MIAMI—Jones Lang LaSalle started making a major retail push in Florida a couple of years ago. And that push is producing fruit. We caught up with JLL vice president Sean McConnell, who spearheads the firm's retail practice in South Florida, to learn more about the firm's Florida retail strategy and the factors he sees driving this demand on the restaurant side.

GlobeSt.com: How is JLL growing its footprint in Florida's retail market?

McConnell: Jones Lang LaSalle's has had an active retail practice in Florida for years, but began its local market push approximately two years ago. Under the leadership of John Lambert, the state's Retail Market Lead, we've added three new brokers and a little over 1 million square feet of new retail assignments. Among the firm's retail assignments in South Florida are The Palms at Town & Country, a 75-acre shopping center in Kendall, and the Galleria Mall, an upscale shopping destination in Fort Lauderdale.