About 37,000 retailers, retail brokers, investors and other retail professionals doing business in U.S. and South Jersey retail real estate markets gathered recently in Las Vegas for RECon, the industry’s largest trade convention, amid a tangible sense of frustration.

That exasperation was not as much about the commercial real estate market – including South Jersey retail space – which remains uniformly good, but rather over the gloomy headlines and negative narrative regarding store closures and retailer bankruptcies that have dominated recent headlines.

This report on national and Southern New Jersey commercial properties is being made through South Jersey commercial real estate broker Wolf Commercial Real Estate, a South Jersey commercial real estate brokerage firm.

Attendees adopted a defensive stance with a hint of defiance about what many described as overblown sense of negativity by news outlets and industry analysts in reporting and dissecting the woes of those retailers in the U.S. and South Jersey commercial real estate markets as Sears, JCPenney, Macy’s and a series of apparel chains and others that have announced closures.

Throughout the sessions, brokers, landlords and retailers dealing with U.S. and South Jersey commercial real estate properties ridiculed headlines pronouncing a “retail Armageddon” and the death of brick-and-mortar stores.

“Contrary to so much media coverage, the world is not coming to an end by any means, for either physical retail or online retail. Just the opposite,” one industry leader told The CoStar Group. “Disruptive, yes, but great opportunities remain. We’re very, very bullish on the successful integration of the retail world with supply chain network.”

By the third day, however, the narrative at the annual celebration of global consumerism had shifted to hammering out deals involving national and South Jersey commercial real estate listings and sharing sale and lease strategies in the changing environment. Conference goers worked their phones and packed the Las Vegas Convention Center floor scouting out potential deals.

Panel discussions involving the U.S. commercial real estate market – including South Jersey retail space – focused on repurposing malls and shopping centers with the latest food, beverage and entertainment concepts, redeveloping aging Class B properties and rooting out the “hidden money traps” in onerous leases.

Many major mall players have largely weeded out B and C properties and are focused on building ‘fortress’ investments in their best assets and locations. For example, one major mall owner announced plans to add restaurant and entertainment space throughout its U.S. and South Jersey commercial real estate listings and to redevelop former department store sites to keep up with the changing preferences of its customers.

For more information about South Jersey retail space or other Southern New Jersey commercial properties, please contact Jason Wolf (jason.wolf@wolfcre.com; 856-856-6301) or Tony Banks (tony.banks@wolfcre.com; 215-799-6900) at Wolf Commercial Real Estate, a leading South Jersey commercial real estate broker that specializes in South Jersey retail space.

Wolf Commercial Real Estate is a South Jersey commercial real estate brokerage firm that provides a full range of Southern New Jersey commercial real estate listings and services, marketing commercial offices, medical properties, retail properties, land properties, retail buildings and other Southern New Jersey commercial properties for buyers, tenants, investors and sellers.

Wolf Commercial Real Estate, a South Jersey commercial real estate broker with expertise in Southern New Jersey commercial real estate listings, provides unparalleled expertise in matching companies and individuals seeking new South Jersey retail space with the Southern New Jersey commercial properties that best meets their needs.

As experts in Southern New Jersey commercial real estate listings and services, the team at our South Jersey commercial real estate brokerage firm provides ongoing detailed information about Southern New Jersey commercial properties to our clients and prospects to help them achieve their real estate goals.  If you are looking for South Jersey retail space for sale or lease, Wolf Commercial Real Estate is the South Jersey commercial real estate broker you need — a strategic partner who is fully invested in your long-term growth and success.

Please visit our websites for a full listing of Southern New Jersey commercial properties for lease or sale through our South Jersey commercial real estate brokerage firm.