Every month, we reach out to retail industry leaders in order to gain their perspective on the market. This month, we asked about what brands have the best outlook going forward.
Greg Maloney, CEO/President, Retail, JLL
Food tenants all across the board will do well, especially the fresh food brands for the health-conscious sector. Also, value is king. Everyone is looking for a deal, so the value and sale-oriented tenants will also do well. Now that traveling is picking back up again, the entertainment brands will be hot. Plus, the trend of digitally native brands moving from online to brick and mortar will continue to escalate, especially with so much retail space available now.
Chris Maguire, CEO, SRS Real Estate Partners
There is a growing audience in the U.S. that aspires toward luxury products, especially post-COVID, which I think is underappreciated, so I believe luxury brand tenants will be in demand. Also, grocers continue to be tenants that we can’t live without. In addition, entertainment tenants will do well, but not so much the traditional types, such as movie theaters or billiards. Instead, entertainment will be very experiential, such as the concepts from the U.K., like Junkyard Golf, Electric Shuffle and the Tomb Raider: Live Experience, a live-action immersion experience.
Bil Ingraham, SVP, Business Development & Revenue, Centennial Real Estate
We are just scratching the surface of the re-usable goods tenants who re-sell, recycle and upcycle with the idea of circular commerce. The younger generation is influencing these emerging re-sale concepts, as well as purchasing apparel products made from recycled goods, as they want to curb our climate crisis. Additionally this audience will continue to gravitate to fashion retailers that give them a retro or boho vibe, such as Urban Outfitters, Free People and Anthropologie. Lastly, like it or not, the post-pandemic consumer is still into athleisure, and clothing tenants that marry business-casual attire with comfort will continue to trend. Brands such as Cole Haan, for example, have shoes that look like dress shoes, but feel like sneakers.
