The drive-thru business is booming

Aided by pandemic induced social distancing measures, consumers are flocking through drive-thru lanes at fast food restaurants in record numbers. According to our research, over 70% of American adults under the age of fifty and living in a suburb have utilized a drive-thru at least once during the past eighteen months. Although supercharged by the […]

Localized retail is taking off with younger consumers

The renaissance of localized merchants commenced more than thirty years ago with the dawn of the community farmer’s market. After a slow progression over the years, the concept of locally owned and controlled independent retailers is booming. These commercial entities are usually small in size and scope, generally having only a handful of locations in […]

First the 15 minute city, now the 24/7 suburb

Major cities around the world are increasingly embracing the idea of the 15-minute city as a potential magic bullet to make their cities more livable, sustainable, and less congested. The idea is that all essential services, grocery stores to medical facilities, are within a 15-minute walk or bike-ride from a resident’s home.   A similar concept […]

Parklets could persist after pandemic

Many of the municipalities across the US that modified their street configurations to comply with social distancing guidelines are expected to retain a portion of them now that the pandemic is easing. These modifications include road closures, wider sidewalks with narrowed streets and parklets that were primarily used to expand restaurant seating to the outdoors. […]

Tech burnout is on the rise

Many people appear to be burning out on their connected lifestyles. According to a recent consumer assessment conducted by Iceology, nearly 65% of adults stated that they are experiencing some level of tech burnout. With the pandemic subsiding, over half of these consumers stated that they are beginning to shift more of their daily activities offline. The activity they […]

Remembering Dave Power by Chris Cedergren

A true legend has passed. Dave Power had a remarkable impact on the automotive industry, changing it from a manufacturing driven business to one that is consumer centric. Although the traditional Big Three at the time initially balked at the results of early versions of J.D. Power’s Customer Satisfaction and Initial Quality Index, they eventually […]