REAL ESTATE

Phillips Edison and the shopping center of the future
A decade from now, there’s not likely to be a shopping center — a successful one, at least — without click-and-pick meals, several fitness options, and healthy food and beverage purveyors. That was the take of Phillips’ Edison’s VP of national accounts Michael Conway during a session at the RECon show. Some things all centers will soon provide, according to Conway:
Olshan reports good start for 2017
Among several developers reporting positive signs for leasing at the RECon Show in Las Vegas was Olshan Properties. Head of Retail Ken Marshall said media reports about retail’s downfall did not ring true at his company. “The first few months of 2017 generated significant leasing activity throughout our highly-diversified retail portfolio and, most notably, within our retail holdings that are housed in mixed-use environments,” he said, noting that the trend began last year.

VIP lounges coming to brick-and-mortar retail?

Great personal experiences are what separate brick-and-mortar retail from its virtual cousin on the Web, and high-end experiences will soon be coming to luxury stores. That’s one of 10 key elements to increase foot traffic introduced at RECon this week by Vicki Eickelberger, managing director of Big Red Rooster, a store design unit of JLL.
Walmart making big investment in Florida

Walmart is expanding—and updating—its footprint in the Sunshine State. The retailer will open nine new stores across Florida in its current fiscal year, creating more than 800 jobs, and also execute a multi-million-dollar capital investment plan by remodeling more than 40 locations across the state. Walmart currently operates 375 stores in Florida.
Off-price giant to debut new store banner this summer

TJX Cos. is importing one of its Canadian/European brands to the United States.
Orrico: ‘Developing today’s retail is a community thing’

National Realty & Development Corp. has been in business for some 50 years, and privately held for all that time. It is one of the Northeast’s premier retail owners and developers, with a portfolio of 78 centers. But a ground-up development in Middletown, New Jersey, has served to crystallize what brick-and-mortar retail is all about for longtime president John Orrico.
Philly tops list of 10 most affordable retail locations

Retailers who want a prime location but also one that’s affordable should check out Philadelphia, Chicago and Seattle.
Specialty beauty retailer thriving in bricks-and-mortar

Someone forgot to tell Bluemercury about the slowdown in physical retail. The beauty retailer, which was purchased by Macy’s in 2015, plans to open some 40 stores in 2017, according to a report by the Chicago Tribune, including six in Chicago. Currently, it has nearly 200 locations nationwide.
New name for Oklahoma City outlet center

Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett won’t have occasion to announce a championship for the OKC Thunder this year, but he did stop by the RECon show in Las Vegas to crown the OKC Outlets. The former Outlet Shoppes at Oklahoma City was sold by CBL to The Outlet Resource Group and Singerman Real Estate earlier this month. The new owners wasted no time putting its own brand on the center. “OKC” is the abbreviation commonly used by NBA fans to identify the Thunder.
Candy retailer in deal to expand footprint

Lolli & Pops has entered into a partnership to grow its store portfolio.

The retailer, which specializes in high-end sweets and confectionary treats, is teaming up with retail real estate company GGP Inc. to open 30 new locations.