Hello Omni Talk Fans! FMI and NRF are both now in our rearview which means Anne and I can take a little break from travel.
In today’s Retail Daily Minute:
- TikTok establishes joint venture with Oracle, Silver Lake, and MGX to remain operational in the U.S.
- Dollar General launches same-day delivery in rural markets.
- Francesca’s permanently closes all 450+ stores after investor funding withdrawal, supplier financing collapse, and lender default create an unrecoverable capital crisis.
Plus, all our livestream interviews from FMI consolidated in one place just for you, and another Amazon-inspired quote for a loyal reader that I bumped into last week out in San Diego.
👇 Listen now
Today’s Top Headlines
1. TikTok Establishes U.S. Joint Venture to Continue Operations
TikTok established TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC to comply with President Trump’s executive order, allowing continued U.S. operations. Oracle, Silver Lake, and MGX each hold 15% stakes, while ByteDance retains 19.9%. The American-dominated board will govern, with Oracle securing U.S. user data in its cloud environment. (Read More)
2. Dollar General Expands Delivery to Compete with Amazon
Dollar General expanded myDG Delivery same-day service to over 17,000 stores, competing with Amazon’s $4 billion rural delivery expansion. With 75% of Americans living within five miles of its stores, Dollar General bridges the digital gap in underserved rural communities. Free delivery promotion runs through February 28, 2026. (Read More)
3. Francesca’s Fashion Retailer to Permanently Close Doors
Fashion retailer Francesca’s will permanently cease operations following lender default notices and investor funding withdrawal. The closure affects 202 Houston corporate employees and over 450 stores nationwide. Major suppliers lost financing, making product receipt impossible. Francesca’s previously emerged from bankruptcy under TerraMar Capital and Tiger Capital ownership. (Read More)
4. Wonder Acquires Claim Restaurant Rewards App for Grubhub
Wonder, founded by Marc Lore, acquired restaurant rewards app Claim to integrate with its Grubhub subsidiary’s 415,000+ merchant network. Claim offers automatic cash-back rewards at local restaurants. Launching first in New York City with nationwide rollout planned for 2026 as Wonder pursues becoming a meal-time super app. (Read More)
5. Meijer Launches WellSync Telehealth for Common Conditions
Meijer partnered with digital healthcare platform WellSync to offer virtual healthcare services for common conditions like cold, flu, and allergies at $29.99 per visit without insurance required. Accessible through Meijer’s website and pharmacy app, the telehealth service joins similar offerings from retailers including Amazon, Walmart, and Kroger. (Read More)
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Be careful out there,
— Chris, Anne, and the entire Omni Talk team
Omni Talk® is the retail blog for retailers, written by retailers. Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga founded Omni Talk® in 2017 and have quickly turned it into one of the fastest growing blogs in retail.