As I write this blog post, I’m focused on my right-hand screen. Dual screens are one of the top 10 greatest inventions ever. How did I ever function with just one screen?
I digress, and I haven’t even started yet.
Welcome to my blog (and the right side of my brain). I’m a real estate agent with Equity Retail Brokers, and I’m knee-deep into shopping centers, particularly grocery-anchored shopping centers. It’s quite an interesting time for the supermarket business, and I’ve been making it my business to know about it. Not so much as it relates to what they’re selling and why, but as it relates to the industry and it’s affect on real estate. Just as there’s no better person to talk with about banks and real estate in the Philadelphia region than Equity’s own Ed Ginn, I’m committed to being your grocery-anchored shopping center guy.
As my wife recently said to me, “You’ve never been committed, but it’s definitely time.” I’m not sure she was talking about my work habits. I digress again.
It’s an interesting time indeed. By my count we have 25 supermarket brands in the Southeast PA and Southern NJ market. Bottom Dollar is the newbie, while Acme is the grandfather, and up until very recently, the leader (which Food Trade News says is now ShopRite). Some are on their way up (Giant, Wegmans), some are fighting hard to stay up (Genuardi’s, A&P brands), and some are happy just being the coolest kids in the class (Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods). And some – who aren’t even counted among the 25 brands – are crashing the supermarket party (Wal-Mart, Target, Wawa).
Perhaps 25 brands seems like a lot, but that pales in comparison to the number of shopping center owners in the region.
What this all means to me is blog content and real estate opportunity. And hopefully a mechanism where I can spread industry news (I report, you decide… unless, that is, I decide to decide) and serve as a resource for you, your shopping center and your company.
Down the road a bit my blog will morph into a newsletter. I’ll do my best to make it interesting and informative. More importantly, I’ll continue spending the bulk of my time leasing and managing shopping center space. Along with my colleagues here at Equity Retail Brokers, I’ll bust my bum to be the best in the business. And I’ll keep on learning. Always learning.
Please keep in touch and let me know what you think. Now it’s time for me to pay some attention to the left-hand screen.