As mixed-use properties blur the line between live, work and play, retail remains firmly at the center. Creating a successful mixed-use location goes well beyond just filling rows of storefronts. Operators today are in the business of building destinations that work for everyone.
"Selecting the right tenant mix and curated programming is a balancing act that requires understanding multiple customer bases simultaneously," says Paul Chase, president of lifestyle property management at JLL. "The most important voice may be your residents, because they live there. Or it could be the office workers, because they're there every day. But you also need to draw the broader community to create the foot traffic and vibrancy that retailers need to thrive."
That expanded role is changing how operators plan and evaluate their retail tenants.
Who Is the Customer?
This shift is fundamental to how JLL approaches mixed-use retail. It starts with identifying the most productive shopper and merchandising around them. The right mix of retailers can lift traffic, sales and performance of all asset classes in a "rising tide lifts all ships" scenario. This in turn can impact how the destination is programmed, keeping in mind the different consumers of the property.
"Retail is often the front door for these properties," says Angela Sweeney, EVP, marketing director of lifestyle property management at JLL. "How we program the spaces impacts not just who the consumers are that are coming to the center, but also the residents that live there and the office workers that are coming in and out on a daily basis."
Each group brings different expectations and requires tailored programming. An office worker wants a vibrant lunchtime experience, perhaps a green space to sit outdoors or a yoga studio with lunchtime classes. A resident's needs are different. They might crave a lively weekend scene outside their front door. The challenge is creating programming that appeals to both audiences while respecting their distinct schedules—activating the property at different times without one use disrupting the other.
Data Makes It Possible
Getting that balance right increasingly depends on data. For instance, JLL uses a platform called PinPoint to analyze consumer spend. In addition to foot traffic, PinPoint uses geofencing technology to look at where customers are coming from and where they're spending money.
"What's changed in the last three years is the ability to understand where customers are spending, not just in person but online as well," says Chase.
At one property, the data revealed a home furnishings gap. Consumers in the surrounding zip codes were buying furniture online, but they were returning it at unusually high rates. JLL recommended introducing a bricks-and-mortar home furnishing retailer so customers could see and touch products before committing.
The insight served everyone. The property owner gains a tenant positioned for strong performance. Residents get a retailer that meets their needs in their own backyard. And the retailer enters a market already primed for exactly what it sells.
One Team, One Vision
Insights like that only work when they also translate into execution. Too often, marketing, leasing and operations function in parallel rather than in sync. Chase describes it as "stacked consultants with stacked priorities."
"You have to have a team that feels in-house, that's coordinated and has synergy, fully aligned on delivering seamless day-to-day operations across the property," Chase says.
JLL's model leans into integration, with a "unicorn" general manager at the center. The properties are complex, with no two days being the same in day-to-day operations. This leader connects the dots across leasing, marketing, and operations—keeping the entire property moving toward a shared vision.
When those elements come together, the impact is felt across the property in longer dwell times, stronger tenant retention and a retail environment that keeps people coming back.
Visit JLL at ICSC Las Vegas, Central Hall booth 2007G.
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