Our Retail Group is once again getting ready for the annual MAPIC Conference (le marché international professionnel de l’implantation commerciale et de la distribution)! For the 7th year in a row, our team is traveling to Cannes, France for the largest annual gathering of European retailers, brokers and developers.  MAPIC is one of the leading events of our year, showcasing the best of international (and particularly European) retail, from both the developers’ and the retailers’ perspectives. We look forward to connecting with some of the 8,400 international participants from 78 countries who have expressed interest in venturing overseas and expanding their businesses to the States. With over 2,100 retailers, 2,500 developers and 1,000 investors and other major industry players in one place, it should be an exciting opportunity to network and share first-hand our market experience and observations about the current USA retail landscape.

Last year, we noticed the presence of more USA-based brokers and developers interested in attracting the next great retail concept to the States. This year, we anticipate that this trend will continue (and intensify) as owners of USA mall and high street properties seek an edge—something to distinguish their space from their competitors. We’re curious as to the types of European retailers who will be interested in making the move to the States. Will we see more of the big operators in the Primark mode, or perhaps some entry level luxury like The White Company, the UK retailer who opened its first USA location on Fifth Avenue in NYC this spring?  We will identify these trends and report back to you in November.

Finally, our team is looking forward to speaking at MAPIC sessions. These sessions—and the feedback we receive from fellow panel members and the audience—provide useful insights into retail trends, as well as myths and misunderstandings regarding the USA market. The brokers and retail representatives we speak with function as the proverbial “canaries in the mine” by serving as an early warning system for retail trends and tendencies. We look forward to sharing with you what we learn from this year’s conference.  Stay tuned for updates from the show and please join the conversation while we are there.