🕔 Retail Daily Minute | Starbucks Uplifts Chicago Stores, Ahold Delhaize Expands Pay-by-Bank & Edibles.com Enters Physical Retail

Hello Omni Talk Fans! I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend, as we officially turned the corner on winter and head into spring.

In today’s Retail Daily Minute:

Starbucks unveils one of its first “uplifted” Chicago stores under its Back to Starbucks restructuring plan, bringing back leather couches, cozy décor, and the third-place experience the brand was built on.
Ahold Delhaize USA and Fiserv expand their pay-by-bank pilot broadly across The Giant Company, Giant Food, and Stop & Shop’s digital platforms, as grocers race to reduce card interchange fees and deepen first-party financial data relationships.
Edibles.com, the hemp-derived THC platform from Edible Brands, opens its first brick-and-mortar flagship in Atlanta with a concierge service model built around consumer education and responsible category growth.

Plus, a quote from a film that feels entirely appropriate today.

👇 Listen now

Today’s Top Headlines

1. Starbucks Unveils ‘Back to Starbucks’ Store Revamp in Chicago

Starbucks unveiled a revamped Chicago store under its “Back to Starbucks” restructuring plan, featuring leather couches, cozy chairs, rugs, and coffee-themed art. The redesign aims to create a warmer, more inviting in-store experience, encouraging customers to linger longer across its 17,000 U.S. locations. (Read More)

2. Ahold Delhaize Expands ‘Pay by Bank’ Option to More Shoppers

Ahold Delhaize USA and Fiserv are expanding their Pay by Bank pilot, allowing customers of Giant Food, The Giant Company, and Stop & Shop to pay directly from bank accounts online. Tens of thousands have already enrolled, reducing interchange fees and cutting reliance on debit and credit cards. (Read More)

3. Edibles.com Opens Up Its First ‘Concierge-Style’ Store in Atlanta

Edibles.com is opening its first flagship retail store in Atlanta’s Inman Park, featuring a concierge-style service model with staff guiding customers through hemp-derived THC products. The store reflects Edible Brands’ commitment to transparent, education-focused retail in a regulated environment. (Read More)

4. Dollar General Launches a New ‘7 Days of Savings’ Beauty Event

Dollar General is hosting a “7 Days of Savings” beauty event from April 12–18, 2026, offering deals across leading beauty and personal care brands. The event builds on recent beauty investments, including an E.l.f. Cosmetics endcap in 20,000+ stores and the acquisition of lip care brand Yumzee. (Read More)

5. Kroger Rolls Out Flashfood App Across All Mid-Atlantic Stores

Kroger is expanding its partnership with surplus grocery app Flashfood to 100+ Mid-Atlantic stores across Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, and Kentucky. The app lets shoppers buy near-expiry food at a discount, helping Kroger attract new customers, reduce food waste, and boost affordability. (Read More)

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