One retail developer that is no stranger to California is Lewis Retail Centers, which will be at next week's ICSC Western Division Conference in San Diego at the convention center's Grand Canyon Suite. The company, which owns more than 20 centers in the state and neighboring Nevada, is especially active in the High Desert region of San Bernardino County. Randall Lewis, the firm's executive vice president of sales and marketing, spoke with GlobeSt.com about doing business in the area, what tenants he likes right now and what he expects from the coming ICSC show.

GlobeSt.com: How is the leasing dynamic in the High Desert different than other locales in your portfolio?

Lewis: A lot of people don’t realize the High Desert is part of the Inland Empire so it requires a more comprehensive education process about the market opportunity including the demographics and demand for retail. Housing and jobs are both coming back well within the region. From a retail perspective, the success of High Desert Gateway and the expansion of the Victor Valley Mall (including the addition of Macy’s) have helped immensely to improve the awareness and image of the market. Population in the High Desert/Victor Valley is almost 400,000 and even with the new developments, the High Desert market is still under served, and people are driving “down the hill” for their retail and entertainment needs.