Where We Buy: Retail Real Estate with James Cook

James Cook and his fellow retail researchers visit shopping destinations around the world, interview retail and real estate executives and discuss market research in a fast-paced and fun setting. James researches retail and real estate for JLL.

Where We Buy: Retail Real Estate with James Cook is a business podcast hosted by Where We Buy, with 100 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Where We Buy hosts Where We Buy: Retail Real Estate with James Cook, a business show with 100 episodes published.

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  Episode #396

  Retail Repositioning with The Ardent Companies - Where We Buy #396

  Aug 21, 202625 min

  Jay Douglas is Managing Director of Development at The Ardent Companies, a privately held real estate firm focused on opportunistic and diversified investment strategies, where he leads the mixed use and retail portfolio. Jay talks about projects including Westside Bottling in Durham, the Seminole Towne Center repositioning in Sanford anchored by a new Costco, and a small food and beverage development in Largo anchored by Foxtail Coffee Co. He also covers grocery anchored lifestyle centers, placemaking, entertainment tenants, and why retail should lead mixed use. James Cook is the Head of Retail Research for JLL. Keisha Virtue is the Retail Research Manager in the Americas for JLL. Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify Listen: WhereWeBuy.show Email: jamesd.cook@jll.com YouTube: http://everythingweknow.show/ Read more retail research here: http://www.us.jll.com/retail Theme music is Run in the Night by The Good Lawdz, under Creative Commons license .

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  Episode #395

  Rolling out New Tech Without the Pushback - Where We Buy #395

  Aug 14, 202626 min

  Elizabeth Boldin Thomas is SVP of Business Transformation and Intelligence at Centennial. She talks about how the company rolled out Claude to a small cross-functional cohort, why in-person training and a group of internal influencers made the difference, and how the effort has already saved roughly 2,800 person hours a year. She also covers the distinction between AI and automation, the weekly show and tell that keeps momentum going, and why the human side of change management matters more than the technology. James Cook is the Head of Retail Research for JLL. Keisha Virtue is the Retail Research Manager in the Americas for JLL. Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify Listen: WhereWeBuy.show Email: jamesd.cook@jll.com YouTube: http://everythingweknow.show/ Read more retail research here: http://www.us.jll.com/retail Theme music is Run in the Night by The Good Lawdz, under Creative Commons license .

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  Episode #393

  Trust Is the Real Barrier to AI in Retail Real Estate - Where We Buy #393

  Aug 3, 202629 min

  Alim Uderbekov is CEO and Co-Founder of Surfaice, an AI operating system built for the full retail store lifecycle, from lease administration and CAM reconciliation to construction budgeting, punch walks, and facility management. Speaking live from the ICSC PropTech stage in Las Vegas, Uderbekov explains how pre-trained agents plug into a company's existing systems to eliminate repetitive work — by his count, roughly a million clicks to open a single store. He also discusses trust and adoption barriers in commercial real estate, his path from aerospace engineering to retail, and The Store Development AI Playbook: A Field Guide , co-authored with Schaefer Jones of the JD Sports Fashion store development team. James Cook is the Head of Retail Research for JLL. Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify Listen: WhereWeBuy.show Email: jamesd.cook@jll.com YouTube: http://everythingweknow.show/ Read more retail research here: http://www.us.jll.com/retail Theme music is Run in the Night by The Good Lawdz, under Creative Commons license .

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  Episode #392

  Keeping Downtown Austin Authentic in the Middle of a Building Boom - Where We Buy #392

  Jul 17, 202623 min

  Davon Barbour is President and CEO of the Downtown Austin Alliance, the organization representing over 1,200 property owners in one of the fastest-growing downtowns in America. Barbour discusses Austin's rise to the 12th largest city in the U.S., the $20 billion in public infrastructure projects reshaping downtown, and the new convention center that will be the first net zero carbon neutral facility of its kind in the world. He also covers efforts to attract experiential retail, support local businesses through construction disruption, and preserve the authentic culture of live music and local food that makes Austin unique. James Cook is the Director of Retail Research in the Americas for JLL. Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify Listen: WhereWeBuy.show Email: jamesd.cook@jll.com YouTube: http://everythingweknow.show/ Read more retail research here: http://www.us.jll.com/retail Theme music is Run in the Night by The Good Lawdz, under Creative Commons license .

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  Episode #391

  Wally's: Home of the Great American Road Trip - Where We Buy #391

  Jul 10, 202635 min

  Michael Rubenstein is CEO of Wally's, a rapidly growing travel center brand known as the "Home of the Great American Road Trip." Michael takes us on a tour of the company's third and largest location, a 53,000-square-foot facility in Whitestown, Indiana, and explains how Wally's is redefining the travel stop experience. He covers the company's origins, its retro Americana branding, an expansive food program featuring in-house chefs and made-from-scratch items, a massive retail section with original merchandise, and the real estate strategy behind site selection. Rubenstein also discusses private label products, EV charging, dwell time, and plans for a fourth location in Kansas City. James Cook is the Director of Retail Research in the Americas for JLL. Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify Listen: WhereWeBuy.show Email: jamesd.cook@jll.com YouTube: http://everythingweknow.show/ Read more retail research here: http://www.us.jll.com/retail Theme music is Run in the Night by The Good Lawdz, under Creative Commons license .

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