Year: 2020

At brands such as Subway and Econo Lodge, owners and store operators once pulled in the same direction but now increasingly squabble. It’s a worrisome trend for an industry that gives individuals a way to become their own boss and that employs more than 8 million in the U.S.

Airbnb is planning to target a range of around $30 billion to $33 billion when the home-rental startup kicks off its investor roadshow. DoorDash, meanwhile, plans to target a range of around $25 billion to $28 billion.

The weekend after Thanksgiving met expectations that it would be the busiest travel period in the U.S. since the coronavirus pandemic began.

Foot traffic plunged by half amid the pandemic while online sales jumped. Consumers turned to Amazon and big-box chains that offer one-stop shopping.

The car maker’s Lordstown plant was once a symbol of economic might. It’s now a symbol of the economic struggles of those in factory jobs, with many of its former workers leaving their families behind in Ohio in search of good pay and benefits in other states.

Grocers say they are well-positioned to provide Covid-19 immunizations because a large share of the population lives near one of their stores and their pharmacies regularly offer shots for flu, shingles and other illnesses.

Advocates are hoping to pass similar measures in other states, but still-elevated unemployment and lower costs of living in rural areas remain challenges.

Tony Hsieh, who became a frequently studied management guru by persuading millions of people to buy shoes online through Zappos, has died at age 46 from injuries he sustained in a house fire.