Latest news with #RichardHunt
Daily Record
a day ago
- Business
- Daily Record
The 10 high street stores Brits want to return most with one clear favourite
High streets across the UK are struggling thanks to the rise in online shopping - but there are some brands we want to see make a comeback. With the rise in online shopping over the last couple of decades, there was always going to be a consequence. And as we see store after store closing on high streets across the country, it's not hard to see who has been hit the worst. Online shopping is quick and easy, and it means you can pick out a whole host of different items from a variety of different brands without even having to leave your couch. But as more and more of us buy clothes, gadgets, decorations, books, and more with just a few clicks, it is taking its toll on in-person stores. This month, a huge number of major retailers are shutting shops across the UK. And there are some big names that have left the high street for good in recent years. Some still have an online presence but others are only alive in our memories. As with anything that we once enjoyed but no longer have access to, people long for their return - and shops are no different. The experts at Liquidation Centre analysed search data to reveal which former brands shoppers most want to see make a comeback. And one major retailer was the clear favourite among UK consumers. Debenhams had an average monthly search volume of 499,000 in the UK - more than 7.5 times that of its nearest rival. This may be in part down to the fact that the department store still has a big online sales presence, but it is an indicator of how prominent Debenhams has been in the lives of Brits. Boohoo bought the brand and its website in 2021, ensuring that Debenhams' near 250-year-old history survived, but didn't pick up the high street stores, which eventually closed down. While many Brits long for its return to the high street, it seems unlikely as the chief executive said that it will be "Britain's online department store". Liquidation Centre director Richard Hunt said: 'The combination of failing to adapt to shifting consumer habits towards online shopping alongside the financial impact of Brexit and the pandemic contributed towards Debenhams financial strain. "However, their issues began years prior to these events, with the company carrying unsustainable debts due to poor financial decisions. Their online-only comeback will be exciting for many fans, but it also serves as a stark reminder of their failure to compete effectively on the high street amid a changing market.' In second spot, though some way behind, was Dorothy Perkins with 65,000 average monthly searches. The fashion firm's former owner, Arcadia Group, fell into administration in 2020, with all their brands sold off the following year. Hunt said: 'Dorothy Perkins, part of Arcadia Group, is another example of a traditional retailer acquired by online giants like Boohoo. "Despite undergoing a CVA (Company Voluntary Agreement) to repay debts and avoid liquidation, the company's failure to compete with fast-growing online retailers, combined with a changing market landscape and high overheads, led to crippling financial issues, which ultimately led to the downfall of the business. Rounding out the top three, just behind Dorothy Perkins, was Toys R Us. The much-loved kids' store was a huge feature of the childhoods of Millennials and Gen Xers, and it still amasses 61,000 monthly searches. The toymakers went into administration in 2018, with all its stores closing as a result. The firm had been facing a £15million tax bill and, due to falling sales, they were unable to make the payment. Toys R Us also struggled to keep up with the growth and popularity of technology among children's toys, compared to their more traditional products. Hunt said: "Toys R Us seemed to fail to move with the times. As children's interests began to shift towards more tech-related items, the stores failed to adapt and capitalise on this trend. "They were also priced out of a very competitive market, with other brands offering the same quality branded toys at a lower price. Additionally, reports pointed to dull, outdated store interiors that lacked the excitement and appeal once central to the Toys R Us experience. More enticing and exciting options become available, leaving the brand behind." Some other huge brands were also in the top 10 list, including Mothercare, BHS, Woolworths, and Blockbuster. With many of these brands, they were unable to stay relevant and evolve with the times in a competitive market. Offering his expert insights, Richard Hunt said: "The current economic climate poses increasing risks to businesses, especially those in the retail sector. It is much easier to lose consumers than to retain them, which is why regular market research and competitor analysis are so essential. Staying ahead of the curve as conditions evolve is critical to long-term survival. "As we've seen, poor financial management and decisions have contributed to the downfall of several once-iconic household brands, proving how crucial it is to have effective financial strategies and management in place." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. The 10 high street brands Brits most want to see make a return Debenhams, 499,000 average monthly searches Dorothy Perkins, 65,000 Toys R Us, 61,000 Cath Kidston, 35,000 Thorntons, 32,000 Mothercare, 28,000 BHS, 22,000 Woolworths, 19,000 Miss Selfridge, 9,500 Blockbuster, 8,330
Leader Live
2 days ago
- Business
- Leader Live
Debenhams the most missed high street store, study finds
August is set to see many more high street stores closing down across the UK, as retailers continue to struggle with competing in a difficult economic climate. Among these, huge brands such as Game, Poundland, Holland and Barrett, and River Island will close their doors in various locations this month. As more stores shut down nationwide, the experts at Liquidation Centre have analysed search data to reveal which former brand names consumers want to see back on our high streets. The top ten High Street brands consumers want back based on the average monthly search volume across the UK, are as follows: Debenhams is the retailer that most consumers want to see back on their highstreets, with a huge 499,000 average monthly online searches. Boohoo bought the brand and its website in 2021, but didn't buy its high street stores, which eventually closed down. Richard Hunt, Director at Liquidation Centre offers expert insight on the demise of household brands, and key lessons for today's retailers on how to stay relevant in an evolving and competitive market. He said: 'The current economic climate poses increasing risks to businesses, especially those in the retail sector. It is much easier to lose consumers than to retain them, which is why regular market research and competitor analysis are so essential. Staying ahead of the curve as conditions evolve is critical to long-term survival. MOST READ: Cheers to the winner of Leader Pub of the Year 2025 Traveller site refused despite family 'having nowhere else to live' Wales & West Utilities issues update on 'nightmare' roadworks in Mold 'As we've seen, poor financial management and decisions have contributed to the downfall of several once-iconic household brands, proving how crucial it is to have effective financial strategies and management in place.' 'For businesses facing financial strain, the first step is to thoroughly assess all revenue streams and expenses. Exploring debt management options and cutting unnecessary costs where feasible is key. This might include negotiating with creditors, landlords, or suppliers to ease financial pressure and begin recovery.' 'If a business reaches the point where liquidation becomes a risk, swift action is vital. Seeking advice from a licensed insolvency practitioner (IP) can help clarify your options and potentially avoid insolvency altogether.' What shops do you miss? What would you like to see back on the high street? Get in touch and let us know.
Chicago Tribune
29-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Column: New Richard Hunt exhibit takes the measure of the artist and the man
Sharing a floor gallery space with a Sister Jean made of Legos is one of the most important exhibitions of any season, a compelling display of the work of the late Richard Hunt, captured and celebrated with style and substance. It does not, can not, show the work for which Hunt was most famous, the gigantic metal sculptures that dot the country. There are 160-some of these here and elsewhere, a number that makes Hunt the artist with more public sculptures and monuments in the U.S. than any other. But this is a show that allows you a more intimate encounter with the man and his work. 'Freedom in Form: Richard Hunt' is set to remain through Nov. 15 in the handsome Loyola University Museum of Art, tucked behind the Water Tower at on Michigan Avenue. This is a second stop for this show, which opened last year at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library in Springfield, sparked by an idea from the state's first lady, MK Pritzker. Hunt did not see it. He died on Dec. 16, 2023. But he knew it was coming and he must have been proud, and likely would be if he could see the show, for in addition to his sculptures (some large ones are represented by maquettes, which are smaller, draft models of the proposed sculpture), it provides a measure of the man. Hunt's official biographer Jon Ott writes, 'Richard Hunt's sculptures are the outgrowth of his lived experience,' and the proof is at LUMA. He was born on Sept. 12, 1935, the youngest of two children. His father was a barber who ran a shop on the South Side. His mother was a beautician and librarian. They were influential, allowing Richard to partake in the heavily political barbershop conversations and nurturing his love of reading. Hunt's artistic talent manifested early in drawings he made as a child. He enrolled in the Junior School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where he soon received his initial training in sculpture. By 1950, he had carved a studio in his bedroom, and began working with clay and wire, creating such forms as animals and circus performers. In a few years, his studio expanded to the basement. At age 19, he and his family attended the 1955 funeral of Emmett Till, a 14-year-old boy from the neighborhood, who returned to Chicago, his mother, Mamie, said, 'in a pine box, so horribly battered and waterlogged that someone needed to tell you this sickening sight is your son.' He had been beaten to death and his mother made the brave decision to have an open casket, and so tens of thousands saw Emmett's battered body. Some people prayed, some fainted and all, men, women and children, wept. Richard Hunt was there and was changed forever. Ott writes that seeing Till's body and attending his funeral 'would alter the trajectory of Hunt's artistic expression. … Before long, he would devote himself to civil rights and creating art that expressed the critical need for human freedom and social justice.' He created 'Hero's Head' in 1956 and it is a chilling and haunting part of the LUMA show, a small head made of scrap metal. It was one of Hunt's first welded metal pieces, having taught himself to weld because there was no such training available at the SAIC. He worked and he worked. Awards came his way, and praise. And in 1971, when he was 35, he became the first Black sculptor to have a solo exhibition in the 42-year-long history of New York's Museum of Modern Art. Married three times, he worked and worked, much of that taking place at the former electrical substation on Lill Avenue that would be his studio for more than 50 years, a place where he also mentored other artists and sometimes spent nights on a mattress on the floor in the unheated, un-air-conditioned space. This sort of biographical information is available in the spectacular book that accompanies the exhibition. At the exhibit, you will see films screened on a couple of walls, one of Hunt from long ago, being interviewed in his massive studio by Studs Terkel. In the other, former president Barack Obama is touting his coming center/library and praising Hunt. You will see a wall of books that were once part of his extensive and eclectic personal library. You also get to view the tools of Hunt's distinctive trade. This really is a show for everybody, especially for those who might never have known of Hunt, who lacked the self-promotion gene that many artists possess. The museum staff is knowledgeable and helpful. 'This is one of the most significant and ambitious exhibitions LUMA has participated in,' says Kyle Mathers, museum manager and curator. 'We knew it would be challenging, but Hunt's connection to Loyola and the significance of his work were well worth testing our ability to host an exhibition of this size and scope. This is a great way to celebrate the museum's 20th anniversary.' The museum coordinator is Hannah Luchtenburg. 'I so wish I was able to meet Mr. Hunt before he passed. Everyone I've met who knew him has said the same thing to me: 'Did you ever meet Richard? He was the most kind, humble, genuine man,'' she says. 'But I already knew this to be true upon visiting his incredible Lill Avenue studio; the building itself is a historic gem, but it was clear Richard had created a true community over the five decades in the space. He makes me proud to be a Chicagoan, a South Sider, at that. The impact of Hunt's art is global, the evident themes of struggle, freedom and pursuit of justice in his sculpture are universal. But I think Chicagoans will feel a special appreciation and tie to Hunt and his work; his personal history is Chicago history. I do feel I've gotten to 'know' Richard in some small way.' Like I said, Hunt would have been proud.
CBS News
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
New sculpture by Chicago artist D. Lamar Preston unveiled in Woodlawn neighborhood
Art enthusiasts in the Woodlawn neighborhood will have something to gaze at after a new sculpture was unveiled Thursday morning. Artist D. Lamar Preston's "Gifted to Me" sculpture is now on display at the corner of 62nd and Stony near the Hyde Park Academy High School campus. Preston was selected for the Richard Hunt Award, which honors a renowned Chicago artist while creating opportunities for other artists to display their work. The sculpture, composed of individual sheets of oxidized steel, measures 8 feet long, 5 feet wide, and 5 feet high and weighs 650 pounds. Preston credits the inspiration behind the work to Richard Hunt himself. "Using what I learned working with he and his team is my best way to honor and show my appreciation for the opportunity to work with a master. Not only a symbolic representation of gifts, I used tools and some repurposed steel I received from Richard to create this work," he said. The sculpture will be on display through May 2027.
Daily Mirror
21-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
High street brands we miss the most from Debenhams to Woolworths
Experts have analysed search data to reveal the top-searched brands including Debenhams, Woolworths, Toys R Us, Dorothy Perkins, Cath Kidston and Mothercare The high street brands we miss the most including Debenhams and Woolworths have been revealed in a new list. Debenhams is the retailer that most consumers want back, according to new search data, with 499,000 average monthly online searches. Boohoo bought the brand and its website in 2021, but the deal didn't include its high street stores, which eventually closed down. The next most-missed brand is Dorothy Perkins, with 65,000 average monthly online searches. Dorothy Perkins was acquired by Boohoo Group in February 2021, following the collapse of Arcadia Group, which previously owned the brand. Toys R Us is the third most-missed brand with 61,000 searches. Toys R Us collapsed into administration in 2018, with all its 100 UK shops closed as a result - but the retailer has now started opening concessions in WHSmith stores. Other high street giants that feature in the list include Cath Kidston, Mothercare and Woolworths. You can find the top 10 most-missed brands according to research from the Liquidation Centre below. Richard Hunt, Director at Liquidation Centre said: 'The current economic climate poses increasing risks to businesses, especially those in the retail sector. 'It is much easier to lose consumers than to retain them, which is why regular market research and competitor analysis are so essential. Staying ahead of the curve as conditions evolve is critical to long-term survival. 'As we've seen , poor financial management and decisions have contributed to the downfall of several once-iconic household brands, proving how crucial it is to have effective financial strategies and management in place.' 'For businesses facing financial strain, the first step is to thoroughly assess all revenue streams and expenses. Exploring debt management options and cutting unnecessary costs where feasible is key. This might include negotiating with creditors, landlords, or suppliers to ease financial pressure and begin recovery.' 'If a business reaches the point where liquidation becomes a risk, swift action is vital. Seeking advice from a licensed insolvency practitioner (IP) can help clarify your options and potentially avoid insolvency altogether.' 13,479 retail stores closed in the UK in 2024, up 28% increase from 2023, according to The Centre for Retail Research. This is equivalent to about 37 stores closing each day. Top 10 high street brands Brits want back The figures below are based on average monthly search volume in the UK. Debenhams - 499,000 Dorothy Perkins - 65,000 Toys R Us - 61,000 Cath Kidston - 35,000 Thorntons - 32,000 Mothercare - 28,000 BHS - 22,000 Woolworths - 19,000 Miss Selfridge - 9,500 Blockbuster - 8,330
