Forbes recently released its Fastest-Growing Retailers list, a compilation of the 10 concepts with the highest revenue spike over the last four years. It might sound like a good distinction, but is it a list that retail landlords necessarily want to see their tenants on? Fastest-growing could also imply that a retailer is growing too fast. Remember discount athletic-wear chain Steve & Barry's?
Amazon.com gained the top honors with a 219% spike, bringing revenues to $34.2 billion. Not much of interest for center owners there, unless it's more evidence that online sales are outpacing brick-and-mortar performance.
Next up is Rue21, a discount chain for teens that now has nearly 640 units after opening about 200 stores since 2009. Hhgregg, the electronics chain which has expanded like crazy in the face of Circuit City's demise, is also on the list. And can Buffalo Wild Wings continues its rapid growth across the country.
Of course, the reason many of these retailers are expanding is because they're getting, or got, good lease rates during the recession. But is that a recipe for sustainable growth?
What are your thoughts about the Forbes list? Is it encouraging or does it make you cautious?
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