Real Estate

Optimizing retail store portfolios and optimizing shopping center portfolios seem like two different things. In fact, the two tasks have similarities.

“To retailers, optimization is getting store deployment across the marketplace right,” explained Mike Makinen, COO with MPI, Mall Properties Inc., New York City. “We have a similar strategy. We have a mix of retailers within our shopping center portfolio, and we try to optimize the assortment of retailers, restaurants and service tenants within each center.”

Winston-Salem, N.C. -- Krispy Kreme has signed a development agreement with Dulce Restaurants, LLC, to develop 10 new Krispy Kreme shops in Houston over the next five years.

Dulce Restaurants, LLC, a subsidiary of Dallas-based Sun Holdings, LLC, currently operates three Krispy Kreme locations in Dallas, and has plans to open an additional 15 Dallas shops through 2018.

Boise, Idaho -- WinCo Foods will open a store in Glibert, Ariz., on Dec. 5. The supermarket occupies approximately 97,000 sq. ft. and will include WinCo's new red and black decor package that creates a solid, clean feel and coordinates with the hundreds of new WinCo Foods private label products the company has recently introduced.  

Developers in the Northeast are renovating, redeveloping and raising rents

What are retail shopping center developers up to in the vibrant northeastern region of the United States?

All across the Northeast — in which we include Ohio, Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and the traditional northeastern states to the north — developers are renovating, redeveloping, raising rents, welcoming tenants and starting to get back to normal.

Location: Ashburn, Va. 

Size: Approximately 100,000 sq. ft.    

Developer: Regency Centers 

Major tenants: Whole Foods Market will anchor the project. Regency is currently negotiating with prospective specialty retail, restaurant and health and wellness tenants.

Status: Proposed start is spring 2014, with completion planned for fall 2014.    

Location: 101 S. Route 73, Marlton, N.J.

Size: 333,255 sq. ft.

Developer: Brixmor Property Group

Major tenants: T.J. Maxx, DSW, HomeGoods, Michaels, Burlington Coat Factory, Five Below 

Status: Completed

Real estate’s role in portfolio optimization

Real estate plays a key role in optimizing retail store portfolios. Stores must have enough square footage but never too much. Portfolios must also match the number of stores across regions to customer demand. 

“Portfolio optimization means reducing or adding store square footage and matching merchandising and inventory to customer demand in a trade area,” said Kenneth Katz, principal with Houston-based Baker Katz. 

Trademark has invested in two distressed properties, with plans to transform both into top performers

The slow recovery is leading many developers to examine growth alternatives to new development. Consider, for example, Fort Worth, Texas-based Trademark Property Co.’s idea: invest in distressed properties with excellent real estate and redevelop into new and ambitious concepts. Examples include The Shops at Napa Center in Napa, Calif., and Victory Park in Dallas.