What if a major retail tenant closing its doors could actually be good news for a shopping center owner? While most investors see vacancies as lost income, experienced retail landlords sometimes see an opportunity to replace outdated leases with higher-paying tenants.

In this episode, Aviva Sonenreich and Jeffrey Rosenberg, President and CEO of Big V Property Group, discuss retail real estate investing, how shopping center owners turn vacancies into higher rents, and why big-box retail continues to attract investment despite store closures and e-commerce competition.

Jeff shares how Big V has benefited from replacing tenants such as Bed Bath & Beyond, why long-term retail leases can limit rental growth, and how major retailers are transforming physical stores into distribution and fulfillment hubs. They also explore tenant relationships, emerging retail concepts, and the strategies behind operating a successful shopping center portfolio.

Key Topics Discussed

• Retail Real Estate Investing: Why Big V Property Group focuses on open-air, big-box shopping centers and what makes these properties attractive to investors.
• How Retail Vacancies Can Increase Rental Income: How the departure of tenants such as Bed Bath & Beyond can allow landlords to replace below-market leases with higher-paying tenants.
• Big-Box Retail vs. Grocery-Anchored Shopping Centers: Why long-term supermarket leases with limited rent increases can restrict rental growth compared with other retail property types.
• How E-Commerce Is Changing Retail Real Estate: How omnichannel retailers use physical stores for online order fulfillment, curbside pickup, and distribution.
• Retail Tenant Negotiations and Lease Strategies: How tenant creditworthiness, limited available space, and expiring leases influence a landlord’s negotiating position.
• What COVID Revealed About Retail Tenants: Jeff shares contrasting experiences with McDonald’s and Starbucks and explains why corporate culture and tenant relationships matter.
• The Future of Shopping Centers: How online-first brands, experiential retail concepts, and changing consumer behavior are creating new opportunities for physical retail.
• Using Technology to Improve Retail Property Performance: How Big V uses Placer.ai to understand customer traffic patterns, evaluate shopping behavior, and make property management decisions.

The conversation also explores Big V’s investment in ski resort retail villages, the importance of maintaining well-managed shopping centers, and how a family grocery business evolved into a national retail real estate investment company.

Whether you’re a commercial real estate investor, shopping center owner, retail landlord, or broker, this episode offers a practical perspective on evaluating retail properties, managing tenants, and identifying opportunities for rental growth.

About the Guest

Jeffrey Rosenberg is the President and CEO of Big V Property Group, a commercial real estate investment and operating company specializing in open-air shopping centers across the United States. He leads the company’s acquisition, leasing, asset management, and portfolio growth strategies, with a focus on big-box retail properties and long-term investment performance. Building on his family’s legacy in the supermarket and shopping center industries, Jeffrey brings an owner-operator’s perspective to retail real estate investing, tenant relationships, and property management.

About the Host

Aviva Sonenreich is the Managing Broker and Owner of the Warehouse Hotline, a Denver commercial real estate brokerage specializing exclusively in industrial properties. She leads the firm’s brokerage operations, negotiates industrial sales and leasing transactions, advises clients on acquisition and disposition strategies, and oversees the company’s marketing and business development efforts. Through Commercial Real Estate Secrets, she interviews leading investors, brokers, developers, and industry experts to provide actionable insights on commercial real estate investing, brokerage, leasing, development, and market trends.

Looking to Buy, Sell, or Invest in Industrial Real Estate in Colorado?

Whether you’re evaluating a commercial real estate investment, preparing to sell an industrial property, or looking for opportunities to improve your property’s performance, understanding tenant demand, market conditions, and lease structures is essential.

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