Where We Buy: Retail Real Estate with James Cook

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100

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Nov 2026

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About the show

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.

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60 recent

November 6, 2026Episode 40629 min

Fewer Films, Fewer Tickets, Higher Prices - Where We Buy #406

It's only been a year since The Cinema Bridge was on the show, but a lot has happened. Domestic box office is on track for its highest grosses since the pandemic, IMAX became the hot ticket with the release of The Odyssey, and Paramount has merged with Warner Bros., putting even more of Hollywood under one media umbrella. Partners Chuck Stilley, Eva Mui, and Mark McDonald explain what all of this means for movie theaters and the shopping centers they anchor. They also cover fewer film releases, premium formats and higher ticket prices, and the case for smaller, right-sized cinemas with better amenities. 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 .

October 30, 2026Episode 40528 min

Steven Schussler: The Shock and Awe Behind Rainforest Cafe - Where We Buy #405

Steven Schussler is the creator of Rainforest Cafe, T-Rex Cafe, Yak & Yeti, and The Boathouse at Disney Springs. He explains his "shock and awe" approach to building concepts that combine attraction, restaurant, and retail under one roof, and shares the story of the full-scale Rainforest Cafe he built inside his suburban home. Sunhi Ryan, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Schussler Creative joins him for a tour of the new concepts the team is developing in their Minnesota warehouses. 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 .

October 23, 2026Episode 40429 min

Why Culver's Doesn't Chase Store Counts - Where We Buy #404

Christie Hughes is Senior Vice President, Design, Development & Construction at Culver's, the family-owned restaurant chain known for ButterBurgers, frozen custard, and Midwest hospitality. Since opening in Sauk City, Wisconsin in 1984, the brand has grown to more than 1,000 locations. Hughes explains how Culver's keeps growing without losing its focus on fresh food and hospitality, including its owner-operator model, its community-first approach to choosing sites, and the first major redesign of its restaurants. She also covers rising construction costs, expansion into new states, and the passion around the flavor of the day. 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 .

October 16, 2026Episode 40338 min

The Opposite of a Flash Mob: Inconspicuous Games - Where We Buy #403

Molly Sonsteng and Sam Utne are co-founders of Madcap Factory, a creative studio that designs amusingly eccentric experiences for brands, organizations, and communities. Sonsteng and Utne explain Inconspicuous Games, their secret version of capture the flag played in venues like Grand Central Terminal and Mall of America, and how property owners can use play to activate space without disrupting daily operations. They also cover layered revenue, the Minneapolis Activation Lab, and why people are craving community in physical spaces. James Cook is the Head of Retail Research at 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 .

October 9, 2026Episode 40227 min

Why Canada Doesn't Have Dead Malls - Where We Buy #402

James Cook heads to Toronto to catch up with Vince Brown and Paul Lessner to learn more about the current state of Canadian shopping centers. They talk about the fallout from the closure of Hudson's Bay department stores, the new anchors drawing shoppers into malls, and the rise of value retailers. They also discuss the impact of tariffs, high construction costs, and how immigration and housing affordability are shaping retail. Vince Brown is Executive Managing Director, Property Management at JLL. Paul Lessner is EVP, National Shopping Centre Leasing at JLL. 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 .

October 2, 202647 min

Calm Stores, Happy Shoppers - Where We Buy #401

The JLL Design team joins the show to discuss their new report, Resetting the Retail (Algo)rhythm, which finds that shoppers are overwhelmed by too many choices, screens, and sensory noise. Representing four generations, from Gen Z to Boomers, the team explains how shopping attitudes differ by age, why seven in 10 millennials will walk out of an overstimulating store, and how retailers can design calmer spaces through curation, storytelling, and fewer screens. They also cover employee wellbeing, noting that 82% of retail employees want stores designed with their needs in mind. Guests from JLL Design include Diane Rambo, Executive Vice President; Mark Bateman, Executive Managing Director, Retail Solutions Group; Ashley Rowland Taylor, Vice President, Strategy; and Chris Anderson, Environmental Designer. Download the report: https://www.jll.com/en-us/insights/resetting-the-retail-algorhythm James Cook is the Head of Retail Research at 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 .

September 18, 2026Episode 40032 min

MartinPatrick 3 Is One of the Best Stores in the Country - Where We Buy #400

Anne Mezzenga is Founder and CEO of Retail Field Report, a video-first platform exploring what's really happening on the ground floor of retail. James Cook joins Anne at MartinPatrick 3, her favorite store in Minneapolis and one of The New York Times' top 25 places to shop for apparel in the United States. Store Manager Hoss Al-Gassid leads a tour of the 30,000 square foot North Loop destination, covering its origins as an interior design firm, its hospitality-driven approach to customer service, and its curated mix of luxury apparel, niche fragrances, home furnishings, and a barber shop. Mezzenga and Cook also discuss the revitalization of the North Loop neighborhood, training sales associates to be hosts rather than salespeople, and what Mezzenga has learned working gig shifts in stores across the country. James Cook is the Head of Retail Research at 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 .

September 11, 2026Episode 39917 min

Twin Cities Retail from the Drive-Through Lane - Where We Buy #399

Jeremy Grittner and Zac Hoang with JLL work with the local 7 Brew franchisee opening new locations across the Minneapolis region. Recorded from a car in the drive-through of the brand's first metro location in Vadnais Heights, they explain why 7 Brew sees a void in a market dominated by Starbucks and Caribou Coffee, what the brand needs from a site, and why drive-through real estate is so hard to come by in Minnesota. They also break down the metro's retail geography, from the Minneapolis and St. Paul cores out to the suburban trade areas, and share their recommendations for out-of-towners. Plus, a 7 Brew taste test. 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 .

September 4, 2026Episode 39837 min

Why Dallas-Fort Worth Is Building More Retail Than Anywhere Else - Where We Buy #398

Dallas-Fort Worth is the national leader in retail real estate construction, with retail development there running nearly 40% higher than the next closest US market and roughly seven million square feet in the pipeline. On this episode, three guests will explain what is driving it. Kenton McKeehan, President and Chief Investment Officer at Big V Property Group, and Mike Jordan, Director of Research, discuss their new open air retail development in Anna, Texas. Rob Franks, Managing Director at JLL, covers the grocery wars, record-low vacancy, and the fast-growing suburbs of Anna, Melissa, Prosper and Celina, along with the billions in tech investment near Sherman that is adding rooftops across North Texas. 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 .

August 28, 2026Episode 39728 min

The AI Drive-Through That Trains Itself - Where We Buy #397

Koen Schmitz is Chief Commercial Officer at Vox AI, an Amsterdam-based voice AI company building drive-through and phone ordering agents for quick-service restaurants. Schmitz explains why most AI drive-through failures come down to implementation, and how Vox AI trains a separate model for each individual restaurant location to handle dialects, product slang, and background noise. He also covers response latency, the handoff between AI and human operators, staff reaction in real restaurants, and how order-ahead pickup could reshape drive-through design. 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 .