San Bernardino County — the largest county in the contiguous U.S. — is making a compelling case for retail investment, and the numbers back it up.
In this Retail Insight interview at ICSC Las Vegas, reporter Nellie Day sits down with Deepak Bahl, acting economic development director for San Bernardino County, to unpack what’s driving one of Southern California’s most dynamic retail markets.
With a population of 2.2 million, a three-hour drive market reaching 23 million people, and median household incomes rising as much as 40 percent since 2019 in some cities, the county is attracting the kind of consumer spending power that draws quality retailers. Bahl walks through several master-planned communities and emerging retail developments — including an 800,000-square-foot commercial project in Victorville — that signal serious momentum on the ground.
Watch the video to hear Bahl explain how the county’s economic development team is working to remove friction for retailers and developers — and why, according to CBRE, San Bernardino County is among the best-performing markets for many of the tenants they represent.
Retail Insight is a sponsored video series produced by Shopping Center Business, capturing insights from leading retail real estate firms at ICSC Las Vegas 2026. Click here to subscribe.