Each week, Padilla’s Insights + Strategy team stands at the intersection of people, culture and brands to bring you five stories that you can read in five minutes.

1. Nordstrom: what retail apocalypse?

Nordstrom is opening its first women’s store in NYC. Why should you care? Nordstrom is taking a risk opening a 320,000 square foot store in New York City where Barney’s, Lord and Taylor, Macy’s, and Saks Fifth Avenue are all struggling. To address the potential challenges, the company is approaching this retail experience differently than their traditional stores specifically by focusing on high-end designers like Chanel, classics like Nike, and exciting new brands like Everlane. Additionally, every month, there will be a space called “Pop In @ Nordstrom” where new brands will be featured monthly.  [CNBC]

2. Getting fit with Nintendo

Nintendo just released a new product called Ring Fit Adventure. Why should you care? Nintendo is attempting to get people active for a second time (remember the Wii Fit?). The Ring Fit Adventure connects to the Nintendo Switch and comes with a large, rubber ring and a strap for your legs. The player controls the game with their body rather than with the remote’s buttons and exercises, like running and squatting, will specifically be used during the various games. An interesting step in fulfilling Nintendo’s mission to change how we interact with games. [Time]

3. Women Who Spacewalk

NASA’s Christy Koch and Jessica Meir made history by being the first all-women crew to replace a power control unit of the International Space Station. Why should you care? Before the spacewalk, Koch said, “In the past, women haven’t always been at the table”. The expedition had to be postponed by seven months as the space station did not have two medium sized space suits. A livestream video from the astronauts’ helmet cameras of the five-and-a-half-hour repair was released showing them dangling 260 miles above earth. Although this small step may seem a bit performative, it will hopefully lead to giant leaps of normalizing women’s contributions to work across industries and professions. [The Guardian]

4. Choir, athletics…TikTok?

High schools are beginning to offer Tik Tok clubs. Why should you care? Schools around the US are creating Tik Tok clubs, which The New York Times describes as “essentially drama clubs for the digital age, but with the potential to reach huge audiences”. Not only is it fun, but teachers use TikTok to teach students about teamwork, internet safety and creativity through these clubs. As society still debates the right balance of tech in our lives (and the classroom), this is a great example of how teachers can help students navigate the ever-changing and rapidly evolving tech world they are growing up in. [New York Times]

5. Cargo on the go

The makers of Vespa have created a cargo robot called Gita. Why should you care? The company called Piaggio Fast Forward is selling the robot for $3250. The robot follows people on the go, carrying up to 40 pounds of their belongings. It is meant to carry items like groceries, gym bags or children’s toys to allow for a hands-free lifestyle. A cool idea to be sure, but it is unclear what need this fills and for whom — something that will be interesting to keep an eye on as this technology evolves. [The Verge]
