| A Weekly PropTech Newsletter bringing you industry updates from across the real estate spectrum |
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| As populations shift, shopping preferences change, and retailer dynamics evolve, so does the makeup of retail properties. We’ve discussed this quite regularly with regards to the shopping mall, but an article in ModernRetail points out that outlet centers are being impacted in similar ways. As shoppers look for value and find joy in the “treasure hunt”, populations continue to spread toward suburbs, and retailers see new ways of working with, and not against, off-price counterparts, the outlet center is evolving in both location and tenant makeup. While not shocking, we think it is worth taking note of as part of these broader shifts and changes in the market, and consideration for future investments and strategies.
Now that we are officially past Halloween, meaning beloved Spirit Halloween locations head toward closing until next year, all eyes turn toward the holiday season and predictions for 2025. We’ve heard about shoppers heading in-store, but of course e-commerce remains strong too, and while what’s in store for 2025 will have some aspects that hinge on this week in the U.S., others are relatively sure bets – we’re looking at you AI. As for us, we’re out of the country this week (thank goodness for early voting!), and you can keep up with us via LinkedIn. |
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| Most consumers plan to shop online this holiday season [RetailDive] Seventy-six percent of U.S. consumers said they would buy at least half of their holiday purchases online, according to a Bain & Company survey. Around a quarter (23%) of U.S. shoppers say they have purchased from international apps like Shein or Temu, but 19% plan to use international apps for holiday shopping.
Party City taps Instacart for same-day delivery [RetailDive] Party City is integrating its more than 700 locations into Instacart’s same-day delivery network, the party retailer announced Monday. Using the Instacart app, shoppers can buy decorations, party favors, costumes and other festive items and have them delivered as fast as one hour. |
| Shopify Is Winning Salesforce Clients, Stoking E-Commerce Rivalry [Business of Fashion] Shopify Inc. is shifting its focus from small businesses to larger retailers, successfully attracting major clients like Mattel and Casper from Salesforce by offering lower costs and flexible pricing models.
The Future Of Retail: 10 Game-Changing Trends That Will Define 2025 [Forbes] The retail industry is on the cusp of its most dramatic transformation yet. As someone who’s been analyzing business and technology trends for decades, I’m particularly excited about how 2025 is shaping up to be a watershed year where science fiction meets shopping reality. Let’s dive into the key trends that are redefining retail as we know it. |
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| 7-Eleven to open 500 food-focused stores by 2027 [Restaurant Business] Convenience-store giant 7-Eleven plans to open 500 food-and-beverage-focused locations in the U.S. from 2025 to 2027. The stores will feature a new format called New Standard that continues the chain’s shift toward larger, more high-tech stores with expanded food options, including in-store restaurants. |
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| Wing, Matternet and DroneUp boost drone delivery capabilities [SupplyChainDive] October has been an eventful month for the drone delivery industry. The emerging transportation method for food, convenience products and medicine has a ways to go before establishing itself as a mainstay in the last-mile delivery space. But drone operators are working to change that, with multiple companies revealing expanded services and capabilities this month.
Restaurant concepts are driving shopping malls’ comeback [Nation’s Restaurant News] The mall may be making a comeback, and it’s likely driven in large part by restaurants. According to foot traffic data from Placer.ai, mall visits – including indoor malls, open-air shopping centers, and outlet malls – continue to grow. |
| Spirit Halloween bets on struggling real estate to fuel its growing business [CNBC] “We are just physically there for three months. The other nine months there is a tremendous amount of planning and preparation and background work that’s being done,” said Spirit Halloween CEO Steven Silverstein. A key part of the strategy is convincing landlords to agree to short-term leases.
TGI Fridays’ closings could make some prime real estate available in tight retail market [CoStar] The continued abrupt closings of Fridays’ restaurants could make some “damn good real estate” available amid an extremely tight U.S. retail market, said Jack Gosnell, a senior vice president at CBRE and decades-long real estate executive specializing in the retail sector. |
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| How suburban sprawl and changes in discount retail have changed the outlet mall [ModernRetail] When Mark Silvestri began developing outlet malls almost 30 years ago, it was a completely different business than it is today. Developers would build “factory outlets” for manufacturers 20 or 30 miles from city centers or in tourism destinations to move excess inventory and not compete with department stores, their main sales channel. Outlet centers have since inched closer and closer to where people live. |
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