Plain Talk

Success in business often hinges on a deceptively simple question: Where should we be? Whether you’re opening your first storefront or optimizing a nationwide network, the location you choose can influence everything from customer acquisition to operational efficiency. It's not just about finding available real estate; it’s about choosing a place where your brand can thrive.

Today’s business environment is defined by rising costs, shifting consumer expectations, and increased competition from both digital and physical players. Choosing the right location has never been more important. It’s a decision that influences revenue, operations, and your ability to adapt in a fast‑changing market.

This blog explores why brick‑and‑mortar still plays a pivotal role in business success, what’s changed in the landscape post‑pandemic, and how modern location strategies – powered by data and analytics – can help you grow smarter.

Why Finding the Right Location Matters Even More Now
Five years after the pandemic upended the retail landscape, its long‑tail effects are still reshaping how, and where, brands choose to operate. While much of the immediate disruption has faded, the aftershocks continue to ripple across the industry. According to Retail Dive, the stimulus‑fueled consumer spending boom of 2020 has given way to tightening wallets, a pullback in discretionary purchases, and rising bankruptcy filings, especially in home‑related and specialty categories. Many retailers are still grappling with the demand that was pulled forward during the pandemic, followed by inflation and reduced savings that pressured shoppers in subsequent years.

Store closures are once again accelerating. Coresight Research projects that 15,000 stores could close in 2025 – more than double last year’s total and even surpassing the closure count from 2020. This wave of consolidation is being driven not just by weakened demand but also by increasing competitive pressure from fast‑moving e‑commerce players like Shein, Temu, and TikTok Shop. For many legacy retailers and department stores, streamlining physical footprints has become a necessity to cut costs and survive.

At the same time, the real estate market is tighter than ever. As outlined in Buxton’s 2025 Retail Real Estate Outlook, vacancy rates have fallen to 20‑year lows, new development is constrained by high construction costs, and competition for second‑gen space has intensified. Retailers that once prioritized scale are now opting for smaller, more strategic stores in high‑performing trade areas.

This environment leaves little room for error. Rising occupancy costs, coupled with elevated consumer expectations, mean that a misstep in site selection can drain resources and delay profitability. With fewer expansion opportunities and higher stakes, businesses must choose locations that deliver measurable return on investment.

That’s why more organizations are turning to data‑backed strategies. Location intelligence platforms like Buxton’s empower decision‑makers to assess real estate potential using consumer insights, foot traffic analytics, and market dynamics before signing a lease.

Access our Retail Real Estate Outlook and Healthcare Real Estate Outlook to explore the latest trends shaping location decisions across sectors.

Advantages of the Ideal Location for Your Business
Finding the right site doesn’t just improve your chances of success; it shapes the very foundation of how your business grows. Here are just a few advantages of choosing a well‑aligned location:

• Stronger customer reach: Well‑placed sites align with your core consumer demographics and psychographics.
• Higher foot traffic and conversion rates: Ideal locations are visible, accessible, and part of natural shopping patterns.
• Improved brand equity: Locations in high‑performing trade areas elevate your brand’s presence and market perception.
• Operational efficiency: Proximity to suppliers, labor pools, and key infrastructure supports better performance.
• Reduced financial risk: When backed by analytics, site decisions lead to smarter capital deployment.

Buxton helps businesses discover these ideal locations by blending proprietary analytics and software to identify sites that align with both short‑term sales goals and long‑term strategic growth.

Your Business Location Strategy Still Matters
Choosing a site is a tactical decision. Building a location strategy is a long‑term investment in your brand’s future.

A business location strategy considers more than just geography. It connects market demand, consumer behavior, and operational goals to ensure each site is contributing to the company’s overall performance. In today’s world where physical footprints are being recalibrated, understanding your ideal customer and where they live, work, and shop has become increasingly important.

For consumer‑facing businesses that rely on foot traffic, a location strategy should answer key questions:

• Who are my best customers?
• Where are they concentrated?
• What trade areas are under‑ or overperforming?
• How do my competitors’ locations affect my opportunities?

These are the kinds of questions Buxton’s location intelligence platform is designed to answer. By analyzing trade area dynamics, co‑tenancy effects, and competitive saturation, our tools provide a roadmap for real estate planning that goes beyond guesswork.

Ready to Get Started with Buxton?
In a market where economic uncertainty, consumer behavior shifts, and digital competition collide, one thing is clear: your physical location still plays a central role in your success.

From reducing costly mistakes to uncovering high‑growth trade areas, Buxton equips your team with the tools and insights to make smarter, faster location decisions. Whether you're opening your first store or managing a national portfolio, our location intelligence solutions help ensure you're in the right place, at the right time, with the right strategy.

Buxton is the leading customer analytics firm that helps organizations identify who their customers are, where those customers are located, and the value those customers have to the organization.

2651 South Polaris Drive
Fort Worth, TX 76137
1-888-2BUXTON

buxtonco.com

Feature Articles

If you have an opinion on the retailing or retail real estate industries, take this opportunity to share your thoughts. Articles should run between 400 and 800 words. Topics can, be general in nature, consumer observation or specific to retail concepts or practices.

Articles will be posted for at least one week and will then be placed in the Editorial Archives. All articles submitted will be read and considered but we cannot guarantee publication. Each published article will carry the submitters byline (if desired) and is a free service to our community.

Article ideas and suggestions are also always welcomed. Contact PVS@PlainVanillaShell.com