Weekly Perl: A Commercial Real Estate News Recap

Marc Perlof • August 1, 2025
A banner for weekly commercial real estate news recap
A blurred image of a city street with people walking down it.

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...

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...

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. 


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...


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.


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...


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 February 2, 2026
Retail Real Estate 2026: Why Some Properties Stay Strong While Others Struggle By Marc Perlof | MarcRetailGuy February 2, 2026 If you own retail real estate, here is what just changed. Retail real estate in 2026 is no longer one market. It has split into clear winners and clear losers. Owners who understand this are protecting value. Owners who do not are feeling pressure. The biggest change is how people spend money when things feel uncertain. Interest rates are higher. Costs are up. Households are more careful. That shift shows up first at the property level. Some retail feels stress faster than others. Lifestyle centers, nightlife areas, entertainment districts, and tourist retail depend on optional spending. When people cut back, visits drop. Sales slow. Tenants push back on rent. Vacancies last longer. This is not a crash. It is a pressure issue tied to spending people can delay. Other retail performs differently. Grocery anchored centers, pharmacies, medical and dental, quick-service food, auto service, and personal care are built around daily habits. People cut wants before needs. That makes income steadier and easier to support in a cautious market. Recent retail market reports show this split clearly. National retail vacancy stayed fairly stable through late 2025, mostly in the mid-5 percent to high-6 percent range, with necessity-based centers performing better than discretionary locations¹. Leasing slowed in 2025, with longer decision times and more rent pushback, especially from non-essential tenants². Buyers are still active, but they are more careful. They now focus on tenant quality, lease length, and operating costs more than rent growth³. What retail owners should focus on right now • Daily-needs tenants reduce risk. Properties with grocery, medical, pharmacy, and quick-service food see more stable rent and fewer concession requests. That helps protect sale price and lender support in slower markets¹. • Grocery-anchored centers sell faster. Buyers still want these assets because traffic is predictable and costs are easier to pass through. These deals tend to fall apart less often³. • Discretionary retail carries pricing risk. Properties tied to optional spending face longer vacancies, rent resistance at renewal, and wider gaps between buyer and seller pricing. Waiting too long to adjust can hurt value, not just cash flow². One thing is becoming clear in early 2026. The market is not pricing retail as one category anymore. It is pricing risk. Two properties with the same income can be worth very different amounts based on tenant mix, lease terms, and rising expenses. Owners who understand this protect equity. Others only see the gap after a buyer or lender points it out. The takeaway is simple. Retail real estate in 2026 is about quality, not hype. Stable income matters. Lease terms matter. Tenant mix matters. Insurance and operating costs matter. Owners who match strategy to how their tenants actually perform stay in control. Owners who rely on old assumptions end up reacting. If you want a clear, property-specific review of how buyers and lenders would view your retail asset today, I can prepare a short market positioning summary. No templates. No guesses. Just how your property would really trade in this market. Ask yourself this. Is your property built around spending people can delay, or spending they rely on every week? #RetailRealEstate2026 #RetailMarketOutlook #EssentialServicesRetail #GroceryAnchoredRetailCenters #DiscretionaryRetailProperties
By Marc Perlof January 30, 2026
Smoothie King plots 90-plus new openings for 2026 The world’s largest smoothie franchise isn’t planning on slowing down its growth after a strong 2025.  Smoothie King says it plans to open more than 90 new store openings in 2026, in addition to launching a targeted franchisee incentive program spanning several key states, including Arizona, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Virginia and more. Through the program, Smoothie King says it is offering financial incentives to “growth-minded franchisees,” designed to accelerate brand awareness and density in these markets...
By Marc Perlof January 26, 2026
By Marc Perlof | MarcRetailGuy January 26, 2026 If you own retail real estate, here’s what just changed for you. 2026 is shaping up to be a year where retail property owners need to pay attention. Not to fear. Not to headlines. To real signals in the market. There is more global and domestic uncertainty right now. Conflicts overseas, trade tension, higher government debt, and political changes in the U.S. all affect interest rates, insurance markets, and investor behavior. This does not mean panic. It means owners need clear, reliable information. Here is where the retail market stands today. Local retail remained steady through late 2025. In Los Angeles County, vacancy ranged from about 5.6 to 6.9 percent in the second half of the year¹²³. That tells us demand is still healthy, even as some tenants adjust space needs or renew leases at new rent levels. Leasing activity slowed in some areas. Spaces are taking longer to fill, and asking rents softened slightly as owners and tenants reset pricing². This is a normal market adjustment, not a collapse. On the investment side, commercial real estate transactions increased nationally through mid 2025. Both the number of deals and total dollar volume rose, showing capital is still moving⁵. Buyers are active when pricing reflects today’s risks and returns. This is exactly what I am seeing in live pricing discussions and negotiations right now. Insurance remains one of the biggest issues for retail owners. Property insurance markets became more stable in 2025, and rate increases slowed in some areas. However, insurers are still selective. Coverage terms matter more than ever, especially for properties exposed to wildfire or coastal risk⁴. Insurance costs directly affect net income, lease negotiations, and buyer interest. Retail Outlook for Q1 and Q2 2026 In early 2026, the retail market is likely to stay steady but measured. Vacancy is expected to remain near current levels. Leasing will be deliberate, not rushed. Rents should hold close to where they ended in 2025 as owners and tenants continue to agree on realistic pricing. Capital will remain active for properties with solid income, strong tenant credit, and durable lease terms. Buyers are selective, but they are still moving forward when risk and return are properly aligned. Insurance markets will stay selective in the first half of 2026. Owners need to plan renewals carefully and understand how insurance affects operating costs, tenant negotiations, and future sale value. Here is a simple retail risk check for 2026: • Local vacancy around 6 percent, stable but uneven by location¹ • Leasing takes longer than peak years, making pricing discipline critical² • Capital remains active, but underwriting is conservative⁵ • Insurance coverage is improving in some areas, but terms still matter⁴ Not all retail performs the same. Discretionary-driven destinations like lifestyle centers, nightlife districts, and tourist-focused shopping streets feel more pressure when consumer spending slows. Retail that serves daily needs and essential services tends to perform better during uncertain cycles. The best strategy now is disciplined and data-driven. Focus on tenant credit strength. Protect lease term and income stability. Price based on real market data. Understand insurance risk clearly. This is how value is protected in changing markets. I help retail property owners position assets based on real tenant behavior and real buyer demand. Not headlines. Call or DM me if you want a clear view of how your retail property should be positioned for 2026. How will you adjust your leasing or investment strategy this year based on what the market is actually telling us? #RetailRealEstate #LosAngelesCRE #CommercialRealEstateOutlook #RetailInvestment #CRE2026 #MarcRetailGuy
More Posts