What Can 25 Years in Retail Real Estate Teach Us About Resilience and Growth?

On this episode of Retail Retold, Chris Ressa welcomes longtime friend and industry leader Hue Chen, President of Saglo Companies, for a conversation packed with stories and lessons from 25 years in retail real estate.

Hue reflects on starting his career in the trenches of the Great Recession, when lead-sharing boards and creativity kept deals alive. He shares how an unlikely sabbatical during that downturn reshaped his outlook, and why sometimes the “boring” tenants — daycares, laundromats, coin ops — deliver the biggest wins.

From comparing ICSC attendee lists in 2018 vs. 2025 to unpacking why beverage brands like Dutch Bros and 7 Brew are exploding, Hue uses data and anecdotes to show how the retail landscape is constantly evolving. He and Chris also dive into deeper themes: what it takes to scale a company without being the bottleneck, how community-minded regional tenants often outperform nationals, and why consumer and retailer debt may be retail’s real risk today.

It’s a conversation that blends history, humor, and hard truths — and proves that the best retail stories aren’t always about lollipops and rainbows, but about resilience, adaptability, and the unexpected deals that shape entire careers.

What you'll hear:

• How the Great Recession forged Hue’s mindset — and why he never thought of leaving retail
• The sabbatical that reset his career and gave him long-term perspective
• Why “unsexy” tenants like daycares and laundromats can be the most profitable anchors
• What ICSC attendee lists reveal about a generational shift in retail leadership
• How Saglo builds systems so the president isn’t the bottleneck
• Why regional tenants with 2–20 stores often outperform big nationals
• The explosion of beverage concepts like Dutch Bros, 7 Brew, and Luckin Coffee — and what makes them different from Starbucks
• Why community engagement is often the real driver of tenant success
• The hidden risks: consumer debt and retailer leverage vs. the strength of retail real estate fundamentals
• Lessons on adaptability, resilience, and how a single deal can shape an entire career

Chapters

00:00 Navigating the Great Recession: A Shared Journey

09:32 The Evolution of Retail Real Estate

20:47 Current Market Dynamics and Future Outlook

24:56 Retail Resilience and Market Dynamics

28:22 Concerns in Retail: Debt and Consumer Behavior

31:26 The Importance of Community Engagement in Retail

34:24 The Rise of Coffee Concepts in Retail

40:30 Defining the 'Third Place' in Today's Society