Very Good Signage

Here we go. I am on a rant and I feel that this one is well deserved. Time and time again I watch independent retailers go out of business in decent centers and I see one MAJOR mistake that they make. They do not put a sign above their storefront and when allowed, they do not put a sign panel in the pylon sign. This is really retail 101 and business 101.

Several minutes ago, I was driving around a shopping center that I know very well and drove past a space that has turned over several times since the previous national tenant left a few years ago. Well, for some reason these operators do not put signs on their storefront. Sorry folks, “open and they will come” is not the way of the world. I know the landlord wants the user to put a sign above the space because it adds consistency to the center and vibrancy, but this tenant and many others do not seem to get it.

Here’s the bottom line as far as I am concerned, if you are not seeing the sales you desire and you do not have a sign above your store and any other available signage opportunities…shame on you. It is your fault! Anyone who is reading this blog and does not take advantage of the available signage is making a very costly mistake.

If you want to be the best, you have to play like the best and I assure you, McDonalds would NEVER open a store without some kind of sign, so why would you?

<Sigh> (This is one of those things that pushes my buttons.) I am stepping down from my soapbox now…

Forever 21

So, Colliers International came out with a list of the retailers that are likely to expand this year. They called the list “Companies Likely to Pursue Expansion this Year”, but I would prefer to call it something like…”Retail Expansion for Smart Companies” (Not so original, check out Steve Pavlina‘s book to see where I got the idea from). So many tenants/retailers are sitting on the sidelines while landlords are giving FANTASTIC deals. Oh well, scared money “don’t make none.” Here is the list:

1. AT&T Mobility
2. Au Bon Pain
3. Best Buy
4. Costco
5. CVS
6. Dollar Tree
7. Family Dollar
8. Five Guys Burgers and Fries
9. Forever 21
10. Fresh & Easy
11. Gold’s Gym
12. Goodwill Industries International
13. Noodles & Company
14. O’Reilly Auto Parts
15. Panera Bread Company
16. Party City
17. Rainbow Shops
18. Ross Stores
19. Rue 21
20. Smart & Final
21. Sprouts Farmers Market
22. Sunflower Farmers Market
23. Urban Active Fitness

Now, that is Colliers International’s list, but I know of a few more that are making moves in this time of opportunity:

• Citi Trends
• Buffalo Wild Wings
• TJX (Marshalls, T.J. Maxx, HomeGoods)
• Great Harvest Bread
• Wal-Mart
• Kohl’s
• Aldi
• Food Lion (Bloom, Bottom Dollar, Food Lion)
• Advance Auto Parts
• Auto Zone

So there are definitely some trends here and we will talk about those in coming posts!

Future Apple Store Location - Georgetown Washington D.C.

While people are wondering what is going on in the retail world, Apple is simply trying to get a permit to open their new Georgetown (Washington D.C. store). Well, the people of the Old Georgetown Board  are not bending even for Steve Jobs and Apple. Apple has submitted plans on at least three occassions in order to get approval, but they are just continue to be denied.

Apple is being denied because of their design and there are some people who say “Take that Apple” (they must be PCs!..lol), but I think they need to get that store open. Many people also think Apple should’ve opened the store in Chinatown, but let us evaluate the site selection like the professionals that we are.

Chinatown- Gallery Place (Verizon Center)

• Emerging Retail Market
• Direct Metro (Subway Station)
• Second Best Retail Corridor in Washington D.C.
• Newer Residential Market

Georgetown

• Established Retail Market
• No Metro Stations
• #2 Tourist Destination after the Mall (Good luck getting a store there)
• Georgetown University, George Washington University and American University all within a close proximity. Especially GTown.
• Nearly recession proof housing market with a variety of high househould incomes.

So, should they go to Chinatown? No! They are in the right place, but it is time to get those plans approved and open.

Happy New Year everyone.  I know that it has been a while. In the months that have passed, the new blog was supposed to be launched, but it did not turn out so well…especially after it was hacked! Focus was lost! And the retail industry started to get a little…wild. But it is time to get focused on the retail real estate industry again and get people in the know. So I dedicate this blog post to consistency, quality content and retail.

 This post is available at the new blog: www.triplenetspace.com

 This post is available on the new Triple Net site: http://www.triplenetspace.com 

With the dollar falling to all time lows, it seems that retailers from around the world have their eyes on the United States. It’s no surprise either. The United States is a nation of Shopaholics. People in the United States love to shop and eat. Anyways, word has it that a very successful retail concept from Korea called Who A.U. has its eyes on California and then the rest of the United States. January’s ULI magazine discussed global retailers expanding across the United States and Who A.U. was mentioned. Who A.U. is a California style fashion retailer. There is not really a great of information about Who A.U., but the picture above best describes the success the concept has experienced in Korea.

Who A.U. is catering to the teenager market because that is the group with a considerable amount of spending power. One of the largest consumer groups in the United States.

I thought it would be beneficial to show how a Red Mango store operates and what the yogurt looks like. In my previous post, I talked about Red Mango’s rapid expansion. For further interest, check out this review of Red Mango.

Red Mango, one of the yogurt operators in the Yogurt Wars, plans to open 50 stores in 2008. That is a lot of franchisees! Currently Red Mango has 10 stores in the United States and many more in Korea. It will be interesting to see how they compete with Pink Berry and some of the other concepts already penetrating other markets. Most of the Red Mango stores are located in New York and California, but there others dotted across the United States.