RETAILOBSERVER.COM JULY 2026
4
Eliana Barriga
eliana@retailobserver.com
Here's to our Independence!
JULY 2026, VOLUME 37, ISSUE 7
CELEBRATING OUR 36
TH
YEAR
AS THE RETAIL OBSERVER
Elle's View As I See It
AMERICA
AT 250
PUBLISHER/MANAGING EDITOR
ELIANA BARRIGA
DIRECTOR OF SALES AND MARKETING
MOE LASTFOGEL
ART DIRECTOR
TERRY PRICE
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
STEVEN MORRIS
DON PIERSON
DAVE SMITH
JOHN TSCHOHL
LIBBY WAGNER
DEADLINE FOR SEPT. 2026 ISSUE:
AUG. 1, 2026
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T H E R E TA I L
E
very birthday invites two questions.
Who have we been?
Who will we become?
This July, America celebrates an extraordinary milestone—250 years since the Declaration
of Independence changed the course of history.
On July 4, 1776, a bold idea was set into motion: that all people are created equal, that our
rights are endowed by our Creator, and that governments derive their just powers from the
consent of the governed.
It was more than a founding document. It was a declaration of possibility.
For 250 years, America has been a nation of builders, dreamers, pioneers, inventors,
entrepreneurs, and citizens willing to invest in something greater than themselves. Our journey
has not been without hardship, yet each generation has continued the work of strengthening
the Republic and expanding opportunity.
That same pioneering spirit lives on in independent retail.
Every locally owned business begins with an idea. It grows through perseverance, sacrifice,
and service, creating opportunity for owners, employees, families, suppliers, and entire
communities. Independent retailers don't simply sell products—they help build hometowns.
As we commemorate this historic anniversary, perhaps the greatest tribute we can offer
those who came before us is not simply to remember their courage, but to live it.
The next chapter of America will not be written by history books. It will be written by people
who continue to build, create, serve, mentor, innovate, and believe.
Many describe this moment as the beginning of a new Golden Age. Whether history
ultimately gives it that name depends on what we choose to do with the opportunities before
us. A golden age is never guaranteed. It is earned through character, integrity, stewardship,
innovation, and hope.
As we celebrate America's 250th birthday, may we look forward with gratitude for the
freedoms we enjoy, confidence in our communities, and determination to leave an even
stronger nation for the generations that follow.
Happy Birthday, America.
The story isn't ending.
In many ways, it's just beginning.
