Terranomics Retail Services clients include Dean & DeLuca, Target, Bed Bath & Beyond, and AMC Theatres. Peple says that the company client also includes Starbucks and many other large national retailers.

"Because we are not involved in industrial or office space, our biggest competitor is CB Richard Ellis," says Peple, "but we only focus on retail which gives us the advantage of having a very specialized market. Today, unlike the glut of office space available in the bay are, we are seeing that there is very little available space and our market is strong."

ChainLinks Retail Advisors, which specializes in tenant representation, property management, project leasing and other related services for retailers and has a retail-only focus and national delivery service platform. The company is based in Washington, D.C.