GFI Capital's Rubackin

When New York City-based GFI Resources Group launched its retail group earlier this year, it chose Lon Rubackin to manage the new venture. Rubackin was last at Forest City Ratner, where he was a senior vice president who leased properties around the New York Metro area, including Ridge Hill, a 1.2-million-sf mixed-use center being built in Yonkers. Before that he worked in real estate for two retailers, Barnes & Noble and the former regional electronics chain, Nobody Beats the Wiz. GFI Retail Group is going after all types of value-added assets in the sector around the country. Rubackin recently spoke with GlobeSt.com about his new position and the current retail market.

GlobeSt.com: Having worked for some larger retailers is there anything you can bring to the table in your current post?

Rubackin: I like to think that the fact that I spent the first half of my real estate career working for retailer gave me a good overall perspective of what retailers want and need. Too many times developers and landlords don’t pay attention to the little things that make retailers cringe, like signage and loading. Developers take a lot of those things for granted, but they are key to a retailer’s decision on taking a location. Landlords don’t seem to get it for the most part.