🥯 Bagels, Agents, and Ryan Reynolds: The Unofficial…

🥯 Bagels, Agents, and Ryan Reynolds: The Unofficial Survival Guide to NRF 2026

I’m heading to NYC for NRF 2026: Retail’s Big Show, and let’s be honest—between the 40,000 attendees and the endless Javits hallways, it can be overwhelming. 🤯

To help us all survive (and thrive), I’ve compiled a cheat sheet of the “Next Now” essentials. Whether you’re a rookie or a veteran, bookmark this for next week! 👇

🍽️ The Pre-Show Kickoff (Saturday, Jan 10): Before the expo madness officially starts, we’re hosting an intimate Alhena Dinner this Saturday night. Good food, great company, and zero sales pitches—just a chance to settle in before the big show. 👉 Grab a spot here: https://luma.com/76oos837

📍 The “Don’t Miss” Sessions:
1️⃣ Sun, 9:45 AM (Vusion Theatre): Google’s Sundar Pichai & Walmart’s John Furner. If you want to know where AI is actually going (Hint: it’s Agentic), this is the room to be in.

2️⃣ Sun, 3:00 PM (Keynote Stage): LVMH on “Craft meets Intelligence.” A masterclass on how luxury brands are scaling personal service with data.

3️⃣ Mon 12:10 pm: “A New Era of Retail: Inside Target’s Tech-Led Transformation with OpenAI” – Target’s tech chief and OpenAI’s enterprise VP peel back the curtain on how Target is using AI

4️⃣ Tue (Keynote Stage): Ryan Reynolds. Because after 3 days of retail metrics, we all need a lesson on brand velocity (and a laugh).

☕ Fuel & Survival (The Insider Spots):

Coffee ☕ : Skip the Starbucks line in the Crystal Palace. It’s a trap. Run to Bluestone Lane at 55 Hudson Yards (6 min walk) for a proper flat white and banana bread. 🍌

Quiet Work Spot: The lobby at Ink48 Hotel (48th & 11th). Comfy chairs, good Wi-Fi, and way less chaos than the Marriott.

Dinner: Need a break from the noise? Porteño (299 10th Ave) is a hidden Argentinian gem. Great steaks, cozy vibe, and it feels a world away from the Expo Hall. 🍷

🤖 The “Next Now” in Action:

Everyone at the show will be talking about Agentic Commerce i.e. moving from “chatbots that just talk” to “agents that actually do.”

🤝 Come Say Hi at Booth #1941 (Alhena AI)

You’ll walk away with a special gift 🛍️. (Who doesn’t love free swag, especially when it comes with future-proofing your brand’s CX?)

One demo we’re really excited about is our AI Outfit Builder 👕🤖 – it’s like a personal digital stylist that can put together on-brand looks in seconds.

See you in NYC! Let’s make it a great show. 👋

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