Where We Buy: Retail Real Estate with James Cook

Sam Wang is Co-Founder and CEO of Mirra Immersive LLC, the creator of Mirra Arena, a competitive social VR arena that combines multiplayer active gameplay with large-format LED spectator displays. Wang explains how he and his partner conceived the concept during the pandemic and built a proprietary system where up to eight players compete in VR while friends watch the action on a massive screen in real time. He covers the company's flagship venue in Bellevue, Washington, its expansion through licensing deals in China, and the challenge of making location-based entertainment profitable. Wang also discusses the role of AI in personalizing the game experience and how his background in film, including work on Jackie Chan movies and the 2008 Beijing Olympic opening ceremony, shaped his approach to creating cinematic, accessible games for a broad audience.

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify Listen: WhereWeBuy.show

Email: [email protected]

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.

Carrie Charleston is Vice President-Head of Leasing at Mall of America, the 5.6-million-square-foot shopping, entertainment, and dining destination in Bloomington, Minnesota, owned by Triple Five Group. Carrie discusses the wave of new brands debuting at Mall of America—from SKIMS and Alo Yoga to Pop Mart and Miniso—and the growing influence of Asian retail and K-pop culture on the tenant mix. She also covers the property's marquee entertainment offerings, including Nickelodeon Universe and Sea Life Aquarium, the rise of competitive socializing concepts like Activate and Escape Games, and plans for a future water park expansion. Charleston explains how social media and influencer culture drive foot traffic, and how Mall of America collaborates with sister properties West Edmonton Mall and American Dream to offer retailers a unique portfolio of mega-destinations.

This interview was recorded at Entertainment Experience Evolution 2026, a conference by InterFace Conference Group, which is a division of France Media Inc.

James Cook is the Director of Retail Research in the Americas for JLL.

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify Listen: WhereWeBuy.show

Email: [email protected]

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.

Emily Crutcher, Senior Vice President of JLL's Government and Education Division, and Elsa Wilson, Senior Analyst in Research at JLL, join the show to discuss their analysis of 18 university anchored innovation districts across the United States. They explain how these districts — from Stanford Research Park to Kendall Square — foster innovation through concentrations of research institutions, startups, corporate partners, and venture capital. Office properties in these districts command up to a 36% rent premium and retail rents see a 28% premium compared to national benchmarks. The conversation covers case studies in Cambridge, Pittsburgh, and at Arizona State University, the role of entrepreneurial retail concepts in activating these districts, and why innovation districts are increasingly relevant for investors, occupiers, and public sector leaders.

James Cook is the Director of Retail Research in the Americas for JLL.

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify Listen: WhereWeBuy.show

Email: [email protected]

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.

Tucker Trotter is CEO of Dimensional Innovations, and Spencer Farley is Practice Director of Entertainment and Hospitality. They discuss Atlas9, an immersive experience in Kansas City themed around a 1990s movie theater where films have come to life. They explain how the concept was born during COVID, the role of live performers, and the gamification and narrative elements that drive repeat visits. They also cover the venue's food and beverage offerings, corporate event demand, expansion plans, and the company's other projects, including the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library and projects with major sports and entertainment brands.

This interview was recorded at Entertainment Experience Evolution 2026, a conference by InterFace Conference Group, which is a division of France Media Inc.

James Cook is the Director of Retail Research in the Americas for JLL.

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify Listen: WhereWeBuy.show

Email: [email protected]

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.

Kevin Vuong is SVP of Global Store and Workplace Experience at Capri Holdings, the parent company of Michael Kors. Kevin talks about how the brand is redefining its signature "jet set" lifestyle for a new generation of customers, including the rollout of Jet Set Lounges with food and beverage in flagship stores in New York, London, and Beijing. He also covers the brand's award-winning popup activations at Galeries Lafayette, rising construction costs and tariff planning, an ambitious plan to renovate half of the company's global store fleet, sustainability efforts including LEED certification, and why he finds inspiration in the grit and diversity of New York City.

This episode was recorded in front of a live audience at the 2026 Luxury Retail Leaders Summit at The Beekman in New York.

James Cook is the Director of Retail Research in the Americas for JLL.

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify Listen: WhereWeBuy.show

Email: [email protected]

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.

Phil Colicchio is co-founder of Central Perk Coffee Company and head of Colicchio Consulting. Phil shares the origin story of how a pitch meeting at Warner Bros. about a sandwich concept unexpectedly led to a license for the globally iconic Central Perk brand from the hit TV show Friends. He discusses the challenges of raising capital without owning the intellectual property, the decision to test the concept in Boston before opening in Times Square, and lessons learned from early operational mistakes. He also covers the company's growth plans, its hub-and-spoke expansion strategy, and why quality and hospitality remain at the core of the brand.

James Cook is the Director of Retail Research in the Americas for JLL.

This interview was recorded at Entertainment Experience Evolution 2026, a conference by InterFace Conference Group, which is a division of France Media Inc.

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify Listen: WhereWeBuy.show

Email: [email protected]

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.

Paul Sill uses data and predictive analytics to help retailers, restaurants, and other brick-and-mortar businesses make site selection decisions. Paul explains the critical difference between correlation and causation in retail data, explaining that misreading data can lead to costly mistakes. He also discusses how new data sources like social media behavior and mobile foot traffic are shaping modern site selection, why AI still can't replace human judgment in real estate modeling, and the importance of validating instincts with data. Paul, who also teaches at DePaul University, emphasizes that good analytics are about mitigating risk, not providing easy answers.

Paul Sill is Managing Director and Head of the Visionary Insights Group at JLL,

James Cook is the Director of Retail Research in the Americas for JLL.

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify Listen: WhereWeBuy.show

Email: [email protected]

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.

Walter Wahlfeldt is Midwest Retail Lead at JLL. He discusses the state of retail real estate in Chicago, from the recovery of the central business district to the evolving Magnificent Mile. He covers return-to-office trends, shifting retail rents, the grocery wars heating up in the market, and what makes Chicago a top-five destination for expanding retailers. Wahlfeldt also shares lessons from his own experience as a former bakery owner and what he looks for when evaluating retail concepts.

James Cook is the Director of Retail Research in the Americas for JLL.

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify Listen: WhereWeBuy.show

Email: [email protected]

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.

Uli Stosch is Chief Officer of Strategic Development at Planet Aid, Inc., a nonprofit organization that collects and resells used clothing and textiles through nearly 10,000 donation bins across 15 states. Uli explains Planet Aid's mission to divert textiles from landfills, support reuse over recycling, and fund sustainable development projects worldwide. She discusses the logistics of placing donation centers in retail locations, including lease negotiations with shopping center owners, ideal site characteristics, and overcoming industry challenges. She also covers Planet Aid's innovative solar-powered donation centers with security cameras, ESG reporting benefits for landlords, the growing textile waste crisis, extended producer responsibility laws, and the organization's curated resale store called The Loop.

James Cook is the Director of Retail Research in the Americas for JLL.

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify Listen: WhereWeBuy.show

Email: [email protected]

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.

Taeyun Kim is Chief Development Officer at CJ Foodville US, the parent company of Tous les Jours, a French-Asian bakery cafe chain with over 180 locations across 31 states. Taeyun discusses the company's ambitious expansion plans to reach 1,000 stores by 2030, explaining the brand's unique positioning as a neighborhood bakery offering fresh-baked pastries and bread with European and Asian influences. She covers the franchise-driven growth model, ideal real estate requirements (3,000 square feet in prominent locations), and the recent opening of a state-of-the-art production facility in Gainesville, Georgia to support supply chain stability. She also shares insights on menu innovation, the Korean bakery tradition, signature items like cloud cakes and salt bread, and her background in restaurant real estate development, including her work with Panda Restaurant Group, Argo Tea, and Wow Bao's ghost kitchen program during the pandemic.

James Cook is the Director of Retail Research in the Americas for JLL.

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify Listen: WhereWeBuy.show

Email: [email protected]

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.