Weekly Retail Real Estate News

Marc Perlof • November 3, 2023
Markets rise after Federal Reserve hits pause again on rate hikes


What we covered here
  • US stocks surged Wednesday after the Federal Reserve announced it would hold its target rate steady at the conclusion of its two-day monetary policy meeting.

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Appealing To New Palates, Ethnic Grocers Expand Into New SoCal Territory


On the hunt for the freshest sushi-grade fish, the puffiest pita or the spiciest Thai peppers, a growing group of authenticity-seeking home cooks is driving demand for ethnic grocers to expand into parts of Southern California where they have never been before.


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Available retail space hits 18-year low

 

Expanding brands are now contending with the biggest seller’s market in retail real estate in nearly 20 years, according to one of the world’s largest real estate services companies.

 

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Net-Lease Giant Realty Income To Become Even Bigger With Deal To Buy Spirit Realty Capital


One of the largest publicly traded real estate investment trusts plans to buy rival single-tenant, net-lease property giant Spirit Realty Capital Inc. in an all-stock transaction valued at roughly $9.3 billion. Realty Income Corp. executives said the acquisition would make the REIT the fourth-largest on the S&P 500, as well as the index's 150th-largest company, with an enterprise value of $63 billion.

 

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Denny’s To Grow Location Count for Its New Breakfast-Focused Chain


Denny’s is looking to expand the footprint of Keke’s Breakfast Cafe beyond its Florida home base after signing 14 franchise agreements to open at least 100 locations nationwide over the next five years.

 

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Inglewood transit project gets favorable rating from federal government


INGLEWOOD – The city of Inglewood announced they have achieved a major milestone in receiving federal funding towards the Inglewood Transit Connector (ITC) project. The City received a positive rating which declares the project eligible for funding from the Federal Transit Administration’s Capital Investment Grants (CIG) program which moves the project closer to groundbreaking.

 

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Noodles Finds Gold with ‘Under the Rainbow’ Growth Strategy


Thanks to available markets in warmer climate states, the fast casual believes it has room for 2,000 restaurants in the next 10 to 15 years. Noodles & Company believes the future of franchising is “under the rainbow,” according to a new development strategy. The national fast casual has been monitoring guest migration patterns, which show a pot of gold in the southern region of the U.S. 

 

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BJ’s to make Alabama debut


Bj’s Wholesale Club is getting ready to enter its 20th state as it continues to grow its footprint in the Southeast.

The membership warehouse club retailer will open a store in Madison, Ala., on Friday, Nov. 10. The club is part of Town Madison, a mixed-use development close to Toyota Field.

 

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Walmart invests over $500M to upgrade 117 stores


Walmart on Friday will celebrate the grand reopening of 117 stores representing over a half a billion dollars in capital investments across 30 states, the company announced Monday. Walmart is investing more than $9 billion over two years to modernize over 1,400 stores across the U.S.


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American Freight expands into Utah with SLC locations


Appliance and furniture retailer American Freight is expanding its presence into a new state: Utah. The retailer is expanding its footprint of stores into the Beehive State with four locations in Ogden, Layton, Orem and Logan, all in the Salt Lake City metro area. The 23,000-sq.-ft. Ogden store is slated to open first, with a grand opening celebration scheduled for Nov. 10-12.

 

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Authentic Restaurant Brands completes acquisition of Pollo Tropical parent Fiesta Restaurant Group for $225 million


Authentic Restaurant Brands has completed its previously announced acquisition of Fiesta Restaurant Group, parent of the Pollo Tropical chain, for $225 million, or $8.50 per share, the acquiring company said Monday, taking the company private. Trading of Fiesta’s stock on the NASDAQ Global Exchange was also halted on Monday.


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The Nuances of Calculating Net Operating Income (NOI)


Commercial Real Estate is an industry in which the numbers tell the story. Between rent growth, vacancies, cap rates, and more, it can be difficult to get a quick idea of how a given property is faring in today’s CRE environment. This is especially true in a turbulent CRE landscape, where different sectors face different levels of success given various economic factors. This is where Net Operating Income (NOI) comes in.


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Can Kylie Jenner’s Khy follow in Skims’ $4 billion footsteps?


The Kardashian-Jenner clan’s business venture successes are numerous at this point. Between the billion-dollar Skims and the continuously growing Good American, the family has now had multiple major fashion successes. That’s been thanks, in part, to partnerships with the serial entrepreneur couple of Emma and Jens Grede, who co-founded both brands.


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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
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