Big Air Trampoline Park is the latest retailer stepping up to backfill vacant big box locations. The entertainment retailer plans to open 25 new locations nationwide in the next two years. Each facility averages 15,000 to 30,000 square feet and includes a main trampoline court, foam pit, dodge ball court and basketball dunk courts.

"I truly believe franchising is a fantastic way to develop a brand, if done correctly," Kevin Odekirk, president of Big Air Trampoline Park, tells GlobeSt.com. "The landscape is littered with franchise systems that grew too fast, too far, and often without the adequate franchisor structures to support that growth. I'm really pleased to say that Big Air Trampoline Park has consistently made choices that have yielded top-performing locations and an ever-increasing system cohesion. Controlled growth should be heralded as the watchwords that lead to longevity and real strength."

Overall, Big Air is looking for big box locations in quality retail markets, with ceiling height being the only major requirement in the facility itself. "Big Air Trampoline Park is searching for 30,000 to 40,000 square feet in high-traffic corridors, with great visibility," says Jared Davis, VP at JLL, tells GlobeSt.com. "Regional retail areas are preferred with other entertainment and a minimum ceiling height 18 feet." Davis is overseeing the firm's expansion.

In general, entertainment retailers have been driving retail leasing activity, and expansion stories like this are a prime example of trend in the market. "With the growing trend of consumers shopping online, many box retailers are closing or downsizing. Big Air Trampoline Park is the perfect tenant to backfill these boxes as they bring in a large amounts of traffic," says Davis. "In many cases, a Big Air opening has brought new life to struggling shopping centers. This internet-resistant tenant provides landlords with the comfort of strong longevity."

While the retailer has a goal of 25 new locations over the next two years, it will open nine to 10 this year. "We currently have eight operational locations, with nine and 10 coming on line in the next 60 days," says Odekirk. "We have doubled our footprint every year since 2016. Big Air Trampoline Park envisions that same growth curve to continue. That being said, remember the above: Controlled growth. It's maximizing stakeholder value, but doing so with the longer term in mind."