CCIM
CONNECTIONS
Faith
in Retail
The retail sector continues to reinvent itself to appeal to today's consumers. No one understands
the nuances of this evolution better than Faith Hope Consolo, chairman of Douglas Elliman Real
Estate's retail sales and leasing division in New York. Known as New York City's "Queen of Retail,"
Consolo counts Cartier and Burberry as clients along with other notable luxury brands.
With a keen eye on the sector's trends, Consolo sees a shif in the realm of online shopping.
"E-tailing is changing the types of stores that are
Visit CCIM in the Leasing Mall expanding, the size of many retailers, and how they
at ICSC's RECon 2013, May
manage their business," she says. "Many apparel
20–22, in Las Vegas. Register and other specialty retailers have embraced
for CCIM's networking and
e-tailing as a distribution channel, allowing them
educational opportunities at
to downsize their store prototypes and embrace
tables.ccim.com.
inventory control technologies that
beneft the bottom line overall."
At the International Council of Shopping Centers' RECon 2013 event this
month, Consolo will moderate a panel of e-tailers that are experimenting
with brick-and-mortar locations, as well as more-traditional merchants.
"Shopping remains a touchy-feely experience for many products," she
explains. "You can buy a cashmere sweater or leather purse online, but
you really can't determine its quality without feeling it. E-tailers are
realizing this and cautiously testing brick-and-mortar prototypes."
Companies dabbling in store-based concepts include Gap's
Piperlime, Bespoke Global, Bonobos, Etsy, Microsof, and Bauble
Bar, she adds.
As a successful woman in a male-dominated industry,
Consolo ofers some words of wisdom for other women
forging real estate careers: "Don't take no for an answer
and make sure you connect with other women in the
business," says the past president of Te Association of
Real Estate Women and a board member of the New
York chapter of the Commercial Real Estate Women
Network. "We succeed most when we succeed
together."
Faith Hope Consolo will present a Women's Special Interest
Group panel, "Retail: The Next Wave," on Sunday, May 19,
at ICSC's RECon 2013 in Las Vegas.
48
May | June | 2013
C o me ci nv stme t Rea Estat
Commercia Inve stment Real E state
Commercial Investment Real Estate
Commercial
om er ia
ent
Es ate
st te