Faire’s New Data-Driven Report Shows that Small Suburban Retailers are Crushing It

While big-box stores are reporting losses, now is the time for small retailers to shine, and according to a new data-driven report by online wholesale platform Faire, they are.

In the company’s inaugural Independent Retail Report, which is driven by data collected through its online ordering platform, the company found that physical stores are outgrowing online-only ones, small towns are outpacing major cities, and independent retailers are identifying consumer trends and stocking their shelves with new products before they become mainstream.

Furthermore, independent retail accounts for more than half of all retail locations across every U.S. state and 65 percent of U.K. retail, yet has long lacked the kind of comprehensive data available for chain retail. With a decade of wholesale relationships now flowing through its platform, Faire intends to use this dataset to regularly surface how independent retailers are adapting their sourcing strategies and shifts in consumer behavior.

“Inventory decisions are independent retailers’ biggest cost, but they’re also the expression of their biggest advantage: taste,” said Jennifer Burke, chief revenue officer at Faire. “This report shows that even amid economic headwinds, independent retailers are proving remarkably resilient. Instead of retreating into pure cost optimization, these businesses strike a savvy balance and continue to offer their customers the best-of-the-best.”

While thousands of big-box stores closed over the past year, Faire’s data shows independent retail is growing fastest in small cities and towns rather than major metropolitan hubs, where you might otherwise expect retailers to be more vulnerable to economic pressures. In the U.S., this growth is following where Americans are moving, into Sun Belt cities including Augusta, Georgia and Norman, Oklahoma. The shift is also being powered by Gen Z’s preference for in-person shopping and a broader rise in small-town travel to smaller, historic destinations like Sturgeon Bay, Wis., and Williamsburg, Va.

The same pattern held internationally: Market towns Hereford and Lyme Regis topped all 58 U.K. cities measured, with 90 percent of their retailers growing versus 58 percent in London. Regional hubs also outpaced major metros in Canada, Australia, and France.

Tariffs Reshaped Sourcing, But Didn’t Kill It

Tariffs pushed U.S. retailers further toward domestic brands, but it didn’t kill the appetite for standout imports. Italian leather accessories (+571%), Finnish bat and bee houses (+423%), Irish artisanal chocolates (+233%), and Moroccan woven bags (+214%) all grew despite the pressure.

Canadian retailers, meanwhile, pulled back sharply from U.S. brands when tariffs hit in 2025, but are now showing tentative signs of a rebound in 2026, with U.S. share of spend ticking up 1.7 points year-over-year on a same-store basis. Canadian retailers predominantly increased their imports of U.S. brands with deep awareness and loyalty, suggesting the rebound is starting cautiously, with retailers leaning on sure bets.

What Data Reveals About Successful Retailer Habits

Faire’s report found that independent retailers move fast: Faire’s data shows searches for “squishy” toys spiking on the platform six weeks before mainstream media caught on, a pattern also seen with Mahjong sets and Dubai chocolate.

The report also introduces “Scouts,” retailers who consistently place first-ever orders with new and unproven brands. Scouts aren’t who you’d expect: They are not the newest kid on the block, but established, high-volume retailers. These local landmarks are leading product discovery, proof that the next brand your neighborhood falls in love with probably won’t come from a mall, but from the shop down the street poised to take a chance on it first.