Chubbies, the brand whose flagship product is shorts with a mere 5.5-inch inseam, has never taken itself too seriously. In 2012, just a year after the brand launched, it published an online open letter to Michael Jeffries, the then-CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch (and now accused sex trafficker).

The letter urged the retailer, which helped popularize cargo shorts with a roughly foot-long inseam, to stop selling them “cold turkey.” It stated that “the pockets in cargo shorts were only meant to hold a man’s shame,” and “cargo shorts are the only form of contraception that is 100% effective.”

Chubbies, which was acquired by Solo Brands in 2021 for an estimated $130 million, is even whimsical with its return policy, printing this message on the stitched cardboard hang tag of its lined swim trunks: “If this tag is removed, we assume you wore these shorts and therefore, they’re no longer returnable cuz that’s just nasty.”

Not returnable, it turns out, but resellable.

With the resale-as-a-service company Treet, Chubbies recently launched a resale website, Afterparty. Its landing page, which as this was published featured images primarily of men sporting trunks poolside and at the beach, includes used bathing suits for sale.

So what—besides Chubbies’ much-promoted elastic waistbands and stretch fabrics—gives?

Keep reading here.—AAN

Amid the AI frenzy, retailers are still placing bets on brick and mortar, just more carefully. Nearly 78% report moderate or significant in-store investment, and about a third maintain a balanced mix of physical and digital channels, according to Morning Brew Inc. data. With more than 5,000 store openings forecast in 2026, according to Coresight Research, this wave is less about rapid expansion and more about strategic refinement.

Stores are increasingly viewed as brand builders, not just transaction hubs. In a survey conducted by Retail Brew, 62% of retailers said they’re investing to strengthen brand perception, and 58% to boost loyalty, outpacing conversion goals. Experiential formats reflect a push to create immersive, community-driven spaces that digital channels can’t replicate.

AI adoption is widespread at 82%, but it’s largely working behind the scenes in marketing and operations rather than reshaping the sales floor. All of this comes as 76% of retailers report heightened price sensitivity and more than half have raised prices amid tariff pressures, making stores a key differentiator in a cautious economy.

Get the full report here.

For years, malls have been on the verge of death. Could online fatigue change that?

Older generations grew up watching many facets of life shift from IRL to online, including shopping. But as younger generations search for places outside of home and school to hang out and watch as creators encourage them to visit stores in person, it’s possible that a reversal could be taking place. A survey from retail consultancy MG2 Advisory recently found that 73% of Gen Alpha prefers good ol’ fashioned brick-and-mortar shopping to buying online.

Keep reading here on Marketing Brew.—KH

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