Currently boasting 7 locations on the East Coast, 5 Wits is unlike any board game, LARP, or escape room you’ve ever participated in. Participants schedule a ticket, then work together to complete one of 5 different adventures, making social distancing and sanitization easy and comfortable. This method kept foot traffic steady, even amid the pandemic.

The experience unfolds like a choose-your-own-adventure novel, with the story adapting to the team’s skill level, and the outcome customized to the group’s performance.

New 5 Wits locations should be in high traffic malls, strip centers, or stand-alone buildings, with locations ranging anywhere from 11,000 square feet to 13,500. High ceilings, with a minimum of 14 feet clearance, are a necessity due to the production design of each adventure. 

The company sees entertainment and experience-based businesses as crucial to the future success and health of malls and other brick-and-mortar retail, who want to attract those who may normally default to e-commerce and food delivery, as opposed to a night of shopping and dinner out. 

“Brick and mortar isn’t going anywhere, but malls and other shopping centers are going to have to work hard to stand out,” said 5 Wits COO Frank Cerio. “Retail has to go beyond shopping. People are looking for unique experiences and excitement they just can’t get at home.”

Do you have a current vacancy that would be the perfect fit for 5 Wits? Retailsphere can help you find all you need to know about this and other experiential brands. Find data on preferred demographics, online consumer reviews, and verified contact info to make a match in no time. Schedule your free demo today. 

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Top Golf

Top Golf delayed their expansion plans for 2020 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, due to COVID-19 safety regulations; however, that’s not stopping the retailer from coming soon in 2021. Top Golf is the premier entertainment destination for birthday parties, corporate events, date nights, and more. The retailer features a full restaurant and bar, private event space and meeting rooms, and over 70 climate-controlled hitting bays.

Dion’s

Dion's recently hosted the grand opening of a 4,500-square-foot pizza restaurant. Its 20th restaurant chain location is located in the Roswell Pavilion shopping center in Albuquerque. The Albuquerque-based restaurant dates back to the late 1970s when owners Jon Patten and Bill Scott moved from Michigan to New Mexico with dreams to start a Greek restaurant. They have expanded with locations in Colorado, Texas, and New Mexico.

Big R Stores

This Colorado-based retailer is the top merchant for homes, farms, and ranches. Big R Stores sell everything from farm equipment, fishing equipment, camping gear, and firearms. The retail store’s latest opening occupies 55,000 square feet and is the anchor tenant of the Roswell, New Mexico shopping center. There are currently five locations in New Mexico, with two located in the Navajo Nation Off-Reserve area.

Chick-Fil-A

The well-known chicken sandwich company expanded, adding a new location in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Chick-Fil-A has been serving up their signature chicken sandwiches since 1964. With more than 2000 locations across the US, they offer franchise opportunities to take Chick-Fil-A places it’s never been before.

Although facing strict COVID-19 restrictions, retailers are finding ways to bring value to consumers and maintain business. Are you looking for the perfect concept to bring to a bustling shopping center? Allow Retailsphere to help you locate the best tenet to fill your vacancy with a no-obligation demo today.

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Cafe Gratitude

One more thing to be grateful for is Cafe Gratitude's gluten free menu section. Ranging from “I am Eclectic”, a buffalo cauliflower dish to  “I am Mucho” Mexican bowl, gluten avoiders will be heartily satisfied. Serving gluten free and gluten full customers alike, California based Cafe Gratitude holds 5 locations: Two in L.A., San Diego, Venice, and Newport Beach. 

The Little Beet

Accommodating all dietary restrictions, The Little Beet focuses on serving food that is healthy, wholesome, and tastes exceptional. No beating around the bush, The Little Beet only works with ingredients from local farmers they can trust, ensuring clean-sourced menu items.

Curating a menu extensively inclusive to dietary restrictions, The Little Beet sets the structure of their menu up as a type of “Build your own” dish. Start with a base, like field greens or quinoa, add veggies, protein, sauce, and garnish to design the ideal dish for any guest.

Eight of the nine current locations are in New York, the other being in New Jersey, with an additional 11th location being added near Lenox Hill in New York. 

Joe’s Steaks and Soda Shop

Visit Philly without eating a proper philly cheesesteak? It’s a crime. While many gluten free foodies have to go bunless on most sandwiches and burgers, Joe’s Steaks and Soda Shop serves hands down one of the best philly cheesesteaks, and does it on a gluten free bun. Wash it down with a speciality soda or signature milkshake.

They have two Philadelphia locations: Fishtown and Torresdale.

Chicago’s Pizza

Chicago deep dish pizza seems to be a cruel dream to taunt gluten free eaters since pretty much every GF pizza crust is thin and never tastes like gluten full pizza. At Chicago’s Pizza, they weren’t satisfied with serving the thin, traditional GF pizza to their customers, so they conjured their own gluten free pizza recipe.

Defying traditional food science requiring gluten to do its job in making fluffy bread, they created a gluten free pizza crust almost identical in flavor to the original pizza pie recipe. All three locations reside in north Chicago, suggesting there can never be too many truly amazing gluten free pizzas in one area. 

Restaurants permanently closed by the masses this year leaving many empty chairs at empty tables. If you are struggling to fill your vacant space, contact Retailsphere to map out your plans for filling your retail and restaurant mix with thriving tenants.  

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Turnip Truck

The Turnip Truck is a local grocery store that has been serving Nashville since 2001. It is a full service, locally owned, natural foods store rooted in providing the highest quality, natural, local and organic foods available. They opened a new 9,000 square foot location just as the COVID-19 pandemic struck, on the heels of a tornado, but have still been able to see a demand in the community. In addition to the extensive grocery selection, they offer hot and cold bars, grab-and-go foods, a deli and juice bar, a bakery, bulk foods department, a growler filling station with kombucha and beer and fresh soup. They currently have 2 locations with their first out of state location opening soon.

Whole Foods Market

With over 500 locations across the US, and currently holding notoriety as the world’s largest natural supermarket in the retail industry, Whole Foods expanded by adding another location in Tennessee. Whole Foods added one new 44,500 square foot marketplace in February just before the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.  As grocery stores continue to be among the most profitable retailers during the pandemic, overall grocery expansion seems to be continuing into 2021.

Aldi 

This 16,400 square foot German grocery chain is planning to open 70 new stores from coast to coast by the end of 2020 with two locations being in the Middle Tennessee (Brentwood) area. With more than 2,000 stores across 36 states, Aldi is on track to become the third-largest grocery retailer by store count by the end of 2022. As a response to the coronavirus pandemic Aldi reserves the first hour of business on Tuesdays and Thursdays for vulnerable shoppers.

Sephora

Sephora announced plans to open as many as 100 new stores across North America in 2020. That included making a bold presence amongst shopping centers instead of shopping malls where foot traffic has died down. Sephora currently has over 450 standalone stores in the US and they expanded to a few high-traffic shopping centers in the Tennessee area to boost their presence. Their current make up includes standalone shops, shop-in-shops that are mixed into anchor stores, and new 4,000 square feet concepts that allow Sephora to have a local presence.

Ross Dress for Less

Now with 20 total locations in the state of Tennessee after opening their second location this year in Clarksville, Ross is continuing to bring customers out who are looking for name brand clothing at a discounted price. This concept typically requires around 30,000 square feet in order to hold all of the home goods, apparel, footwear, furniture, accessories and more that they have in stock. In response to the coronavirus pandemic, customers are required to wear a face covering while in stores, but it hasn’t halted the response of shoppers who enjoy shopping the brand. In this recent opening, it joined the retail complex currently home to Rack Room Shoes, Burkes Outlet, Marshalls and Planet Fitness.

Looking for the perfect concept to bring to a bustling shopping center? Allow Retailsphere to help you locate the best tenet to fill your vacancy with a no-obligation demo today. We can help connect you with site selectors for the brands above, and other similarly expanding brands in Tennessee.

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Companies have transformed entire warehouses into dedicated spaces for these trampoline parks, and they're so successful that a large majority of them have franchised parks across the country, and some around the world. There's a lot out there, but here are some that have done it right: 

Sky Zone

Sky Zone is one of the original trampoline park companies, and they have over 200 parks located throughout the world. Due to their franchise model, they will likely exceed this number soon. They have a lot of attractions, but their most popular include the Freestyle Jump, The SkySlam, Ultimate Dodgeball, and the Foam Zone.

Urban Air Adventure Park

This franchise has locations scattered all across the United States. They also have two locations in the United Kingdom, and a location in Austria. Something that makes these trampoline parks extra fun is that in addition to being fun trampolines, they have a Warrior Obstacle Course where people can compete with friends or simply challenge each other to see if they can make it through.

Airborne Trampoline Park

While they may not have as many locations as some other companies out there, they are steadily expanding. Their headquarters are in Utah, where three of their trampoline parks are located, and they have also opened up parks in Texas. Something that makes these parks unique is that in addition to their trampolines, foam pits, obstacle courses, and dodge ball games, they have ski jumps too.

Big Air Trampoline Park 

This trampoline park company has 14 franchises scattered throughout the United States and they will continue to open more. Each location has its own set of attractions, but a few fun activities some locations offer are cosmic nights and camps for kids. These parks are also a great place to host parties for the young and old. You can even book out the entire building.

Flight Fit N Fun

The Flight Fit N Fun trampoline parks take things to the next level. Not only do they have trampoline attractions, but have climbing structures, laser mazes, ice-skating, warrior courses, dodge ball and more. These locations are basically all-in-one entertainment centers.

The best part about trampoline parks is their longevity. They provide fun activities people never grow out of. Most are so successful, they even offer memberships. If you're looking to fill up a large space, a trampoline park just might be the solution you're looking for.

Reach out to Retailsphere today to schedule your no-obligation demo and see how easy it can be to bring a trampoline park concept to your shopping center. Retailsphere provide information on the trampoline brands themselves, as well as, specific franchisors in your area. Don't wait, reach out today and fill one of your large vacant spaces with fun for the whole family.

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Each day, RetailSphere’s on-demand research team speaks to hundreds of site selectors about their expansion plans and demographics. Here are five we talked to this week about their specific plans.

1. Reliant Urgent Care – Reliant, under the Medicine for Business and Industry (MBI) banner, is a leading provider of occupational injury care services in the Southwestern United States. MBI serves a wide array of employers through its integrated care model. Our occupational healthcare services include medical injury care and physical therapy rehabilitation. We also provide employment-related physical exams as well as a full spectrum of employee testing and screening services.
2. Easy Wireless- At Easy Wireless, we know that affordable phone service is vital to stay connected in today's world. It’s your Lifeline to family, friends, and community. It’s your Lifeline to healthcare providers, potential employers, and first responders in the event of an emergency.
3. Micro Center- Micro Center is the nation’s leading computer and electronic device retailer. Our technology super store has an industry-leading 40,000+ selection of premier brands and the most knowledgeable staff in the business. Founded in 1979 in Columbus, Ohio, we have grown steadily and profitably to a nationwide presence. Our brick-and-mortar stores attract a wide range of customers – from casual to tech-savvy – with highly trained associates who offer technical solutions in an immersive shopping environment.
4. Burger Lounge - The Burger Lounge ethos is centered on creating a burger you can feel better about eating. It begins with 100% fresh single source American grass fed beef. We believe that a hamburger should not only taste great, it should also utilize healthy ingredients produced in a sustainable environment. Burger Lounge offers a simple menu utilizing the mindful procurement of ingredients that appeal to health conscious diners, vegetarians, salad lovers and those simply “hankering for a great hamburger.”
5. ScrubaDub Car Wash - We promise to be courteous, thorough, and to deliver the best products and services available. If you're not completely satisfied with your car wash, we'll rewash your car until you're satisfied or we'll refund your money in full.

Reach out to RetailSphere™ to see everything the platform can do.

About Retailsphere

Founded in 2019, RetailSphere™ is an all-in-one platform that includes the world’s largest contact database of retail commercial real estate decision makers, a robust email and leasing enablement marketing platform and a simple, intuitive and included Pipeline CRM™ tool. RetailSphere™ is modernizing the way the retail industry connects within a single pane of glass.

Increase your deal flow. Improve your network. Empower your career.

The post Retailsphere’s latest Expanding Retailers appeared first on Retailsphere.

In a post-COVID world, most are ready to get back to “normal,” but not all states are ready to come roaring back. The Rich States, Poor States Index ranks the economic outlook of all 50 states, and Utah, Florida, Oklahoma, and North Carolina all ranked high on the list.

We’re taking a deep dive into these states to figure out what’s making them competitive in 2021, even when the answers can be quite controversial. Here are the 3 trends we identified:

Population Boom 

Hundreds of thousands of people fled from urban centers, especially along the coast, last year. And while all of the states on our shortlist did see an uptick in population, they didn’t top the list in out-of-state move-ins (that would be Texas). 

However, what is interesting is the long-term trend of these certain states’ growth. Since 2019, net migration in Utah has overtaken natural growth as the state’s main source of population growth. North Carolina and Florida have also seen sustained rapid growth over the last 3 years, charting in the top 5 fastest-growing states in the nation. 

Why is this important? While many states are floundering to support the influx of migrants, these states were somewhat primed and ready to absorb this new wave of move-ins. 

While local housing markets, school systems, and other local resources are becoming overwhelmed across the country, this slight advantage may be one reason that these economies are bouncing back quicker than others. 

Open For Business

Could Florida Man actually be doing something right for a change? Florida is well known for spring break beaches, theme parks, and yes, quirky residents, but the economic outlook for Florida was ranked second for a reason. 

Florida faced a lot of flack as locals and travelers alike flooded the beaches and bars at the height of infection rates last summer. But while COVID cases may have remained up, so has Florida’s tourism. For example, huge money-makers like The Walt Disney World Resort were able to come back—albeit with restrictions—fairly quickly in Florida, while similar parks in California took over a year to reopen. 

Utah also opened up gyms, indoor dining in restaurants, and other retailers earlier than many other states.

This dependence and defaulting to the health of businesses has given these states a head start in getting back to normal. 

Specific Legislation 

Oklahoma lawmakers have been vocal about their desire to make Oklahoma a top 10 state, and legislation is doing the work to support that goal. For example, the Oklahoma Bounce Back Assistance Program launched in 2020 successfully helped support diversity in the economy, and expansions have also recently been announced. 

North Carolina has also introduced laws meant to lessen the burden of a very lean year. North Carolina Senator Paul Newton introduced legislation to cut North Carolina’s income tax to 4.99%, as well as reduce franchise tax. 

Legislation changes like these, mitigating mandatory lockdowns or enacting specific laws protecting and promoting small business and retail, seem to be indicators of which states are doing better rebounding back post-pandemic.

While these 3 trends are boosting the economies of certain states, the opposite can also be true. For instance, Wyoming was also ranked high for its economic outlook, intense population growth has caused huge problems in the state as resources and locals are overwhelmed and ill-prepared for the changes. 

Although growth seems inevitable, it remains to be seen what effects this intense time period will have on the country long-term. 

Looking for specifics around expansion in retail, and market trends, no matter where you live? Schedule your free Retailsphere demo today, and get a closer look at what’s happening in your neck of the woods. 

The post Why Are These States Seeing A Retail Rebound? appeared first on Retailsphere.

A spokesperson for Bloomingdales said, "'Bloomie's' [will bring] the energy, discovery, and fun of Bloomingdale's to a smaller, highly edited and service-driven location." This move comes after the brand announced the closure of 100s of locations last year, most of which anchor large, aging malls. 

Over the past decade, many of these retailers have already been cutting back on several categories of product, filling space with apparel. These smaller footprint stores will allow them to curate their selection more aggressively without having empty shelves.

This strategy is not new for Macy’s. Before the pandemic hit, Macy’s was experimenting with off-mall locations for their core brand as part of a plan called “North Star.” The first of these locations to open was Market by Macys in Dallas TX. The same spokesperson said, "[Macy’s] will continue testing several smaller-format, off-mall stores, including Bloomie's."

Do you have an open-air shopping center or strip center that could house a new Bloomies location? Sign up today for a no-obligation Retailsphere demo and see how we can help you reach out to real site selectors for brands like Macy’s and Bloomingdales.

The post Small format Bloomingdale's called Bloomies" to Open Fall 2021" appeared first on Retailsphere.

Raleigh-Durham's booming housing landscape, combined with its three research universities, Duke University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State plus a robust tech market led by Research Triangle Park, have all spurred job growth as well as retail and restaurant development and redevelopment, the report said.

The North Carolina grocery market is booming. Consumer darling Wegmans is opening multiple stores in the Raleigh-Durham metro area, with a half dozen in the works, including suburban locations in Cary, Holly Springs, Wake Forest and Chapel Hill. The grocer entered the market with a late 2019 opening in Raleigh’s Wake Forest submarket.

Lidl, which is expanding throughout South Carolina, will add four stores in Charlotte in the coming months, according to the city, giving the low-cost German grocer a total of a dozen stores there. The discount grocer was ranked as the top retailer in the Retail Federation's "Hot 100 List" of the nation's fastest-growing retail firms. To counter, competitor Aldi has opened two more stores this year in the same market and is adding a third in December as part of the grocer's plans to become the third-largest U.S. grocer.

Grocer Publix, which is expanding its Greensboro, North Carolina, distribution center to support growth in the state, has opened a Greensboro store in Grandover Village and is set to be the ground-floor anchor of the mixed-use, 15-story Ten Tryon building under construction in uptown Charlotte. Opening is slated for summer 2022. With a recent Trader Joe's opening in Brassfield Shopping Center in Greensboro, the retailer has grown to ten total locations spread throughout eight North Carolina markets.

Retail showroom growth is also in vogue. In Charlotte, John Michael Kitchens, a showroom for high-end kitchen equipment, opened its first ever storefront this fall at Phillips Place retail center in SouthPark near Charlotte, while RH Charlotte: The Gallery at Phillips Place, debuted its 41,000-square-foot showroom at the same center in the summer. Southern Pecan Gulf Coast Kitchen opened in October at SouthPark.

Newly redeveloped Independence Mall in Wilmington has attracted a gaggle of expanding retailers and restaurants this fall, including Dick's Sporting Goods, Five Below, Lidl, Ulta Beauty, First Watch, Walk-On’s Bistreaux & Bar, Jersey Mike’s, Sushi Masa, Aye Toro and Blaze Pizza.

Ulta is showing up on several site plans, expanding its North Carolina store count from 20 locations to about 25, not including Ulta stores-within-a-store planned inside Targets.

There will be plenty of new centers coming on line over the next three years to accommodate North Carolina residential and retail expansion. Many already have tenants in tow.

Among the projects:

* Houston-based Hines and South Carolina-based Columbia Development have started construction on a multi-phase 2.5 million-square-foot mixed-use development called Fenton in the Raleigh suburb of Cary. Plans call for 350,000 square feet of retail including Wegmans, CinéBistro, Sephora, Free People, Cru Wine Bar, Honeysuckle Gelato, M Sushi, Bailey’s Fine Jewelry and Superica Tex-Mex, plus 200,000 square feet of offices, more than 350 homes, and 12-story hotel.

* The Cary Towne Center is being transformed by developers Turnbridge Equities and Denali Properties into Carolina Yards, a four-million square-foot mixed-use urban hub including 360,0000 square feet of retail, 450 hotel rooms and 1,800 multifamily living units. The developers will demolish almost all of the existing town center's retail space after the 2020 holidays, except Dave and Buster's and Belk buildings. Phase 1 of Carolina Yards is slated for late 2022 or early 2023.

* In Charlotte's south end, developer Edens' newly redeveloped Atherton Mill center is attracting new blood, adding Anthropologie, Warby Parker, Sephora, DryBar, lululemon athletics, Barry’s Boot Camp, Madewell, Free People, O-Ku and West Elm in 2020.

* In Raleigh, developers Jamestown and Grubb Ventures are moving forward on Raleigh Iron Works, a mixed-use project located in renovated historic steel mills and warehouses that were once part of Peden Steel. It will feature about 90,000 square feet of retail, plus offices and residences. 

* A $250 million mixed-use complex pegged for downtown Raleigh's Seaboard Station development is planned by Washington, D.C.-based developer Hoffman & Associates. The three-phase development will total 800,000 square feet and include at least 10,000 square feet of retail in its first phase.

* An ongoing expansion at Raleigh's North Hills center will encompass nine acres at the site of the former JC Penney and feature outdoor dining and 100,000 square feet of ground-floor retail.

* Newly redeveloped Independence Mall in the city of Wilmington, which is located along the state's Atlantic coast, has attracted a gaggle of expanding retailers and restaurants this fall, including Dick's Sporting Goods, Five Below, Lidl, Ulta, First Watch, Walk-On’s Bistreaux & Bar, Jersey Mike’s, Sushi Masa, Aye Toro and Blaze Pizza.

Pennsylvania-based First National Bank is expanding into Asheville, which is west of Charlotte, with a location at One Town Square Boulevard, plus plans additional branches throughout the state, the bank said. Elsewhere, two of the BI-LO stores in the Columbia market are being transformed into Lowes Foods grocery stores.

The opening of multiple apartment complexes throughout the state is creating ground-floor opportunities for many locally based retailers. For example, three retail tenants have taken roost at the Link Apartments Innovation Quarter: Cycle Your City, DeBeen Espresso, and The Butcher’s Block in Winston-Salem. All are small, independently owned businesses designed to amplify the complex's live/work/play environment, owner Grubb Properties said.

Also in Winston-Salem, Home Outlet opened a 21,000-square-foot store at 7766 North Point Blvd. in fall 2020. The expanding chain of 110 locations in 17 states offers flooring, cabinetry, plumbing, doors and window products. Home decorations store Fiddle & Fig opened in October at 403 W End Blvd in a 3,300-square-foot space in Winston-Salem, following months of COVID-19 delays.

The "Triad" region of Winston-Salem/Greensboro was the 4th-strongest region in the state for commercial rent increases in 2019, according to the Triad Business Journal.

Sign up or a no obligation demo today!

The post North Carolina seeing significant Retail Expansion appeared first on Retailsphere.

Stop & Shop

Beginning as a small grocery store in the early 1900s, Stop & Shop has grown to over 400 locations to date. They utilize technology to reach younger generations while saving customers’ time. By using a handheld device, shoppers scan, and bag items as they go, resulting in a quicker checkout.

And since adding a pick-up service in 2019, they're planning on expanding to 50 more locations by the end of 2020, specifically in states like Connecticut.

ALDI

ALDI is known for offering discounted prices to reach a range of customers and to provide healthy food for everyone, and they just opened a new location in Canton, CT. 

Chris Daniels, who is the South Windsor Division, VP said the following statement: "We are dedicated to providing the communities we serve the best groceries at the lowest possible prices, and we look forward to introducing Canton to their new neighborhood grocery store."

But ALDI isn't planning on stopping any time soon. They're looking to continue the expansion process to become one of the largest grocery companies in the United States.

Big Y

Starting during the Great Depression, Big Y's reputation quickly grew, and they were growing despite the difficult time in history. Fast-forward to the present, and they're one of the largest independently owned grocery store companies in New England.

With six current locations through Connecticut, they're eagerly awaiting the grand opening of the seventh location at the beginning of November.

PokeWorks

Starting in 2015, Pokeworks has grown tremendously and is continuing in the right direction. Their mission is to bring an authentic island taste and to use responsibly-sourced seafood to help preserve the ocean for future generations.

With over thirty franchise locations in the United States, they're looking to add their fourth location in Connecticut by the end of the year.

Are you looking to connect with one of these or dozens of other expanding brands in Connecticut? Let Retailsphere help simplify your tenant search. With in-depth retailer profiles, a world-class research team, and deal tracking all integrated into one platform, filling your vacant spaces can be easier than ever. Reach out for a no-obligation demo today. 

The post Retailers are Expanding in Connecticut appeared first on Retailsphere.