Allbirds will close all of its remaining full-price US stores by the end of February, a milestone that marks the end of a yearslong retreat from brick and mortar for the sustainable footwear brand.

Founded in 2015, the company once leaned heavily into physical retail to fuel growth, opening dozens of stores at its peak. But those locations have struggled to gain traction. Allbirds’s full-year net revenue fell 25.3% to $189.8 million in 2024, and its brick-and-mortar traffic has continued to dampen.

Some analysts say the brand simply expanded faster than demand could sustain. The latest round of closures completes a multiyear effort to scale back its US footprint and refocus on online sales and wholesale partnerships.

Keep reading here.—JS

Sweet treats this Valentine’s Day continue to come with the bitter reality of higher prices.

According to a recent report from LendingTree, across 39 Valentine’s Day chocolates, 82% had a higher price, with an average cost increase of nearly 12%.

A global shortage in 2024 caused cocoa prices to soar, hitting a record $13,000 per metric ton, but they’ve since eased to two-year lows of $3,700 per metric ton. Tariff pressures also remain for some—while the Trump administration lifted tariffs on cocoa in November, finished products coming from the European Union still face a 15% tax.

Some price relief could be coming by midyear, analysts told Bloomberg in December, but prices are still elevated as companies work through last year’s cocoa supply.

Keep reading here.—EC

Consumers have cut back on plenty over the past year, and the latest casualty appears to be love itself. Or at least Valentine’s Day.

According to Omnisend’s latest report, Valentine’s Day-related marketing activity fell 52% YoY in 2026 as 1 in 4 shoppers pulled back on gifting.

While inboxes are typically overflowing with V-Day promos weeks in advance, brands sent about half as many emails tied to the holiday (3,072 between Jan. 2–Feb. 11, compared to 6,395 last year) That decline stands out because overall email volume actually surged 133% YoY, suggesting retailers stayed active…just not for Valentine’s Day.

Keep reading here.—JS

The feeling of getting a 5/5 on the Brew’s weekly news quiz has been compared to getting a company-wide shout-out from your boss. It’s that satisfying.