Location, Location, Location!
Location is key when searching for the right Austin Retail Space and you’ll want to make sure that you’ve carefully thought about who your customers are and what Areas of Austin would be best for your customers.
If you are looking to open a retail business in Austin, there are a few “hot” spots that you should consider:
- The Domain: The Domain is located in North Austin off of Mopac and is the only retail mall in the area. It’s retailers range from high end retailers like Chanel and Tiffany’s to more mainstream retailers like Banana Republic.
- The Hill Country Galleria: Located in West Austin near Lake Travis, the Hill Country Galleria is a lifestyle center that has national retailers and local favorites.
- 2nd Street District: This area is the happening place to be with the new W Hotel and ACL Moody Theater recently opening here. There are tons of cool boutiques and yummy new restaurants.
- Sunset Valley: Home to Nordstrom Rack and other major retailers, this is the place to shop for Austinites in the South and Southwest areas of town.
- South Lamar: From chic to retro to hipster, this part of town sometimes referred to as SOLA, has a wide variety of retailers and restaurants. If you’ve got a different concept, this might be the area for you.
- Arboretum: This locale is located in North Austin and is home to Crate and Barrel, Container Store and many other major retailers.
There are also a few things to consider when starting your retail office search:
1. Compatibility: What other tenants are in the retail center that can compliment your products or services? This is important to consider because if your business focuses on women’s clothing and there is a men’s clothing boutique that can send referrals your way, that’s the ideal scenario.
2. Visibility: Is the retail center easily accessible and does it have good visibility from the road? You want to make sure that your signage can be seen from the road and also that the retail center is easy to get in and out of. If people are stuck in traffic trying to get to your location, they might just leave before they get there.
3. Vacancy Rate: Is the retail center mostly leased out? You’ll want to look into this as you’re searching for the right space because if there is a high vacancy rate, you’ll want to ask questions as to why the landlord has a lack of tenants.
It can be tough finding the right retail space but if you’re armed with information on the best locations and what to look for as you begin your search, you should be in a better situation as you begin your search for retail space in Austin.
