Long lead times in the category mean a rebound will take time. Meanwhile, the department store is setting its sights on its centennial Thanksgiving Day Parade.

It’s been another week with far more retail news than there is time in the day. Below, we break down some things you may have missed during the week, and what we’re still thinking about.

From Build-A-Bear’s nightcrawler plush to Vuori’s new chief marketer, here’s our closeout for the week.

Target’s second quarter report was mostly a step in the right direction for its turnaround, but a notable lag was in its home and decor sales. The merchandise category grew just 0.2% year over year, a much lower rate compared to its beauty and hardlines results.

Part of the issue is the long lead times associated with home products, CEO Michael Fiddelke said on a call with analysts Wednesday.

“Those are longer lead time businesses, and so change doesn't come as quickly there as it might in a category like food and beverage,” Fiddelke said. “As we embarked on the year, we said home would be a multiyear journey.”

Home and apparel — another merchandise category that saw a lower rate of growth compared to last year — are ironically the two areas that once differentiated Target’s assortment, Roth’s Managing Director and Senior Research Analyst Bill Kirk said in a note Wednesday.

“While management highlighted positive guest response where changes have been made, Home and Apparel, two important high-margin categories, remain works in progress and management was clear that both categories will require additional work extending into 2027 and beyond,” TD Cowen analysts said in another note Wednesday.

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