What’s in Store

In Part 2 of our conversation with Chris Parsons, author of Retail Rewired, we go further into the structural issues limiting omnichannel success. Parsons explains how treating online, email, and in-store channels as competing entities—with their own KPIs and P&Ls—creates false failures. “We think it’s not working,” he says, “but the customer is just behaving like a human.” Today’s shoppers weave seamlessly between screens, inboxes, and physical spaces. Instead of chasing them down separate paths, Parsons says brands need to harmonize their ecosystems. 

In Part 1 of our What’s in Store podcast, HHIQ editor Rebecca Dumais speaks with Hale’s VP of marketing, Chris Parsons, about what’s really broken in today’s hybrid retail experience. Parsons explains how online-first retailers often crave a physical presence, while legacy retailers still struggle to unify digital and in-store channels. The problem? Internal metrics and siloed thinking. Instead of designing for how customers actually shop, retailers push them into predefined funnels, missing out on flexibility, loyalty, and growth. Parsons also ties in many insights from his book Retail Rewired.

In this podcast episode, leadership coach and brand strategist Nicole Gallucci discusses the importance of self-awareness in leadership. She also shares insights from her Life Blueprint framework, emphasizing authentic connection, personal reflection, and understanding one’s strengths to create motivated teams and meaningful impact - both professionally and personally.

In this podcast episode, leadership coach and brand strategist Nicole Gallucci discusses the importance of self-awareness in leadership. She also shares insights from her Life Blueprint framework, emphasizing authentic connection, personal reflection, and understanding one’s strengths to create motivated teams and meaningful impact - both professionally and personally.

Jason Tasse, president and COO of Lee Valley Tools talks about the opening of their new Pickering store, the value of physical retail and the integrated brand experience of online and in-store shopping.

In this podcast Hardlines interviews Russ Permann, president and CEO of Taiga Building Products in Burnaby, B.C., spoke to us in the July 2025 issue of the Hardlines What’s In Store Podcast. In this podcast we explore tariffs: what they are, how they have affected the LBM industry, and the prospects for the rest of 2025 in Canada. And, since Taiga has a significant American division, south of the border, too. Russ Permann was interviewed by Hardlines editors Geoff McLarney and Steve Payne.

In this episode, Hardlines' own Michael McLarney talks about the Hardlines Annual Retail Report, the most comprehensive and trusted source of intelligence on Canada’s home improvement industry. Packed with proprietary year-end 2024 sales data and expanded market trend analysis, it’s the essential planning tool for Sales Directors and Marketing Managers. Whether you're building strategy or pitching plans, this must-have report offers unmatched insights to help you navigate the year ahead with confidence.

Stephen Bailey, chief marketing officer at Fluevog is transforming the retail world one step at a time. Bailey talks with Hardlines editor Rebecca Dumais about the changing retail landscape including how to improve audience reach and how to create a retail experience that builds brand loyalty.

www.hardlines.ca

David Ian Gray of Vancouver-based DIG360 is a retail strategist and expert. In this podcast, Gray talks with Hardlines editor Rebecca Dumais about the changing retail landscape including the impact of tariffs on Canadian businesses, the fall of iconic brands Hudson’s Bay Company and Peavey Mart and charting a path in uncertain economic times. David is highly sought after by business leaders and executives for his retail knowledge and strategic insights. His views on the hardware and building supply industry in Canada make this podcast a much watch.

In this episode, Peter Turkstra, third-generation owner of 12-store Turkstra Lumber, a pro dealer in Southern Ontario, talks about solutions to the ills that, all of a sudden in 2025, afflict the industry. Most of them are courtesy of the American administration, or more properly the one man who has caused them, Peter says. But he also reflects on municipal development charges, the slowdown in housing starts, and consumers having their confidence shaken.