In this episode of Commercial Real Estate Now, host Karly Iacono sits down with Ben Crowder, Principal at Bohler, to break down the engineering and site planning realities behind retail development today.

Ben shares what retailers and developers consistently miss when evaluating sites — from overlooking existing site conditions to underestimating the entitlement process — and explains why bringing in an engineer before signing an LOI can be the difference between a smooth approval and a costly mistake.

Topics covered:

-The #1 mistake retailers make in site selection (and what to look for instead)

-How the definition of a "good retail site" has evolved over the last 5–10 years

-Drive-through design: stacking and mobile pick up

-Gas/convenience: high trip generation, access challenges, and site sizing

-Power availability and EV charging as new gating factors in retail development

-Mall and big box repositioning: flipping inside to outside, mixed-use conversions, and the "walking wallets" strategy

-Why landscape architecture and outdoor activation are no longer afterthoughts

➡️ Learn More About Bohler Here: https://bohlerengineering.com/

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#CommercialRealEstate #SiteSelection #RetailDevelopment #CRE #DriveThrough #RetailTrends #MixedUse #BigBox #QSR #CREPodcast #BohlerEngineering #KarlyIacono

What Retailers Get Wrong About Site Selection | Ben Crowder, Bohler

Commercial Real Estate Now

What Retailers Get Wrong About Site Selection | Ben Crowder, Bohler