Podcast
Where We Buy: Retail Real Estate with James Cook
Hosted by Where We Buy · EN
James Cook and his fellow retail researchers visit shopping destinations around the world, interview retail and real estate executives and discuss market research in a fast-paced and fun setting. James researches retail and real estate for JLL.
16episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Keeping Downtown Austin Authentic in the Middle of a Building Boom - Where We Buy #392
1w ago00:23:27Tap to summarizeDavon Barbour is President and CEO of the Downtown Austin Alliance, the organization representing over 1,200 property owners in one of the fastest-growing downtowns in America. Barbour discusses Austin's rise to the 12th largest city in the U.S., the $20 billion in public infrastructure projects reshaping downtown, and the new convention center that will be the first net zero carbon neutral facility of its kind in the world. He also covers efforts to attract experiential retail, support local businesses through construction disruption, and preserve the authentic culture of live music and local food that makes Austin unique. James Cook is the Director of Retail Research in the Americas for JLL. Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify Listen: WhereWeBuy.show Email: jamesd.cook@jll.com 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.
Transcribe →Wally's: Home of the Great American Road Trip - Where We Buy #391
2w ago00:35:12Tap to summarizeMichael Rubenstein is CEO of Wally's, a rapidly growing travel center brand known as the "Home of the Great American Road Trip." Michael takes us on a tour of the company's third and largest location, a 53,000-square-foot facility in Whitestown, Indiana, and explains how Wally's is redefining the travel stop experience. He covers the company's origins, its retro Americana branding, an expansive food program featuring in-house chefs and made-from-scratch items, a massive retail section with original merchandise, and the real estate strategy behind site selection. Rubenstein also discusses private label products, EV charging, dwell time, and plans for a fourth location in Kansas City. James Cook is the Director of Retail Research in the Americas for JLL. Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify Listen: WhereWeBuy.show Email: jamesd.cook@jll.com 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.
Transcribe →JLL Spark's Nearly Half-Billion Bet on PropTech - Where We Buy #390
3w ago00:33:37Tap to summarizeRaj Singh is Managing Partner at JLL Spark Global Ventures, the corporate venture capital arm of JLL that has invested more than $445 million in early-stage tech startups focused on the built world. Raj explains how they evaluate and support PropTech investments, from 3D space visualization tools to AI-powered leasing assistants. He also discusses the role of proprietary data in AI, the rise of agentic commerce, and how retail real estate professionals should be thinking about technology adoption today. James Cook is the Director of Retail Research in the Americas for JLL. Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify Listen: WhereWeBuy.show Email: jamesd.cook@jll.com 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.
Transcribe →Scaling a 24-Hour Vet ER Across 34 States - Where We Buy #389
Jun 2600:25:26Tap to summarizeJennifer Hanlon is Vice President of Real Estate and Development at VEG ER for Pets, an emergency and urgent care hospital network for animals with 131 locations across 34 states and Canada. She discusses the company's rapid growth, opening roughly 30 locations per year, and its unique open-concept ER model that allows pet owners to stay with their animals throughout treatment. She also talks about what makes an ideal site, how the real estate team approaches visibility and access, and what it's been like scaling the business from the ground up over eight years. Keish Virtue is the Retail Research Manager in the Americas for JLL. James Cook is the Director of Retail Research in the Americas for JLL. Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify Listen: WhereWeBuy.show Email: jamesd.cook@jll.com 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.
Transcribe →The Sweet Spot for AI in PropTech - Where We Buy #388
Jun 1900:31:23Tap to summarizeChoon Lee is CEO and founder of Abstra Company and Abstra Point, and has been working in artificial intelligence for fifteen years. Lee explains why generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude are not always the right solution, particularly for derivative tasks like lease abstraction and LOI summarization in commercial real estate. He breaks down the difference between generative, derivative, and analytical AI, and why using the wrong model leads to hallucinations and unreliable results. Lee also discusses the limitations of vibe coding, why subject matter experts are more important than ever, and whether AI agents are ready to be trusted with real-world tasks. Recorded live from the ICSC+PROPTECH stage in Las Vegas. James Cook is the Director of Retail Research in the Americas for JLL. Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify Listen: WhereWeBuy.show Email: jamesd.cook@jll.com 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.
Transcribe →The Editor's Top Five Trends Worth Tracking - Where We Buy #387
Jun 1200:24:21Tap to summarizeAmanda Metcalf is Editor-in-Chief at Commerce + Communities Today at ICSC. Her job is to stay on top of everything new and noteworthy in the world of retail real estate. Amanda shares the top five trends she is tracking, including stadium districts, medical uses at malls, nostalgia-driven retail, the evolution of specialty leasing and ancillary income, and why Chicago has become a go-to testing ground for new retail concepts. James Cook is the Director of Retail Research in the Americas for JLL. Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify Listen: WhereWeBuy.show Email: jamesd.cook@jll.com 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.
Transcribe →The Streets Where Brands Want to Be - Where We Buy #386
Jun 500:26:38Tap to summarizeL3 Capital has a simple thesis: location, location, location. They find the streets where people want to be and invest in them. James spoke with Whitney Robinette of L3 Capital about how her firm is building prime urban retail portfolios in neighborhoods like SoHo, Williamsburg, Gold Coast, and Fulton Market. They dig into what makes a great urban retail location, why luxury brands are heading to unexpected places, and how tenant relationships drive the entire strategy. James Cook is the Director of Retail Research in the Americas for JLL. Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify Listen: WhereWeBuy.show Email: jamesd.cook@jll.com 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.
Transcribe →Creating Real-World Experiences for Nike, Coinbase, and Taco Bell - Where We Buy #385
May 2900:36:23Tap to summarizeZack Teachout and Austin Mayer are with Hovercraft, a creative design practice that builds brand experiences for clients like Nike, Coinbase, Taco Bell, and BetMGM. They explain what it takes to get people away from their screens and into the real world. They share how Hovercraft designs retail spaces, temporary activations, and immersive installations that blend physical environments with technology. The conversation covers standout projects including a robotic basketball experience for Coinbase at NBA All-Star, a golf tournament activation for Taco Bell and Bad Birdie, and an interactive LED basketball court built inside an abandoned Las Vegas nightclub for BetMGM. Teachout and Mayer also discuss how they measure success, why shorter timelines often produce their best work, and the principles behind creating experiences that draw people in and keep them engaged. James Cook is the Director of Retail Research in the Americas for JLL. Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify Listen: WhereWeBuy.show Email: jamesd.cook@jll.com 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.
Transcribe →ICSC 2026 Wrap-Up with Naveen Jaggi - Where We Buy #384
May 2600:26:58Tap to summarizeRecording live from the JLL booth in the final hours of ICSC Las Vegas 2026, Naveen Jaggi, President, Retail Advisory Services for the Americas at JLL joins James Cook and Keisha Virtue to sum up the trends and themes from the largest commercial real estate conference in the world. Naveen shares his take on the state of retail leasing and the surprising resurgence of Class B and C malls. He also discusses the stressed consumer, the rise of value and discount retailers, the explosive growth of entertainment concepts in retail spaces, the expansion of Korean beauty and cosmetics brands into the US market, and how global retail markets compare. Keisha Virtue is the Retail Research Manager in the Americas for JLL. James Cook is the Director of Retail Research in the Americas for JLL. Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify Listen: WhereWeBuy.show Email: jamesd.cook@jll.com 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.
Transcribe →Naked Farmer CEO Jordan Johnson - Where We Buy #383
May 1500:32:09Tap to summarizeNaked Farmer is a fast casual restaurant chain that launched in Florida about six years ago with a plan to offer good meals with ingredients sourced from local farms. CEO and founder Jordan Johnson explains how the company builds direct relationships with Southeast farmers, plans seasonal menus nine to 12 months in advance, and applies fine dining culinary techniques in a fast casual setting. Johnson also discusses the company's origin story, including pivoting to a digital farmer's market during the pandemic, the challenges of entering new markets like Nashville and Charlotte, what makes an ideal restaurant location, and upcoming spring menu items like crispy sesame tofu and cucumber ranch salad. Now with 10 locations across Florida, North Carolina, and Tennessee, Johnson shares his vision for scaling regionally while keeping the mission of fixing the food supply system at the center of the brand. James Cook is the Director of Retail Research in the Americas for JLL. James Cook is the director of retail research in the Americas for JLL. Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify Listen: WhereWeBuy.show Email: jamesd.cook@jll.com 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.
Transcribe →