CHICAGO—E-commerce has made headlines for years by bleeding many retailers dry, so it's understandable that those working in the sector point out the bright spots. And those bright spots definitely exist. Well-located stores that can provide real experiences, along with desired goods, are still popular with shoppers. And smart landlords have brought in businesses, such as healthcare providers, largely impervious to online competition. Furthermore, some spectacular flameouts in the retail world, including the iconic brand Toys R' Us, crashed due to debt hangovers from leveraged buyouts rather than e-commerce. Still, these considerations aside, commercial real estate professionals can't deny that a very real erosion has happened, and will continue for the foreseeable future. In today's GlobeSt.com, Ten-X's retail forecast shows Chicago and other Midwest cities, most of which have less-than-impressive job growth, are especially vulnerable.
BY THE NUMBERS
Recommended For You
Want to continue reading?
Become a Free ALM Digital Reader.
Once you are an ALM Digital Member, you’ll receive:
- Breaking commercial real estate news and analysis, on-site and via our newsletters and custom alerts
- Educational webcasts, white papers, and ebooks from industry thought leaders
- Critical coverage of the property casualty insurance and financial advisory markets on our other ALM sites, PropertyCasualty360 and ThinkAdvisor
Already have an account? Sign In Now
*May exclude premium content© 2025 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.
Brian J. Rogal
Brian J. Rogal is a Chicago-based freelance writer with years of experience as an investigative reporter and editor, most notably at The Chicago Reporter, where he concentrated on housing issues. He also has written extensively on alternative energy and the payments card industry for national trade publications.
