Where We Buy: Retail Real Estate with James Cook

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100

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Aug 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

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 .

August 21, 2026Episode 39624 min

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

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 .

August 14, 2026Episode 39526 min

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

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 .

August 10, 2026Episode 39423 min

AEW's Retail Strategy with Lauren Holden - Where We Buy #394

Lauren Holden is Managing Director, Head of Retail at AEW, one of the world's largest real estate investment managers, with about $40 billion under management in the US. Holden discusses AEW's retail portfolio of roughly 45 assets and 10.5 million square feet, from enclosed malls to grocery anchored neighborhood centers, and why the community center is her favorite property type. She also covers the firm's move into ground-up development, how it finds deals in a tough acquisitions market, the role of food and beverage in driving dwell time, and what she looks for when hiring a leasing or management firm. 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 .

August 3, 2026Episode 39328 min

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

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 .

July 17, 2026Episode 39223 min

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

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 .

July 10, 2026Episode 39135 min

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

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 .

July 3, 2026Episode 39033 min

JLL Spark's Nearly Half-Billion Bet on PropTech - Where We Buy #390

Raj Singh is Managing Partner at JLL Spark Global Ventures, the corporate venture capital arm of JLL that has invested more than $445 million in early-stage tech startups focused on the built world. Raj explains how they evaluate and support PropTech investments, from 3D space visualization tools to AI-powered leasing assistants. He also discusses the role of proprietary data in AI, the rise of agentic commerce, and how retail real estate professionals should be thinking about technology adoption today. 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 .