What does it actually take to build (and sustain) one of the strongest high streets in the country?

In this episode of Behind the Lease, Brett Robinson sits down with David Waldman, a broker and developer who has spent more than three decades shaping downtown Westport, Connecticut. From historic restorations to national retail leases, David has worked both as an owner and as a street retail broker, giving him a rare perspective on how great retail districts evolve.

They discuss:

• How Westport expanded beyond Main Street into a connected “Golden Triangle”
• Why parking, residential density, and food & beverage shifted the street’s economics
• How rents moved from $60 post-COVID back into the $120+ range
• Why small spaces can command the highest rents
• The underwriting realities behind cap rates, redevelopment, and flood mitigation
• What brands Westport supports, and where it likely caps out
• Why high streets thrive on thoughtful curation, not just demand

It’s a practical conversation about retail fundamentals... place-making, risk, tenant mix, and the long arc of market cycles.

If you work on high streets, represent national brands, or invest in mixed-use downtowns, this episode offers perspective grounded in real transactions.

Brands Mentioned:

West Elm, Gap Kids, Domain, Starbucks, Sundance, Chanel Beauty, Vince, Eileen Fisher, Ryridge Deli, Express, Urban Outfitters, Lux Bond & Green, Brooks Brothers, Lululemon, Alo, Vuori, Beyond Yoga, Brandy Melville

Retail expansion often looks fast from the outside. In reality, it’s slow, local, and full of tradeoffs.

In this episode of Behind the Lease, we sit down with Jennifer Price, one of Washington, DC’s most experienced high-street retail brokers, to talk about what actually drives success on streets like Georgetown and 14th Street.

Jennifer shares how she broke into retail real estate, why DC rewards consistency over flash, and what brands misunderstand about urban storefronts—especially when inventory is tight and rents keep climbing.

We cover:

• Why DC shoppers gravitate toward quality, not trends
• How multi-level, narrow storefronts change deal math
• What rising rents mean for brands entering market today
• The real differences between high streets and shopping centers
• Why relationships still matter—but only when paired with context

Jennifer also walks through current projects in Georgetown, including large-format redevelopments that are rare for the market, and explains how brands are adapting as demand continues to outpace supply.

This is a practical conversation about how retail actually works on the ground—where constraints are real, and good decisions compound over time.

Jennifer Price — Areas of Expertise

• High-street retail in Washington, DC
• Tenant representation for national and emerging brands
• Urban storefront strategy (multi-level & historic buildings)
• Market positioning for conservative, quality-led brands
• Navigating supply-constrained, high-rent environments
• Redevelopment and repositioning of complex retail assets

Brands Mentioned in the Episode

Lululemon, Veronica Beard, Vuori, Alo, J.Crew, Aritzia, Uniqlo

Dave's Hot Chicken has grown fast, but not by accident.

In our conversation, Dannon Shiff, SVP of Real Estate, shared why the real differentiator is selecting sites for long-term success. He highlighted how Dave’s considers modern customer behavior, third-party delivery, in-person traffic, and the responsibility of protecting franchisee investments.

It’s a strategic approach shaped by a brand that grew out of COVID and understands how the trade area has evolved since the early days of Fast Casual.

Ethan Pacewiczh, Senior Real Estate Manager at DICK'S Sporting Goods, made one point clear in our conversation: brick and mortar is not dead. It has simply changed its purpose.

House of Sport works when landlords think beyond filling a box and start thinking about the experience and traffic they want to create. In one market, converting a former Sears to House of Sport drove a roughly 30 percent traffic increase.

The value comes from bodies, dwell time, and a format built to activate a center.

In this conversation, Cynthia Kratchman shares what she’s seeing on the ground right now in Detroit and Birmingham, and why both markets are drawing serious brand attention.

Cynthia is a principal at Mid-America Real Estate Group with more than thirty years in retail brokerage. The spaces she’s bringing to market today reflect how demand is evolving and what brands are prioritizing when they choose where to land next.

We walk through two standout opportunities. A 4,800 square foot corner space at 1201 with basement access, patio potential, and a roof deck that opens the door for elevated fast casual or full service restaurant concepts. And the lower level at the Farwell Building, a 5,000 square foot space beneath a curated apparel gallery and the acclaimed Layla Restaurant, set inside one of downtown Detroit’s most architecturally striking buildings.

Cynthia breaks down what brands are asking for, how site selection thinking is shifting, and why she sees long term momentum building in both markets.

Brands represented: @andrettikarting @crayolaexperience @itsugar @jaredthegalleriaofjewelry @kayjewelers @kurasushi_usa @maurices @mysalonsuite @roomandboard @traderjoes

This week we sit down with Adam Williams, a Charlotte native who has watched South End evolve from a corridor of barred windows and break ins to one of the most competitive retail streets in the Southeast. Adam grew up in the neighborhood long before Patagonia planted a flagship and long before national brands lined up for space along the light rail.

He walks us through the turning points how the GFC pushed him into second-gen restaurant deals how buying and reinventing a 1960s bowling alley taught him to think like an operator why South End rents jumped from the twenties to the sixties and which neighborhoods will define the next wave of growth as Plaza Midwood, NoDa, South Park, Dilworth, and the suburbs all heat up.

Adam also breaks down his current work on 110 East and Midblock, the density that is reshaping South End, and why Charlotte’s momentum keeps attracting major brands.

Explore more at brandmarch.com

Brands Adam works with @Patagonia @Target @AceHardware @MichaelsStores @UltaBeauty @PetSmart @WorldMarket @GAP @RH @TotalWine

JEFF GAUL IS LIVE ON BEHIND THE LEASE.

In our first episode, Jeff Gaul shares how site selection fundamentals stay the same whether you are building global brands like Nike and Sephora or scaling fresh food concepts. Different products, same customers, same trade areas, same decisions that drive results.

www.brandmarch.com

Episode Two of Behind the Lease features Bob Baker, senior broker at BMW Realty and one of the key players shaping El Paseo in Palm Desert.

In this episode, Bob walks through the repositioning of the Shops at El Paseo, from replacing underperforming luxury tenants to prioritizing restaurants that reset traffic patterns across the street. We cover real rent ranges, ownership dynamics, historic low vacancy, and why brands entering the market need to understand how the customer profile has changed.

We also discuss the impact of new and expanding retailers like @rhmodern, @vuoriclothing, and @shakeshack, and what their presence says about where the market is headed.

This episode is about understanding the street before the street tells you.