"What if the right space for me isn’t out there?”
This question comes up on many First Location Program consultations, and most of the time, it’s super easy for us to answer. There are dozens of “right” retail spaces on the market at any given time that could work for a business, and, after all, you only need one. When you’ve got super clear real estate criteria, it’s typically pretty easy to find a handful of spaces that could work. Narrowing them down and 🕵️♀️ picking the best option is the hard part.
But for Pedal Retailer District Champagne, DC’s restrictive liquor license laws cut our options down dramatically. This is the story of how owners McLean and Joseph persevered to loc...

Just this past weekend, we got to do one of our ✨ most favorite ✨ parts of our work with brokerage clients...Pedal Last Mile! Months (sometimes many) after the lease is signed, and the buildout is coming to a close, we spend a day with our client helping with the final tasks before opening. We make swag bags, we steam clothes, we assemble shelves, we organize pickles...we do it all!
It was such a pleasure to spend the day with Jenna Morcos as she pushes through the "last mile" to opening day of Salt and Souls, Charlotte's premier halotherapy (salt cave) day spa.
We always have fun, but this time was especially fun since we got to bring our (actually very handy) kids to help.
🛠
In ...
Every new Pedal Retailer comes into the First Location Program in a different place – some have a crystal clear vision of their business in the space we’ll secure together, and for others, it’s hazy. For most people, the vision is partly hazy with some very clear spots.
When Pedal Retailer Jessica started FLP to find a brick-and-mortar home for Jurisdiction, her online women’s clothing boutique, she was on the clearer side of the spectrum.
She knew her target market and customer intimately – she was her own target customer, and the pain of trying to shop in her hometown of Potomac, MD was a constant frustration for her and her friends. Jessica grew up in Potomac, so she was not...