Summer 2020’s New Winning Accessory

The history of American fashion trends is bedecked with some strange entries. The summer of love in 1969 saw hippies storm Bethel, New York bedecked in bell-bottoms, shag fringed vests and beaded headbands. Shoulder pads first hit their stride in the 1980s, when designs like Armani, Anne Klein and Ralph...

Chicago Purchasing Managers Index Tumbles To 38-Year Low

The widely watched Chicago Purchasing Managers Index fell to 32.3 in May, hitting its lowest level since the recession year of 1982 as the COVID-19 pandemic slammed business confidence. Among the Index’s individual components, demand fell further after its largest drop ever during April. Meanwhile, the new orders component eased...

Main Street’s Pandemic-Led Shift To Digital Innovation

The lockdown of the United States economy, which was designed to slow the coronavirus’ spread, changed the way consumers browse, shop and pay for purchases. Businesses that didn’t have eCommerce channels could not sell their products, while eateries that lacked online ordering couldn’t serve diners. Small and medium-sized companies faced the choice...