Every four months or so since college, I’ve had the same bad experience at the hair salon. I walk in, bright-eyed and ready for a change -- full Anne Hathaway pre-makeover energy. Princess Diaries OR The Devil Wears Prada -- pick your Anne. Either way, I’m ready to leave that place as red carpet Anne and… it never quite goes that way.

I’ve changed stylists and even tried to lower my expectations, but I couldn’t break the cycle.

…UNTIL I was in a brokerage kickoff call and the lightbulb went off - it’s not the stylists’ fault at all...it was mine. My results stemmed from my own preparation, or lack thereof. 

Hair styles, much like retail spaces, are subjective. Sure, there are tren...

One of my great fears in life (besides clowns) is being suddenly thrust into a talent competition. I’m not a singer, I don’t play any instruments, and while my dance floor skills are excellent, my training came from the 1994 Bat Mitzvah circuit, so not exactly Julliard.

I have, however, realized that I do have some very specific…abilities?...that sometimes elicit responses like an “oh, wow, that’s cool.” Since you’re dying to know, I’ll share:

🍺 I’m very good at identifying the alcohol content of beers by taste

🥃 I can quite accurately determine the volumetric measurement of a liquid in a container by sight

🎤 I have near perfect accuracy in picking the “wrong” horse, so to speak. P...

Remember the “I was today years old when I learned…” moment on TikTok where we all learned a lot of trivia like Australia is wider than the moon? Or the IRL moment when Sheila (at 35) finally figured out that Free Slurpee Day is always on July 11th (get it? 7/11!)

Today, we have one for you: big retailers are able to thrive in commercial real estate (when mom-and-pops struggle) because… retail real estate is actually a core business function for these larger companies. 

Think about it -- if you’re Starbucks, your real estate is not something you have to deal with periodically… it’s an everyday thing. You’re constantly opening stores, closing stores, renewing leases, making modif...

Dear Pedal,

There is a space in my neighborhood that has been vacant for, no joke, probably four years at this point. Definitely since before the pandemic. Season after season I watch the “For Lease” signs in the window fade and age, and it doesn’t look like there’s anything happening.

So, my question is this – why wouldn’t the landlord lower the rent to make the space attractive rather than just let it continue to sit vacant? It is seriously killing me… this space could be the home to some awesome local business instead of the nothing/ eyesore it currently is.

Yours truly,

Thoughtful Neighbor

Well, hi, Neighbor, and thanks for your excellent question. Here at Pedal, we get differ...

I (Abby) do not have any tattoos. This will come as a surprise to many, who are surely thinking “but she SO cool and edgy. So counterculture! She really makes redlines seem punk rock.” 👩🏻‍🎤

I do, however, have a number of retail real estate truisms that would come in handy if I ever DID have them tattooed on my body. Chief among them? “EVERYTHING IS NEGOTIABLE”

As we negotiate our deals, Pedal Retailers learn this is true. Pedal Retailers save $115,000 on average per lease – and that’s just just the tip of the iceberg. 

✅ Need three months free after you open to ramp up sales? Let’s ask for it.

✅ Need short term parking out front for online order pickup? Let’s ask for it.

Our dramatically dwindling attention spans (hello, TikTok) and culture of instant gratification (hello, Amazon Prime) is reshaping everything around us. We can order bulgogi bowls, a case of Modelo, toilet paper, a phone charger, and a hot date…all from our phones and all delivered to our doorstep within 60 minutes. 

So, when we tell aspiring retailers that it’s going to take 10 months to a year (or more) to open their brick-and-mortar, we brace ourselves for their disappointment. Most of the time, when we talk to first-timers, they share their plans to open for business in a new space “by the summer” or “in time for the holidays.” Almost always, those opening dates are about three ...

Let’s say that Dolly Parton is hosting a party and you’re the guest of honor. All eyes will be on you. You have to find the perfect outfit, duh. Your outfit has to match the vibe of the event, you need to feel fantastic in it, and you know that the general public will see the photos and feel quite confident expressing their opinions until the end of time.

🛍  Where would you go to find this outfit? 

You’d go to a store where a knowledgeable human being will work one-on-one with you to show you options that match your requirements, where they will help you in the fitting room to assess what can and cannot be tailored, and where they can pull stock from the back that just arrived, or fr...