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Finding the Retail Stars of Tomorrow

From the Bay Area to Tempe, contests try to find new retail talent.

By Debra Hazel | Updated on September 14, 2009

Think of it as America’s Got Talent – or Retail Talent, at least. With national chains cutting back on expansion, a few retail real estate managers are looking to find and encourage entrepreneurs, holding contests to choose the retailers of tomorrow.

Just ask Ben Wanzo, who will open his first TeachBar café/school at Bayfair Center in San Leandro, CA, the result of Madison Marquette’s Retail*Star contest. TeachBar will offer affordable educational seminars for the community in a 1,300-squarefoot mixed retail environment, coined a learning café. Quick-serve dishes, tea and some coffee will be served on one end, with a classroom offering various subjects to both high-school students and adults, taught by coaches and local teachers.

“From 3 pm to 6 pm every day it will be very high-school-oriented, focusing on English, math, maybe an SAT prep class,” Wanzo said. “On weekends, it might be personal finance or software classes.”

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