While developers and investors feel that investment in inner-city America holds some potential for profitable returns, there is little consensus on what works and what doesn't in urban markets. People believe that profitability and sustainability are possible even in the face of the considerable challenges posed by the inner city but they need to know which models to follow as well as the factors that make success likely—lor unlikely. In Retailers Operating at a Profit, a series of case studies help reveal the nature of opportunity for commercial and retail development in urban America.
Employing both qualitative and quantitative measurement, this important book provides a handle on actual returns on investment in addition to highlighting the procedural elements that have led to success. It lays out what has worked in the past, in both the development process and the preliminary operating phase, and illustrates just how well it has worked with empirical data.
Retailers Operating at a Profit examines a wide array of project types that are, or should be, typical in urban areas, including these general categories:
- Neighborhood servicing retail such as grocery stores, convenience stores, and quick-serve food
- Community servicing retail such as restaurants, entertainment and specialty retailers
- Market area retail such as department stores, specialty retailers, and mass merchandisers
Each case study is presented in a similar format, outlining key opportunities and constraints with the development process as well as key project data. Especially important is identification of the data, information tools, and knowledge that informed the real estate investment.