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WITH ROB SAMTMANN

Rob Samtmann | Aug 03, 2026 |
Retail News

Value Drives Growth

For years, restaurants relied on price increases to grow revenue. A recent article in QSRMagazine.com points out that that strategy is becoming less effective as consumers become more selective with discretionary spending. The National Restaurant Association projects just 1.3% real sales growth this year, while industry traffic has remained soft. Today’s diners aren’t necessarily looking […]
Rob Samtmann | Jul 17, 2026 |
Retail News

Gen Z Discovers IRL Shopping Is Cool

Fashion trends move in cycles, and this time the shift is bigger than clothing styles. It’s changing how young people shop, and where. Gen Z, the first fully digital generation and the largest generation in the US at roughly 70 million people, grew up with easy online shopping and pandemic-disrupted school and social lives. Now […]
Rob Samtmann | Jul 02, 2026 |
Retail News

May Retail Sales Jump 6.6%

U.S. retail sales climbed 6.6% in May compared to a year ago, reaching $275.21 billion in total monthly sales. E-commerce led the way, rising nearly 10%, according to data released by the U.S. Department of Commerce. But the headline number tells only part of the story. Inflation and a wave of late tax refunds helped […]
Rob Samtmann | Jun 19, 2026 |
Retail News

GLP-1s Are Rewriting the Rules of Retail

A recent article in RetailDive.com reported on how the new weight-loss drugs are reshaping retail, and is poised to impact retailers beyond this surge in demand, disrupting assortment planning and exposing weakness in processes. People using GLP-1 weight-loss drugs are buying new clothes, shoes, and more. As of last fall, nearly a quarter of U.S. […]
Rob Samtmann | Jun 03, 2026 |
Retail News

Philly's World Cup Retail Moment

Philadelphia quietly made a smart bet on the FIFA World Cup, and the city’s retail and food-and-beverage scene stands to benefit. While other host cities chased the classic mega-event playbook of high-spending international tourists and premium hotel packages, Philadelphia prepared for a more realistic outcome: shorter domestic trips, regional visitors and deal-conscious fans who still […]
Rob Samtmann | May 21, 2026 |
Retail News

AI Guides. Retailers Win.

Artificial intelligence has changed how consumers research and evaluate products before they ever walk into a store or open a retailer’s app. As outlined in a recent Forbes.com article, nearly a quarter of global consumers now turn to generative AI during their shopping journey, and AI-driven referrals grew more than 300% globally in 2025. For […]
Rob Samtmann | Apr 20, 2026 |
Retail News

Wealthy consumers are heading to dollar stores

The dollar store sector has been pulling off one of retail’s most interesting customer acquisition stories in recent memory. A recent article by RetailDive.com reported that chains like Dollar Tree, Dollar General, and Five Below have all seen real growth among higher-income households, a group that rarely set foot in these stores not long ago. […]
Rob Samtmann | Mar 25, 2026 |
Retail News

Fitness Is Moving In

Retail leasing hit a historic milestone in 2025. As leasing platform Costar recently reported, for the first time on record service-based tenants leased more retail space than traditional goods-based retailers. The margin was narrow, with services accounting for 50.4% of leasing activity compared to 49.6% for goods, but the significance of the crossover goes beyond […]
Rob Samtmann | Mar 17, 2026 |
Retail News

Philly's Economy Is Having a Moment

Philadelphia is emerging as one of the most compelling economic success stories in the United States. As a recent article in the Philadelphia Inquirer points out, among the 25 largest metropolitan areas in the country, the Philadelphia region recorded the strongest job growth last year, outpacing high-profile cities such as Atlanta, Dallas, Denver, and Phoenix […]
Rob Samtmann | Feb 17, 2026 |
Retail News

2026 Consumer Playbook

In a recent article in Forbes, Kate Hardcastle reported on several forces currently shaping consumer behavior. Retailers are entering 2026 facing a customer who wants both advanced technology and human reassurance. Shoppers appreciate personalization and convenience, but only when they feel in control. The past few years have trained consumers to question systems that feel […]

Rob Samtmann

Rob is Managing Principal of Equity CRE and he specializes in tenant representation and leasing.

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