For retail professionals, the International Council of Shopping Centers’ Spring RECon Convention in Las Vegas is the highlight of the year. There’s always so much to take in, and every year comes with its singular storylines. Here were some of the more dramatic ones at play convention floor: Food-focused foot traffic The overall volume […]
Archives for May 2017
The Squeeze from Bottom-Up, Top-Down
At a time when store closings and consolidations are dominating the headlines, understanding the underlying industry dynamics also requires paying close attention to new store openings. Brands that are expanding their footprints are providing a revealing look at how consumer shopping patterns, priorities and preferences are evolving. In turn, this shows what might be in […]
Struggling Sears offers space in 2 Austin stores to other retailers
Gary Dinges/Austin-American Statesman – With sales continuing to sag, struggling retailer Sears is trying to bring in extra cash by leasing out large chunks of its stores to other retailers, such as Austin-based Whole Foods Market. In Austin, Sears is currently offering up half the space at two of its stores – if the price is […]
Bricks & Mortality
Mallory Bulman/Commercial Property Executive – Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has said that he named his company after the great river, the largest in the world, hoping to emulate its power. Now ranked by Forbes as the world’s eighth-largest retailer, Amazon.com is living up to its name. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has said that he named his […]
With Golfsmith’s demise, Golf Galaxy steps into void
Gary Dinges/Austin American Statesman – Austin-based retailer Golfsmith is history, the victim of bankruptcy, but a number of its former stores have been scooped up by a competitor, Golf Galaxy. That includes one of Golfsmith’s two Austin locations, at 10001 Research Blvd. in the Arboretum area. Following a remodel and sign swap-outs, it debuted this […]
Online Conundrum
Joel Groover/Shopping Centers Today – What would happen if a basic question in the shopping center business — exactly how much money a store makes — became impossible to answer? Because of the rapid growth of omni-channel retailing, landlords need to start thinking about this disruptive scenario, some say. To understand why, consider the way […]
