retail

U.S. stores and restaurants got a boost in June as retail sales jumped 7.5%. Spending on clothes doubled. But this was before a new surge in the coronavirus prompted renewed shutdowns in some states.

Walmart and Sam's Club, as well as Kroger, join a growing list of retailers making masks mandatory in stores. The National Retail Federation is urging all stores to adopt the same policy.

Temporary store closures during the pandemic hammered nonessential retailers, including Kohl's, T.J. Maxx and Victoria's Secret. Shoppers also dramatically cut back on buying clothes.

Though its stores remained open, Target saw its online sales jump 141% in the past three months, with 5 million shopping on the retailer chain's website for the first time.

Three months after filing for bankruptcy, Pier 1 said it plans to liquidate as soon as it can reopen stores that have been closed because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The luxury chain known for its extravagant Christmas Book catalog had been losing money before the pandemic. The move follows J.Crew's bankruptcy filing on Monday, foreboding potentially more to come.