In this episode of PlotLines, we sit down with Carol Schillne, Senior Vice President at Orion Investment Real Estate, for a wide-ranging discussion on what many in the industry are calling a retail renaissance.
With more than 30 years of experience as a retail broker, developer, and operator, Carol brings a 360-degree view to the conversation. She shares how retail is not just rebounding—but reinventing itself to meet modern consumer expectations, tenant demands, and current real estate dynamics. From grocery-anchored centers to experiential pop-ups, she discusses the wide variety of formats that are gaining traction in today’s market.
Carol also offers perspective on geographic momentum, pointing to Arizona, Texas, and Florida as key growth regions for both national brands and new-to-market tenants. She explains how landlords are increasingly focused on placemaking, adaptive reuse, and creating flexibility within shopping centers to support a more curated tenant mix.
The episode also explores how digitally native brands are moving offline, why franchise models are seeing increased interest, and how mixed-use development is playing a major role in driving foot traffic and long-term value.
Tune in to hear why Carol gave two rewritten headlines for retail real estate: “Retail real estate thrives: Adaptation, experience, innovation” and “Retail real estate reimagined: The comeback story.”
Listen to the full episode below and follow along for our next guest!
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