ATLANTA—All eyes are on e-commerce. But that's hardly the only trend worth watching in the retail sector.

GlobeSt.com caught up with Franklin Street director Reid Mason and senior director Bryan Belk to discuss these issues in part three of our exclusive interview series. You can still read parts one and two: Insight: When Big Boxes Become Smaller Boxes and Why Some Retailers Are Thriving Despite the Amazon Effect.

GlobeSt.com: What are you seeing in the landscape of dining and franchises versus independent local concepts in high-traffic retail developments?

Mason: It's a mix of both. I think it really all depends on where the project is located and what type of experience the project is trying to create.

It also depends on whether the developer is trying to go after more of a credit tenant, like a national QSR that is franchised, or an experience maker, like a popular chef-driven restaurant.

In some developments, chef-driven concepts are looked at as the anchor of the center. The good thing is that both categories are very active right now and developers are willing to work with both.

Belk: There are many independent local concepts that are growing rapidly, too, like all the celebrity chef-driven restaurants in town. Avalon has been very successful by featuring several unique dining destinations.
GlobeSt.com: What are some other retail trends we should expect to continue in 2017 and beyond?

Belk: Every retailer is watching how e-commerce affects their brick-and-mortar locations. Retailers are trying to figure out their prototypes moving forward and they just don't project what they should be in today. They're trying to decide what locations they should be in for the next 10 years. So, when the retailer selects a site they can get a deal that's going to be a good deal 10 years down the road, too.

Mason:  The health and wellness trend is as strong as ever. We're still seeing new fitness workout concepts pop up, whether it's Pilates, yoga, or cycle. Along with that, you have your healthy eating options that are actively looking for new locations.

The healthy casual dining concepts being introduced include juice and smoothie bars, salad concepts, and the latest food craze that we have seen are Poke concepts—raw sushi on a rice bowl. People are looking for quick and healthy eating options and these concepts are meeting that need. I do not see the health and wellness category going anywhere in the near future. We may see consolidation at some point in time, however, I think this is a trend that will continue to grow.