Weekly Perl: A Commercial Real Estate News Recap

Marc Perlof • August 1, 2025
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Aldi, Trader Joe’s, and Lidl: Grocery's Power Trio


The grocery segment has never been more competitive, and Aldi, Trader Joe’s, and Lidl have consistently emerged as top players. The three chains share similarities: all offer a limited assortment of groceries and tend to operate at lower price points – however, each one is carving out its own distinct path to growth...

A blurry picture of a clothing store with clothes on display.

Tractor Supply sales rise 4.5%; maintains outlook despite ‘external pressures’


Tractor Supply reported a solid second quarter and sounded a confident note about its prospects for the rest of the year.

The nation’s largest rural lifestyle retailer is also ramping up its store expansion, with plans to open 100 new locations in 2026...ertainty seems to be the dominant theme, among consumers and retailers alike...

A car is parked in front of a sign that says 223

Trader Joe’s has 25-plus stores ‘opening soon’ — here are all the locations


Trader Joe’s continues to expand its retail footprint across the United States.

The popular grocer, which operates in 43 states and the District of Columbia, keeps a running list on its website of its upcoming locations, with the list updated on a regular basis. Recent Trader Joe’s openings include Northridge Calif., Sherman Oaks, Calif. and Westminister, Colo...


The front of an aldi store with a sign in front of it.

Mid-Year Recap: Retailers continue to expand despite challenges


From C-suite shakeups and bankruptcies to sticky inflation, tariff threats and anxious consumers, it’s been a challenging year so far for the retail industry. Uncertainty seems to be the dominant theme, among consumers and retailers alike...

A Barnes & Noble bookstore storefront on a sunny day with a person crossing the street in the foreground.

Barnes & Noble opens three new stores — here’s where


Barnes & Noble is furthering its expansion as the brick-and-mortar bookstore resurgence continues.

Open-air shopping center owner and developer Big V Property Group has announced the opening of three new Barnes & Noble stores at properties in Texas and South Carolina. All of the new locations — at Alamo Ranch in San Antonio and Southpark Meadows in Austin, and The Shoppes at Woodhill in Columbia, S.C. — were previously home to other retailers and were reconceived and remodeled to accommodate the retailer’s new, smaller format...

The exterior of a Lowe’s home improvement store with its large blue and red logo, under a blue sky with white clouds.

Lowe's continues Sunbelt expansion

Lowe’s is gearing up to open its fifth new store in 2025 as it expands its presence in the fast-growing Sunbelt region.

The home improvement giant will open a new location in Maricopa, Ariz. on July 25. The new Lowe’s store will feature approximately 94,000 sq. ft. of retail space, plus approximately 30,000 sq. ft. of outdoor garden space. 


A glowing, circular sign for Shipley Do-Nuts featuring the brand name over a donut graphic against a dark background.

Shipley Donuts to open 40-plus new locations by end of 2025


Shipley Donuts is touting its store expansion efforts as well as sales growth.

The Houston-based donut chain, known for handmade fresh daily donuts and kolaches, marked its 18th consecutive quarter of positive sales growth in the second quarter of 2025, while expanding into two new states and opening 16 new locations throughout the first half of the year...


Elegant Martha Stewart home goods store interior with neutral-toned bedding and decor displays.

First Look: Martha Stewart launches first-ever stores



Add freestanding brick-and-mortar retail to the resume of the legendary Martha Stewart. 


The world’s first Martha Stewart store has opened at City Centre Mirdif in Dubai, followed by a second location at the Dubai Hills Mall. The stores are operated through Marquee Brands, which acquired the Martha Stewart brand of home furnishings and other branded products and media in 2019. As part of the deal, Marquee said Stewart would continue to guide the brand she founded.


A modern JCPenney store exterior with a red accent wall, glass doors, and a line of red bollards in front.

Buyer pays a near-billion dollars for 119 JCPenney stores


Copper Property CTL, a pass-through trust established to acquire 160 JCPenney stores and six distribution centers as part of the brand’s 2020 Chapter 11 filing, has found a buyer for 119 of them.


Copper Property has made a purchase and sale agreement with an unnamed affiliate of Onyx Partners, a Needham, Mass., investment collaboration firm, to purchase all 119 properties for $947 million in cash...


A digital tablet displays the words

Consumer confidence inched up in July


Consumer confidence rebounded slightly in July as Americans felt more optimistic about the future even as they continued to worry that tariffs would lead to higher prices.

The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index rose by 2.0 points in July to 97.2 from 95.2 in June. The Present Situation Index — based on consumers’ assessment of current business and labor market conditions — fell 1.5 points to 131.5. The Expectations Index — based on consumers’ short-term outlook for income, business, and labor market conditions — rose 4.5 points to 74.4...




By Marc Perlof September 18, 2026
10-year Treasury yield hits highest level since 2007 ahead of Fed rate decision New York — The bond market sell-off is raising the stakes for the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy meeting this week and putting a spotlight on the central bank’s commitment to reining in inflation. Traders widely expect the Fed to raise its benchmark interest rate on Wednesday for the first time since 2023. Traders are pricing in a 92% chance of a rate hike, according to CME FedWatch, a real-time forecasting tool...
By Marc Perlof September 14, 2026
By Marc Perlof | @MarcRetailGuy CA #01489206 September 14, 2026 If you own retail real estate, here’s what just changed for you. Why CASp Reports Matter A Certified Access Specialist (CASp) report can help a California retail property owner understand accessibility issues before they become a bigger problem. It may identify concerns involving parking, paths of travel, entrances, doors, restrooms, signage, counters, slopes, and common areas. The value of a CASp report is clarity. It helps an owner understand what issues exist, what may need to be corrected, what may affect a lease or sale, and what requires legal guidance. But owners should be careful. A CASp report should not be ordered casually with no plan. If a report identifies issues and the owner does nothing, the owner may create a record of known problems without a strategy to address them. For retail property owners, the real value of a CASp report is not the report itself. It is reducing uncertainty before that uncertainty turns into buyer leverage, tenant demands, settlement pressure, or a lower sale price. What Is a CASp Report? A CASp inspection is performed by a trained accessibility professional who reviews a property for construction-related accessibility issues. For retail owners, a CASp report may review customer-facing areas such as parking, access aisles, ramps, walkways, entrances, doors, restrooms, counters, signage, slopes, and common areas. The exact scope depends on the property, the tenant use, and the purpose of the inspection. That matters because many owners do not know where the problems are until someone else points them out. That someone may be a plaintiff, attorney, tenant, buyer, lender, or inspector. Why Timing Matters Timing matters with CASp reports. In some situations, getting a CASp inspection before a claim may provide more options than waiting until after a lawsuit is filed. Owners should confirm the timing, legal effect, and any potential benefits with an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) attorney before relying on a CASp report. This is one reason retail owners should think about accessibility before there is pressure. Before a lawsuit, sale, refinance, major lease negotiation, tenant turnover, or remodel, an owner may have more control. The owner can speak with an attorney, decide whether a CASp inspection makes sense, evaluate the findings, budget for work, and create a plan. After a lawsuit or during escrow, the owner may have less control. Deadlines are tighter. Buyers may use the issue as leverage. Tenants may resist responsibility. Repairs may need to be priced quickly. That is when unknown risk becomes expensive. Can a CASp Report Create a Problem? Yes, if the owner handles it poorly. A CASp report can be helpful, but it can also create pressure if it identifies issues and the owner ignores them. The problem is not the report itself. The problem is having knowledge of potential issues with no plan to address them. That is why owners should speak with an ADA attorney and a qualified accessibility professional before ordering inspections, making written statements, or starting repairs. The right sequence matters. Get the right guidance. Define the purpose of the report. Review the findings. Create a realistic plan for what can be corrected, what may need more review, and what should be documented. How CASp Reports Can Affect Property Value CASp reports can affect value because they reduce uncertainty. Buyers do not only look at rent, Net Operating Income (NOI), lease term, cap rate, and tenant strength. They also look at risk. If a buyer sees unresolved ADA concerns with no report, no explanation, and no plan, the buyer may assume the worst. That can lead to a lower offer, a repair credit, a price reduction, a holdback, a longer due diligence period, or stronger seller protections. A CASp report can help shift the conversation from guessing to facts. That does not mean every buyer will ignore the issue. It does not mean the property is perfect. But it can help the owner show that the issue has been reviewed and that there is a plan. In real estate, fear often creates bigger discounts than facts. If a repair costs $20,000, the owner wants the discussion to be about $20,000, not a buyer guessing the issue could cost $100,000. That is how clarity can protect value. How CASp Reports Can Affect Leasing CASp reports can also affect leasing. A restaurant, medical tenant, dental tenant, franchise operator, or service tenant may care about accessibility before signing a lease or opening for business. If the owner understands the property’s accessibility issues before lease negotiations, the owner can better decide what work belongs to the landlord, what work belongs to the tenant, and whether the issue should affect rent, tenant improvement money, free rent, or delivery condition. Without that information, the owner may negotiate blind. That can cost money. What Retail Property Owners Should Do Retail owners should not treat CASp reports as a box to check. They should treat them as part of a risk and value strategy. Speak with an ADA attorney before ordering reports or making written statements. Use a qualified CASp professional who understands commercial properties and retail access issues. Define the purpose and scope of the report before the inspection begins. Create an action plan for items that may need correction and consider how the findings could affect a sale, refinance, lease negotiation, or tenant relationship. The goal is to avoid surprises. A surprise during escrow can become a price reduction. A surprise during a lease negotiation can become extra landlord work. A surprise after a lawsuit can become settlement pressure. Final Thought A CASp report is not magic. It does not eliminate every risk, replace legal advice, or automatically protect property value. But it can give a retail property owner something valuable: clarity. For retail property owners, the real value of a CASp report is not just knowing what is wrong. It is knowing what to do next. If you are considering a CASp report before a lease, refinance, or sale, I can help you think through how the findings may affect value, timing, and buyer leverage. In next week’s blog, “Readily Achievable ADA Repairs: What Retail Property Owners Should Understand,” we will discuss why some accessibility fixes may be more manageable than owners think, how year built can matter, and why current property condition matters more than assumptions. Based in Los Angeles. Serving Southern California. Active across California. Advising clients nationwide. #RetailRealEstate #CommercialRealEstate #CaliforniaRealEstate #RetailPropertyOwners #ADACompliance #CASp #PropertyValue #CommercialProperty #MarcRetailGuy
By Marc Perlof September 11, 2026
Morning Consult: Five Below, other retailers among 25 fastest-growing brands Five Below is one of the fastest-growing brands in the U.S. The tween and teen extreme value retailer is the No. 10 fastest-growing brand overall and the only retailer to crack the top 10 in Morning Consult’s “Fastest Growing Brands 2026” report. The study ranks the top 25 brands according to year-over-year purchasing intent. A re-launched, decades-old soda brand, Mr. Pibb, ranked No. 1. Five Below’s purchasing consideration increased 3.2 points this year, according to the report. (The retailer recently reported that its second-quarter sales r ose 22.9% to $1.26 billion...)
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