LIVE from the New York ICSC

Retailer's Runway: 2009
This year's participants in the ICSC (International Council of Shopping Centers) Retailer's Runway were:

Auto Zone
Dollar Tree
Game Stop
Haloween Venture
Hobby Lobby
Kiddie Academy
Muscle Maker Grill
Planet Fitness
REI Sporting Goods
Rosa Mexicano Restaurants
Shoprite
Sonic
TD Bank
Wingstop Restaurants

The growth oriented segments in retail this year are value focused shopping, and appropriately so.  This line up is extremely reflective of this trend.

Retailer, Dollar Tree reporting opening 240 new locations in 2009 at the runway, having a total of 3,800 stores nationwide.  Their focus in
2010-2011 will be urban, in contrast to their typically suburban stores.

Sonic, the retro-future drive-in fast food restaurant reported opening
141 franchises in the 2009 fiscal year.  While this is down from their
2008 169 number, it still represents promising expansion.  Their current focus is on penetrating the northeast market.  Their new Peabody, MA location set the record for opening week revenue by more than 4 times the prior record holder.  With almost 3,600 locations across 42 states, the current #1 drive in chain in the U.S. shows promise.

TD Bank and Gamstop were amongst others with impressive growth statistics and substantial presentations.

For more information on retail real estate, please contact Jason Weissman here.

Stay tuned for more ICSC LIVE updates!