Common themes driving this year’s trends are proximity and convenience, as retailers across all categories seek to gain easier access to their end consumers, according to Phillips Edison & Co. (PECO) in its findings on the top shopping-center trends taking shape in 2022 as part of ICSC Las Vegas.
This has led some retailers to evolve or shift their real estate strategies to focus on suburban expansion, meeting rising consumer demand as these areas continue to see strong population growth across the country.
“While cities are recovering from the pandemic, we’ve seen suburbanization as a theme continue to play out, supported by strong macro tailwinds including long-term work from home trends and an aging millennial cohort seeking space to raise their growing families,” said Mike Conway, vice president of national accounts and retail partnerships at PECO. “As inflation and supply chain issues continue to create obstacles, retailers are recognizing now more t
