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All the news posts related to Retail Strategies and our partner communities.

Outlook 2020: Retail Development Trends and Opportunity Zones Webinar

As we begin the new year, what is the latest update on retail development and opportunity zones, and what does it mean for your community in 2020? Join Lacy Beasley, President of Retail Strategies, for this one-hour webinar with Golden Shovel where we’ll discuss: The state of the retail industry Utilizing opportunity zones to drive […]

Culver’s, ALDI add to growing development in Phenix City

Culver’s, ALDI add to growing development in Phenix City, officials say Mayor expects $50-60 million in new retail in one year’s time WTVM9 ABC | By Parker Branton | December 11, 2018 at 5:25 PM EST  Phoenix City, AL – An ALDI supermarket and Culver’s eatery are two of the latest names set to make a new home in Phenix City, says city council. […]

Article ~ Retail Strategies Partners with Facebook Survey Company to help Communities Attract New Retail

Retail Strategies Partners with Facebook Survey Company to help Communities Attract New Retail published by Cretech, January 9, 2019 [link] Birmingham, Ala.- Retail Strategies, LLC, a retail municipal consulting firm, has exclusively partnered with Space Jam Data of New York. The collaboration of the two companies is expecting to help communities attract and gain new […]

Retailers Expressing Interest in Albert Lea

Firm under contract with city to promote Albert Lea Albert Lea Tribune, by Sam Wilmes, Wednesday, December 19, 2018 There are five retailers “very interested in Albert Lea,” according to Albert Lea City Manager Chad Adams. The interest comes after the city signed a $40,000 contract with Retail Strategies LLC earlier this year to promote […]

Planet Fitness to open in Plainview, TX

Planet Fitness to open “Judgement Free” Club in Plainview  KRGV Channel 5 News, Oct. 16, 2018 PLAINVIEW, Texas /PRNewswire/ — Planet Fitness, one of the largest and fastest-growing franchisors and operators of fitness centers in the U.S. and home of the Judgement Free Zone®, today announced it will open its first location in Plainview, at […]

Lacy Beasley talks Retail as Economic Development on Justin Sterling’s Podcast

Justin Sterling CRE Podcast Director, Retail & Investment Conversion Properties Justin Sterling invites Lacy Beasley to discuss new thinking in economic development, and how retail functions in smaller communities as a lifestyle magnet for workforce. With years spent at the chamber of commerce and the Shopping Center Group, Lacy realized the need to retail recruitment […]

West Monroe is open for business!

West Monroe is open for business! “West Monroe OKs Sunday alcohol sales” The Ouachita Citizen, by Sam Hanna Jr., Nov 14, 2018 [link] Full article Along that vein, the Board of Aldermen agreed to enter into a yearly agreement with Retail Strategies LLC. The firm will assess what the city must do to develop its […]

Watertown Mall lands Planet Fitness as new tenant

Watertown Mall lands Planet Fitness as new tenant KWAT Radio News, by Mike Tanner, September 28, 2018 Full Article WATERTOWN, S.D. [link]—After seeing many tenants close up and leave the Watertown Mall over the past couple of years, the mall will be adding one this winter. Planet Fitness has announced they’ll open a location in […]

Danville spends nearly $2 million on consultants over five years with most yielding results, leader says

Danville spends nearly $2 million on consultants over five years with most yielding results GoDanRiver.com, by John Crane, published on October 6th, 2018 Full Article As for the city’s consultants, one that seems to have yielded tangible results was Retail Strategies, which cost the city $90,000 from September 2015 to November 2017. That contract helped […]

Oak Ridge ‘Blessed’ with retail growth

‘Blessed’ with retail growth The Oak Ridger, October 1, 2019 Full article Led by RS’ Scott vonCannon and Jordan Williams, the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce-sponsored event was open to the public and generated an engaging, diverse and dynamic Q&A session following the primary presentation. ‘For the size of this market, there is a LOT […]

Cullman Economic Development Agency Wins 2 International Awards

Cullman Economic Development Agency Wins 2 International Awards The Cullman Tribune, October 3, 2018 Full Article ATLANTA – At the annual conference of the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) [link] in Atlanta on Tuesday, the Cullman Economic Development Agency (CEDA) [link] received gold and silver awards for two of its recent industry retention projects: “Educators […]

Tuscumbia looks to Retail Strategies for retail recruiting

Tuscumbia looks to Retail Strategies for retail recruiting WHNT 19, published SEPTEMBER 27, 2018 by CARTER WATKINS FULL ARTICLE TUSCUMBIA, Ala. – We’re told the future is bright for one of the oldest cities in northwest Alabama. A few months ago, Tuscumbia city leaders hired an outside firm to develop a marketing strategy to recruit […]

Fountain Microtel Inn & Suites To Open in 2019

Fountain Microtel Inn & Suites To Open in 2019 FOUNTAIN, COLORADO, UNITED STATES, September 10, 2018 [link] The new Microtel, projected to open in April 2019, is owned by Fountain Hotels, LLC, an ownership group that has operated in Colorado for nearly a decade. Channel Point Hospitality will manage the property that is expected to […]

Rising Star: Matt Petro

BBJ Rising Stars in Real Estate: Matt Petro Birmingham Business Journal, September 6, 2018 Full Article What do you do in the real estate industry? My team and I partner with communities across the country to attract new business to their market. My primary role is working with city leaders to identify solutions for the […]

What’s the future for retail in Martinsville?

What’s the future for retail in Martinsville? published by Martinsville Bulletin, By Paul Collins, Aug 21, 2018 Full article MARTINSVILLE – The Martinsville-Henry County Chamber of Commerce is making progress on recruiting new stores and restaurants to the area. Those projects can’t be shared, however, according to one chamber official, because negotiations are ongoing. “I […]

Spokane Valley ranks second in sales growth

Washington retail sales up 10 percent this year; Spokane Valley ranks second in sales growth By Amy Edelen, published by “The Spokesman-Review” on Sat., Aug. 18, 2018, 3:28 p.m. Full Article Retail sales growth in Spokane Valley during the first quarter of 2018 was spurred by auto sales totaling more than $94 million, followed by […]

Spokane Valley’s partnership finds retail opportunities

Consumer consulting firm finds $500M ‘opportunity gap’ in Spokane Valley market The Spokesman-Review, published August 9, 2018, 6 A.M. By Amy Edelen [amye@spokesman.com] [link] Full Article Spokane Valley earlier this year contracted with Alabama-based consumer consulting firm, Retail Strategies, to assist with increasing the city’s retail footprint by studying the city’s commercial landscape and marketing […]

The City of Monroe Adds Retail Growth as Part of its Economic Strategy

The City of Monroe Adds Retail Growth as Part of its Economic Strategy Published by Charlotte Business Journal, on Jul 27, 2018, 8:43am [link] FULL ARTICLE Retail Strategies and Monroe Partner to Expand Retail Opportunities There are many critical components which create the special livability that Union County possesses. As the population has grown exponentially […]

Tuscumbia hires Retail Strategies to recruit more businesses

published by WAAY 31 ABC, June 21, 2018 FULL ARTICLE The city of Tuscumbia does not have any big economic retailers planning to relocate to the city for now, but the city hopes a new partnership with a Birmingham business will change that. Tuscumbia mayor, Kerry Underwood, said they have signed a three year contract […]

Camp Verde hires Retail Strategies as part of overall progress

Camp Verde Town Council candidates: Bruce George Three council seats up for grabs in Aug. 28 Municipal Primary published by the Camp Verde Bugle, June 16, 2018 FULL ARTICLE  How would you characterize the operations of Camp Verde’s town government? What are the town’s strengths and what are its most noticeable weaknesses? In the past, […]

Scott VonCannon on Augusta’s restaurant growth

Augusta seeing growth, diversity in restaurant market Published by the Augusta Chronicle, By Damon Cline, June 2, 2018 full article Although Americans spend almost half their food dollar eating out and the restaurant industry is larger than it’s ever been – around $800 billion a year, according to the National Restaurant Association – traffic at […]

Martinsville Partners with Retail Strategies

by Paul Collins, published by Martinsville Bulletin, June 14, 2018 FULL ARTICLE In addition, Parkinson said, “In August 2017, we entered into a four-year retail development agreement with Retail Strategies. They have been working collaboratively with our C-PEG staff, commercial brokers and property owners to increase our retail and restaurant offerings.” He noted that Retail […]

Lake City’s Dennille Decker discusses Retail Strategies role in retail recruiting

Dennille Decker helped rebuild chamber from ground up By CARL MCKINNEY, cmckinney@lakecityreporter.com, Lake City Reporter, June 6, 2018 Lake City Reporter Under Decker’s watch, the U.S. Highway 90 corridor in Lake City saw a boom in stores and restaurants, fueled largely by a contract the Chamber facilitated in 2013 with Retail Strategies, a retail recruitment […]

Retail Strategies working on a new home

Five Points South warehouse finding new life as 2200 Magnolia   REV Birmingham, HTC Profile, Posted on April 9, 2018 [link] Anchoring a distinctive angled corner near Five Points South, the Family Services Laundry Building may have looked like an old brick warehouse to many passersby – but developer Mike Mouron saw potential as soon as he stepped inside. The 92-year-old structure is one […]

Article ~ “Forget the Gloom: Adapt”

by Gary Excelby, The Paragould Daily, March 4, 2018 Paragould Daily Amid all the gloom and doom about how online sales are crippling brick-and-mortar retailers, Clay Craft has a simple message: Adapt.   “We’re here to debunk the ‘retail apocalypse,’” said Craft, a portfolio director for Retail Strategies, to a general membership meeting of the Paragould Chamber […]

Retail Consultants get Good Marks

Retail consultants get good marks published by “The Greenwood Commonwealth,” January 30th, 2018 by Lauren Randall [link] As Greenwood, Mississippi considers partnering with Retail Strategies a number of our partner communities in the state discuss their successes and relationship with Retail Strategies. “We are extremely impressed with the group,” said Billy Nowell, mayor of Cleveland. […]

SUCCESS ~ Moline welcomes Olive Garden at Southpark Mall

Moline welcomes opening of new Olive Garden at SouthPark Mall Quad-City Times, by Jennifer DeWitt, Dec 11, 2017 [link] The Illinois Quad-Cities has craved its own Olive Garden for at least 20 years and the wait ended Monday when the Italian food chain restaurant opened at SouthPark Mall, Moline. Moline Mayor Stephanie Acri, who invited […]

Is Portillo’s really coming to Moline?

WQAD Channel 8, December 1, 2017, by Tory Brecht [link to article] MOLINE, Illinois — Remarking on the recent string of restaurant and retail successes in Moline over the past year, the city’s economic development director Ray Forsythe dropped this tantalizing tidbit during a presentation to the City Council on Monday, Nov. 27. “Now, we’re […]

Success ~ Long lines to shop at Ollie’s in Greeneville, TN

New Ollie’s bargain outlet in Greeneville results in rush of shoppers By News Channel 11 Staff, Published: August 9, 2017 [link] GREENEVILLE, TN (WJHL) – Shoppers in Greeneville lined up early on Wednesday for the opening of a new bargain store. The excitement resulted in a line of people outside the store. The line was […]

Bear Burnett joins the team at Retail Strategies

CRE firm hires former Books-A-Million exec by Brent Godwin, Birmingham Business Journal, Aug 10, 2017 [link] A Birmingham commercial real estate company has made a new hire with plenty of experience from a few local retail players. Retail Strategies said it has hired Bear Burnett as a retail development director. Burnett comes to the company with […]

Success~ $6.5 million development in Moline, IL

$6.5 million redevelopment at former Mills Chevrolet planned QCOnline.com, By Gerold Shelton, July 18, 2017 MOLINE — A multi-tenant redevelopment on the site of the former Mill’s Chevrolet worth $6.5 million is in the works, the city council learned Tuesday night. Ray Forsythe, planning and development director, gave an update on several restaurant and retail […]

Success ~ The Next Business Boom in Lake City, FL

The Next Business Boom Lake City Reporter, by Katrina Poggio, July 23-29, 2017 After successful marketing efforts on U.S. Highway 90, business development officials hope the next retail and restaurant boom is on State Road 47 and in Ellisville. In recent years, business recruitment firm Retail Strategies transformed the Highway 90 corridor into a destination […]

Retail outlook is bright in Watertown, SD

By Dan Crisler, Watertown Public Opinion, Apr 18, 2017 [link] Mall stores close, but city’s retail outlook called bright Despite recent business closures at the Watertown Mall, City of Watertown officials are optimistic about the city’s retail future. Conducting an exhaustive inventory on current and possible developments and what types of retail niches are present […]

Better Retail ~ Elk Grove hires Retail Strategies

Elk Grove hires firm to help attract better retail Ben van der Meer, Sacramento Business Journal, April 18th, 2017 [link] Concerned that the city’s retail offerings are too slanted to neighborhood grocery stores and coffee spots, Elk Grove has tabbed a consulting firm to help attract more unique and upscale stores and attractions. Full Article […]

Hardeeville taps Retail Strategies to market city

Hardeeville taps firm to market city Published: Jasper Sun Times, by Liz Bloom, March 15, 2017 [link] Hardeeville’s city council is working to create a desirable and thriving community that is competitive in housing, economics and industry. “We identify the type of national retail, commercial organizations we want to attract and, based upon the demographic […]

VonCannon at ICSC Gulf South Idea Exchange

ICSC Gulf South Idea Exchange March 8, 2017 – March 9, 2017 Golden Nugget, Biloxi, Mississippi   “Realities of Retail Expansion” Scott VonCannon, Portfolio Director for Retail Strategies, will be a Roundtable Speaker discussing the reality and challenges of retail expansion. Gulf South Brochure The one-stop for education, networking and deal making. These one- to […]

Retail as Catalyst for Economic Development

Retail as a Catalyst for Economic Development Thu, Feb 23, 2017 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM CST Lacy Beasley, President & COO of Retail Strategies, will be speaking in a Webinar Series for Golden Shovel Thursday from 10AM to 11AM with a 15 minute Q&A. This session will be for those seeking to understand and grow their community’s […]

Webinar: Lacy Beasley discusses Retail as Economic Development

February 28th from 8:00am-11:00am 1830 28th Avenue South Birmingham, AL 35209 JEFFERSON COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SUMMIT The summit will be exclusively for mayors and city council members located within Jefferson County, and only 60 slots will be available. Retail as an Essential Economic Development Strategy This session will be for those seeking to understand and […]

Scott VonCannon accepts role as P3 Private Chair for Alabama/Mississippi

February 2017 ~ Scott VonCannon, Portfolio Director, accepts role as Private Chair ICSC P3 Retail Private Chair for Alabama/Mississippi. Retail Strategies is proud to announce Scott VonCannon’s acceptance to the role of P3 Private Chair for Alabama/Mississippi during the 2017-2018 term. The role is part of International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) community development program […]

Tullahoma “extremely impressed” with Retail Strategies

City renews contract with retail consultant The News, Posted on Wednesday, February 8, 2017, by Kelly Lapczynski The Tullahoma Area Economic Development Corporation (TAEDC) voted Tuesday morning to renew its contract with national retail consultant Retail Strategies LLC for a third year of service. Birmingham, Alabama-based Retail Strategies is behind much of the recent retail growth […]

Success ~ Tree House & Sears Hometown opening in El Campo, TX

West Loop Sears store, Tree House opens soon By JODY LARIMER, Leader News- El Campo // Wednesday, January 4, 2017 6:00 am [link] Tree House Furniture will open its new West Loop showroom in less than two weeks featuring its known products as well as a Sears Hometown Store. “A representative from Sears Hometown Stores […]

Success ~ Applebee’s locating in Fort Payne, AL

Applebee’s to open mid-2017 Times Journal || Posted: Friday, December 2, 2016 A representative from a retail-recruiting firm confirmed Friday the closing of a property that will be the future site of Applebee’s. Scott VonCannon, of Retail Strategies, said his firm has been working with the city of Fort Payne and the restaurant chain since […]

Success ~ Planet Fitness to locate in Jasper, AL

BY JAMES PHILLIPS, DAILY MOUNTAIN EAGLE, Thursday, November 24, 2016 Retail officials announced Wednesday that Planet Fitness will soon open its first location in Jasper. Linda Lewis, president of the Walker County Chamber of Commerce, said the national fitness center chain is expected to open its Jasper location in early 2017. “This is great news for […]

Success~ Hibbett Sports coming to Manning, SC

“Hibbett Sports Coming to Manning” published by Manning Live, Nov. 21, 2016 [link] The city of Manning’s new Retail Development Initiative got its first big win Monday as a Birmingham, Alabama-based national sports retailer announced intentions to open a store on Capital Way. Hibbett Sports has more than 1,000 stores in 34 states, and will […]

Tennessee Development Districts Win National Award for Launching Retail Academy

Tennessee Development Districts wins Innovation Award for Retail Academy || October 18, 2016 The Southwest Tennessee Development District and the Northwest Tennessee Development District win the National Innovation Award for initiating the Retail Academy Pilot Program in their regions. They accepted the award at the 49th Annual National Association of Development Organizations Conference in San Antonio, Texas. […]

Congratulations to Spring Hill, TN on new Red Robin opening

Retail Strategies was engaged by the city of Spring Hill in 2014. We identified a leakage of $22 million in the full-service restaurant category, and predicted that the market could support 5 additional restaurants. Through the course of the past 2 years we have reached out to dozens of restaurants on behalf of the city of […]

Lacy Beasley ~ Keynote speaker at ICSC Canada

“Retail sector accounts for 13 per cent of N.B. jobs: Retail Council of Canada” By Andrew Cromwell || October 13, 2016 || Global News WATCH VIDEO The importance of the retail sector was driven home at a one day conference in Saint John today. As Global’s Andrew Cromwell reports it also pointed out the demographic […]

Retail Strategies promotes Tennessee in Tokyo

Laura Hudson represents Retail Strategies and Retail Academy at the 39th Annual Southeast US Japan Conference in Tokyo. September 20-22, 2016 Laura Hudson, Vice President of Retail Academy, is busy promoting Tennessee as a location for economic and retail growth. Taking our advocacy for our clients to the international level, Hudson is working with the Tennessee Department of […]

Success ~ Bartlett Krispy Kreme opening causes traffic scene

THE STORY Retail Strategies works to navigate neon signage restrictions, allowing a hugely successful retail opening. “Bartlett Krispy Kreme opening causes huge traffic scene” Tuesday, September 13th 2016, 10:20 pm CDT || By WMCActionNews5.com Bartlett residents with a sweet tooth caused quite a traffic scene Tuesday night as they rushed to their new Krispy Kreme. The scene […]

Retail Strategies lobbies with ICSC in Washington, DC

Lacy Beasley, Retail Strategies President & COO, lobbies in Washington, DC for retail legislation during the 2016 Strategic Leadership Summit. June 20-22, 2016. “ICSC members turned out in force for the 2016 Strategic Leadership Summit in Washington, DC on June 21-22. Approximately120 members from 34 states met with more than 250 Congressional offices to discuss key legislation […]

Focus Trends: Casual Dining

“Casual Dining succeeds with focus on food and fun” Nation’s Restaurant News, Jun 28, 2016 by Ron Ruggless This is part of the Nation’s Restaurant News annual Top 100 report, a proprietary ranking of the foodservice industry’s largest restaurant chains and parent companies. Dining and entertainment chain Dave & Buster’s leads segment in sales growth Casual […]

“City Commits to Shopping Center” Searcy, Arkansas

“City commits to shopping center” By Dana Guthrie, The Daily Citizen, Wednesday, July 13, 2016 12:45 am [full article] A new resolution to fund public improvements by the city of Searcy, Arkansas allows a developer to move forward on a shopping center. Combining the power of the public and private sectors grows retail and jobs while […]

Tetrad + Retail Strategies

Retail Strategies partners with Tetrad to create unique analysis tools to better serve our clients. [column_wrapper][one_half] [/one_half] [one_half] [/one_half] [/column_wrapper] Tetrad is a market analysis company, who have developed custom retail demographic solutions to aid Retail Strategies in retail recruitment for their clients. Lacy Beasley, President & COO of Retail Strategies, briefly discusses how we needed more accurate demographics […]

Retail as a Catalyst for Economic Development

“Retail as a Catalyst for Economic Development” Lacy Beasley and Terrie Battuello ICSC RECon 2016 May 23rd, 2016 [One hour session.] During this session Beasley and Battuello start with a broad overview of retail as an economic developer rather than follower. Highlighting trends and statistics, such as 1 in 4 jobs are retail and on average […]

RECon 2016

    Retail Strategies participated in the largest national retail conference of 2016, with over 36,000 attendees and 1,000 exhibitors. The annual ICSC event, RECon2016, boasts over a million square feet of exhibition space in Las Vegas, allowing for a convergence of all sectors of retail. Retail Strategies had over 375 meetings in 2 days […]

Focus Trends: Beauty & Health

“Focus Trends” is a Retail Strategies monthly article, highlighting trends in specific categories of retail. Full Experience Cosmetics: In-Store and Online Health and Beauty stores are changing their store concepts to keep up with customers’ demands. According to Yahoo! Beauty, Millennials are shopping at physical retail stores as opposed to online for cosmetic supplies. Millennials […]

Focus Trends: Grocery

“Focus Trends” highlights one retail topic every month. ** For more on grocery trends listen to our May webinar with Joe Kucharski. Disruption in the Grocery Industry: Millennials, New Formats and Partnerships The grocery industry in the U.S. is changing dramatically. In the past, a single store could serve all shoppers’ food, beverage and daily […]

Focus Trends: Sports

In the category of Sports, there have been some major changes with the players that are effecting retail real estate in a big way.  Between Sports Authority’s bankruptcy and growth strategies from Dick’s Sporting Goods and Hibbett Sports, we are seeing a great deal of activity for new development and filling of second generation space. […]

ICSC: Importance of P3

Who are ICSC’s Public Sector Members? Is P3 Retail important?  With nearly 5,000 and counting, who really are ICSC’s public sector members? Lacy Beasley, President & COO of Retail Strategies, discusses the increasing importance of P3 Retail, public sector involvement, incentives, and how to maneuver for retail development. ICSC: The Center of Shopping “Who Are ICSC’s […]

Antioch hires Retail Strategies

Mayor Larry Hanson said the data the company collects can help determine what businesses are needed or missing and target them. The village board determined hiring Retail Strategies, with its strong connections to hundreds of national retailers, makes sense based on current commercial trends, he added. A kickoff meeting between village staff members and a […]

New Retail Development for Myrtle Beach

Retail Strategies partner, Myrtle Beach, moves forward on retail development. “Carol Coleman, director of planning for the City of Myrtle Beach, said the development will likely encompass several hundred thousand square feet of space with at least one major box store.” “New Retail development, box store planned for Myrtle Beach,” by Audrey Hudson, Myrtle Beach […]

Pigeon Forge looking to attract retail

“The city of Pigeon Forge is working to attract new retail to the area to benefit not only the tourists but the residents as well. The city commission voted to bring in Retail Strategies, an Alabama based group that works with cities to attract larger retailers.” “Pigeon Forge looking to attract more big box retailers” […]

Dubuque stopping retail ‘leakage’

“It takes awhile for retail to come to an area.” ~ Joe Strauss, Portfolio Manager for Retail Strategies Dubuque’s retail needs were underscored in March 2015, when a study by Alabama-based advisory group Retail Strategies assessed local “retail leakage.” That occurs when consumers leave their own community to purchase goods or services elsewhere. About $26 […]

Publix expansion to Greeneville

“Publix is on it’s way” The Greenville Sun, Friday, November 20, 2015 at 10:45 am [link] The Greene County Partnership and JSI Development have formally announced plans for the location of a new Publix grocery store in the Fairgrounds Plaza Shopping Center. “Totally excited!” said Jessie Lou. “Publix is such an amazing company to work […]

Ollie’s set for Tullahoma

Published in The Tullahoma News, by Kelly Lapczynski, March 5, 2015 at 2:15 pm [link] NASCAR 2014 Sprint Cup Series Champion Kevin Harvick is set to make an August appearance in Tullahoma as Pennsylvania-based Ollie’s Bargain Outlet cuts the ribbon on its new store in the Tullahoma Square shopping center. “We are excited Ollie’s has selected […]

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