/farfetch-acquires-stadium-goods-for-250m/544245/), [Kraft Heinz's acquisition of Primal Kitchen ($200M)](https://www.fooddive.com/news/kraft-heinz-buys-paleo-brand-primal-kitchen-for-200m/543289/), [Unilever's acquisition of The Vegetarian Butcher](https://wwd.com/business-news/mergers-acquisitions/unilever-buys-the-vegetarian-butcher-sustainability-1202938567/?_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8pwWliE2CpP0LoY0cGlWbywdle6tUg2zcvSuNl38elJo7vmcpqt8CsBLwkmK2vI2KzRrXB) and [Walmart's acquisition of Art.com](https://www.cnbc.com/2018/12/06/walmart-to-acquire-online-home-decor-retailer-artcom.html). Notable investments included: [Juul ($12.8B)](https://techcrunch.com/2018/12/20/juul-labs-gets-12-8-billion-investment-from-marlboro-maker-altria-group/?utm_campaign=Weekly%20News&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--Tw4mS7CZGA26SnYXsUL8dBXzOw2w2Q0iTNoyUjNpMEzi3weNDR3Cmmk0gmTKg0VofX4yq), [The Wing ($75M)](https://techcrunch.com/2018/12/19/the-wing-gets-75m-from-sequoia-airbnb/?utm_campaign=Weekly%20News&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--Tw4mS7CZGA26SnYXsUL8dBXzOw2w2Q0iTNoyUjNpMEzi3weNDR3Cmmk0gmTKg0VofX4yq), [Rothy's ($35M)](https://techcrunch.com/2018/12/18/rothys-just-landed-35-million-goldman-sachs-to-sell-more-of-its-popular-ballet-flats/?utm_campaign=Weekly%20News&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--Tw4mS7CZGA26SnYXsUL8dBXzOw2w2Q0iTNoyUjNpMEzi3weNDR3Cmmk0gmTKg0VofX4yq), [Jaanuu ($15M)](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/leading-medical-apparel-brand-jaanuu-raises-15-million-in-growth-equity-financing-300762210.html) and [Iris Nova (formerly Dirty Lemon, $15M)](https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181221005047/en/Iris-Nova-Raises-15M-Selling-Portfolio-Beverage?utm_campaign=Weekly%20News&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8pwWliE2CpP0LoY0cGlWbywdle6tUg2zcvSuNl38elJo7vmcpqt8CsBLwkmK2vI2KzRrXB). Rideshare company [Lyft filed IPO documents with the SEC.](https://techcrunch.com/2018/12/06/lyft-ipo/) --- If you don't already, follow us on Instagram [@traub.io](https://www.instagram.com/traub.io/?utm_campaign=Weekly%20News&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8pwWliE2CpP0LoY0cGlWbywdle6tUg2zcvSuNl38elJo7vmcpqt8CsBLwkmK2vI2KzRrXB) as we highlight some of our favorite brands and concepts and take you with us on our retail safaris in NYC and beyond.   ### Subscribe Here! 477 Madison Avenue, 18th Floor New York, NY 10022 (646) 723-2990 [info@traub.io](mailto:info@traub.io) ![TRAUB](https://blog.traub.io/hubfs/TRAUB_September2019/Image/traub-logo.png) - [Who We Are](http://traub.io/who-we-are/) - [What We Do](http://traub.io/what-we-do/) - [Meet Our Team](http://traub.io/our-team/) - [See Our Work](http://traub.io/case-studies/) - [Read Our Content](http://traub.io/read-our-content/) - [Traub Capital](https://www.traub-capital.com/) Traub © 2023