Alicia, Andrew, and Nick are back in action as we get excited for the end of the holiday season like Santa Claus at the mall after a line of hungry kids.And the retail world is examining the year's winners and losers and what 2025 may have in store. On this week's news:Store Closures in 2024:Over 7,100 U.S. store closures announced—a 69% increase from last year.Bankruptcies nearly doubled, with 45 retailers filing compared to 25 in 2023.Debate: Are closures a sign of trouble or smart footprint management?Family Dollar tops the list—Nick calls it a "self-inflicted retail injury."Kroger & Albertsons Breakup:The $24.6B merger is officially dead after court decisions block it.Albertsons sues Kroger, accusing them of not trying hard enough to secure approvals.FTC, Kroger, and Albertsons—it's a grocery store soap opera begging for a Netflix series!Lord & Taylor's Reboot:The once-beloved department store is now a discount luxury e-commerce brand.Products to be placed in other retailers like Saks and Nordstrom—no physical stores of its own.Macy's Gets Real (Estate):Activist investor urges Macy’s to be more like Dillard’s—maximize real estate value!Dillard’s stock is up 788% over the last four years by focusing on smart decisions and consistent execution.Timestamps:[[[[[[