From The Magazine

A perpetual dearth of affordable retail space within Boston proper has more users targeting secondary and tertiary markets as they look to penetrate the greater New England region. Ask a local retail broker or landlord to name tenants that are currently expanding aggressively in the greater Boston area and throughout New England as a whole, and odds are that “Ross Dress for Less” will come up within the first minute.  Of course, the California-based discount retailer has been crushing it for some time now. Ross announced in mid-March that it …

Bubbakoo’s Burritos has planned a strategic expansion that targets suburban centers. In a retail landscape increasingly defined by adaptability, Bubbakoo’s Burritos is carving out a distinctive growth story — one that blends flavor with disciplined site selection. What began as a regional fast-casual concept has steadily evolved into a brand with national ambitions, targeting suburban retail corridors and neighborhood centers.  As landlords look to activate spaces with tenants that drive repeat visits and longer dwell times, Bubbakoo’s expansion underscores a broader shift: dining concepts are no longer just traffic generators — they …

Retail design has evolved beyond the conveyance of goods and into the realm of community amenity. With more food and beverage, outdoor spaces and entertainment, retail centers are being viewed by many consumers and communities more as a place to spend time than purchase goods. While goods and services may still be at the forefront of their function, many developers have taken their cues from resorts and parks to understand how to give consumers an experience worth paying for.  “Retail developers increasingly recognize that consumers are seeking experiences that encourage …

In a market shaped by limited new supply, retailers are expanding strategically, backfilling spaces quickly and adapting to consumer preferences. Today, there’s a multitude of factors shaping the retail leasing market. Smaller footprints, the influence of technology, changing lifestyles of younger generations, limited new supply and backfilling closures are just some of the most prominent storylines.  As of the first quarter, the national retail vacancy rate held stable at 4.4 percent, up 10 basis points from the prior quarter, according to Colliers, which covers malls, shopping centers and general retail …

Sandwiched between several major markets, New Jersey has its intricacies. Its demographic and economic drivers make it a market worth the effort for many retailers and landlords. Much like the two major cities that border its northern and southern ends, New Jersey is, for retailers, restaurant groups and entertainment operators that are serious about establishing and growing national footprints, a market that checks every key box.  Yet for all the similarities between the Manhattan or Center City Philadelphia retail markets that apply to New Jersey as well — tight availability …

SCB Publisher Jerry France reflects on his 60-plus years in the industry, and the launch of Shopping Center Business, in conversation with the magazine’s editor. Interview by Randall Shearin: In celebration of Shopping Center Business’s 30th anniversary, I sat down with Jerry France, the publisher of the magazine and chairman and CEO of our parent company, France Media. Since Jerry has been my boss for the past 30 years, I have heard — and lived through — many of his stories and wanted to take the opportunity to get some …

As tenants grow more selective, demand is concentrating into environments that align design, operations and tenant mix around how people actually spend time. Take a look around most areas of the country, and it’s obvious to see that retail demand hasn’t disappeared. What it is doing, however, is showing up in fewer places. Tenants are increasingly gravitating to a certain pattern of projects. If you’re one of the lucky ones to possess said projects, leasing activity will likely remain robust, occupancy may stay consistent and reliable traffic will be generated. …

Florida’s The Villages has a secret: a captive, high-income population that dines and shops at the area’s more than 20 retail centers. Many national tenants like to gatekeep great locations. For years, The Villages has been one of those. The master-planned, age-restricted community located in Central Florida is somewhat of an enigma to those who haven’t been. But visiting is eye-opening, and many national tenants have discovered a secret this utopia is hiding — an incredibly active and vibrant population with strong retail sales within the community’s 7.5 million square …

Narrowing cap rate spreads between grocery-anchored and power centers, combined with resilient tenant demand, are pushing more private investors into large-format retail. For years, junior box-anchored shopping centers were primarily acquired by public REITs and other institutional investors. With transaction sizes often ranging from $20 million to $100 million, these assets were considered out of reach for most private buyers. That dynamic has shifted. A broader pool of private investors is now competing for these centers, reshaping the buyer landscape and creating new liquidity opportunities for owners and developers. This …

Financing, subcontractors, materials pricing and tariffs have had an impact on retail construction. Contractors are leveraging AI and other new technologies to reduce risk and harness data. Let’s get down to brass tacks: there’s not a lot of new retail space being built. What is getting developed reflects a fundamental shift in how retail functions. At the same time, construction itself is becoming more strategic and tech enabled. Developers and contractors are leveraging data, artificial intelligence (AI) and flexible design approaches to better predict demand, reduce risk and adapt spaces …